Wesley John Wankel

Wes is survived by his son Randy Wankel (Judy) of Victoria, BC and their son James Wankel (Lindsay and their daughter Makenna Scott (Devin) and sons Dawson and Cole), daughters Colleen Perry (Craig) of North Vancouver, BC and their sons Mark Perry (Kelly) and Tim Perry (Hillary and their sons Jack, Rowen and Edison), Elaine Nakonechny (Darryl) of Lethbridge, AB and their daughter Kira Martindale (Pat and their daughters Reese and Sydney) and son Kevin Nakonechny (Kendal and their son Brighton) and Michelle Diehl (Leighton) of Victoria and their daughter Kayleah and step-son Gordon Stevenson of Victoria. He is also survived by his siblings: Horace Wankel (Sharon) of Loreburn, Elaine Wanhella of Saskatoon, SK, Leonard Wankel (Judy) of Melfort, SK and Howard Wankel (Cathie) of Calgary, AB as well as numerous nieces and nephews and extended family.

Wes was predeceased by his parents Manley and Sarah, wives Kathy and Joan, son Wesley Scott, daughter Trudy, granddaughter Susanna and brother-in-law Mike Wanhella.

Wes grew up on a farm near Loreburn, with a move to Meskanew, SK in the fall of 1934 for two years before returning to Loreburn. He graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a BSc in Agricultural Engineering in 1953. After graduation from university Wes worked for the PFRA in Saskatchewan. On October 30, 1954 Wes married Kathleen Torok. In 1955 they moved to Nipawin, SK where he started his own engineering consulting firm, Wankel Engineering Services (WES). Some of his consulting firm work included the Hanson Lake Road and installation of water and sewer systems in small communities in the Nipawin and Prince Albert area.

In 1965 the family moved to Regina, SK where Wes worked with the Saskatchewan Department of Agriculture on the irrigation project at Outlook. In 1974 he started employment in Lethbridge with Alberta Agriculture in the Irrigation Division as a Planning Section Head working on water delivery in the Southern Alberta irrigation districts. Sadly Kathy passed away in July 1979. After a fulfilling engineering career Wes retired in 1986. Shortly after retirement Wes moved his family to Colwood, BC on Vancouver Island. While in Colwood an interest in the stock market and financial investments led him to start a second career as a financial planner with Regal Capital Planners. On June 22, 1995 Wes married Joan Stevenson. They moved to Logan Lake, BC in 1998 and finally to Chilliwack, BC in 2012.

Wes actively participated in baseball, hockey and curling. He also coached various sports teams which included his children’s. He liked watching sports, in particular the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Later in his life, he played slowpitch in the BC Senior Games and umpired slowpitch after playing became more difficult. He was active in his church serving on councils and enjoyed being an active member of the many communities he lived in. One project he was involved in was the planning and installation of the irrigation system on the ball fields in Logan Lake.

Wes loved to travel and enjoyed many road trips across Canada and the United States, train trips in Europe and the United States and cruises, some of which included Alaska, the Caribbean and a Europe river cruise. He will be remembered as an engaging and caring person, who enjoyed visits with family and friends. He was proud of his rural beginnings, never missing a chance to go on a tour of the fields and the crops grown on them at the home farm. As Wes requested, interment will be in the Loreburn Cemetery. He is going home!

Tributes for Wes may be directed to The Canadian Cancer Society or The Alzheimer’s Society of Canada, links listed below.