Wendell John Dreher

Wendell John Dreher was born on May 5, 1935 on the family farm near Kendall, SK to George and Helen Dreher. He was the thirteenth of twenty children. His early years were spent on the farm. He moved to Regina in 1955 to study for and obtain his Saskatchewan Teacher’s Certificate. His first year of teaching was a one room schoolhouse in Qu’Appelle in 1956.

He married Evelyn Margaret Knudsen in 1957 and they were blessed with six children. Dad was a man of many talents. He taught for sixteen years in southern Saskatchewan. He was a salesperson and district manager for World Book Encyclopedias for ten years, winning several national awards and trips to Greece, Turkey, Chicago, San Franisco, and Orlando. He served as Regional Mobile Librarian in Yorkton. He spent three decades as property manager, first in Saskatoon and then in Regina before retiring to Humboldt. He was also a skilled musician which, second only to his faith and devotion to family, gave him and all within toe tapping distance an incredible amount of joy. He began playing saxophone with his brothers in his early teen years. He continued playing for over seven decades with a variety of bands and community orchestras. His most recent band, The Decades, was a long-standing headliner at Danceland in Manitou. He was thrilled to be part of the professionally recorded sell-out CD titled “THE DECADES - For All The Good Times!”. Even in care in Lanigan’s Central Parkland Lodge, he still played and residents congregated around his door to listen.

Dad passed away on January 4, 2024, at Luther Special Care Home in Saskatoon. He is survived by his children Linda (Farley), Timothy (Michelle), Celeste (Klaus), Christopher, and Virginia (Arno), by his grandchildren, Amber, Ashley, Ben, Sam, Lindsay, Jon, Mikayla, Kyle, Joshua and Jacob, their partners, his great-grandchildren and by his loving and large extended family.

He was predeceased by his daughter Leta Marie, May 1, 2008 and the love of his life, our mother Evelyn, August 22, 2023.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Celebrated at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, January 12, 2024 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church (1235 12th Street East, Saskatoon) and will be officiated by Fr. Daniel Yasinki. For those unable to attend please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDB-G2uHHvE to view the service.

Rite of Committal will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 4, 2024 at Riverside Memorial Park Cemetery (815 Assiniboine Ave E, Regina) with Fr Louis Kim Nguyen presiding.

Arrangements entrusted to Travis Minor.

Our loss is Heaven’s gain.