Reinhold Johnnie Bablitz

Reinhold was born on a homestead in Ballantine, Alberta on October 18th, 1941. He was the 3rd oldest in a family of 6 boys. He was born during threshing time and his mother was working in the grainery, spreading the grain around. While doing this she went into labour. They had to stop the threshing while Reinhold’s father ran about a mile through the bush to get a neighbor lady to come and help with the delivery. Everything went well and the next day threshing continued with mother back in the grainery and Baby Reinhold in a blanket beside the grainery. What a beginning!

Reinhold’s 1st 6 years of schooling were at a 1 room school in Ballantine. This was a 1.5 mile walk through the bush. He went to Junior High in Cherhill and High School in Sangudo.

At 16 years of age Reinhold joined the army in 1958 as an Apprentice Soldier in the Signal Corp. This was a 2 year program at the Royal Canadian School of Signals during which each soldier received basic military training, trades training, and high school classes.

He was then posted to CFB Gagetown, near Fredericton, N.B. in 1960.

In 1961 he was posted to Fort Churchill, Manitoba where he was promoted to Corporal.

In 1963 he was sent back to Kingston for advanced trades training. This was followed by a posting to 1 Line Troop, also located in Kingston.

In 1964 he was transferred to Germany where he met and married his first wife, Rosemarie Barth. He was promoted to Sargent during his tour in Germany.

In 1967 they were posted back to the school of signals in Kingston.

In 1969 he was promoted to Warrant Officer. It was here that their daughter Brigitte was born on the 18th of May 1970. Reinhold wore quite a few hats while in Kingston, but most of his time was spent teaching. During this time he spent 6 months at CFS Alert, which is about 450 miles from the North Pole. It was dark for almost all of his stay.

Unfortunately his marriage failed and Brigitte returned to Germany with her mother in 1972.

In 1974 Reinhold was posted to CFS Bermuda. He was then sent to Pensacola, Florida for some technical training with the U.S. Navy. While there he met Alice Aughinbaugh. They were married upon his return to Bermuda in 1975. They both loved life in Bermuda. In 1977 Reinhold became quite sick and was sent to the Navy Hospital in Halifax for diagnosis. They weren’t sure what the problem was and decided to send him to the mayo clinic in Rochester, MN. They diagnosed Non-Hodgekins Lymphoma.

He ended up at the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton for treatment. His wife “Alice” joined him about a month later. He spent several years in Edmonton working in Base Telecom and 742 Communication Squadron. He was happy to see his daughter “Brigitte” and her mother move to Edmonton in 1979. He was promoted to Master Warrant Officer during his tour in Edmonton.

In 1985, in what would be his last posting, Reinhold was posted to National Defense Headquarters in Ottawa. Upon his retirement in 1989 they returned to their home in Edmonton.

In 2005 Reinhold’s beloved wife “Alice” passed away quietly during her sleep while visiting her family in Hollywood, Florida. She is resting peacefully in the Barrhead Lutheran Cemetery. He will join her there today.