ALBERT HILDEBRAND

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ALBERT HILDEBRAND March 19, 1928 - November 1, 2016 Fifty days after his wife went before him, Albert Frederick Hildebrand finished his last shift on earth on Tuesday, November 1, 2016. He was born March 19, 1928 in Snowflake, Manitoba, where his family farmed between Spirit Mound and the US border. At age 14, he took a horse-drawn wagon to help relocate the family farm 200 km. north to Langruth. It was at this farm where he met the new one-room schoolhouse teacher Gladys Lemkay who would become his wife of 58 years. They moved to Neepawa where Dad worked in the creamery and then the Swift Canadian hatchery, eventually retiring from the company in 1990 after 30 years. Even after retiring, this jack-of-all-trades kept visiting and helping at the Butterball turkey processing plant on Jarvis Ave while working at Hampton Towers as a doorman. He loved driving the fancy cars up from the parking garage - but he always missed working with a team of horses and the self-sufficient life on the farm. The last 41 years were spent in Niverville where he was very active in the community, especially in the Lions Club, Scouts, and Niverville United Church. Often, if someone said they needed something made or done, it would just show up a day or two later. Most of the backyard at one time was tilled into garden and the gigantic freezer was always full for the family. In retirement, he bought a snow-blower so he could clean out the driveways of the other people on Ash Grove Cres before they even thought of doing it. He and Gladys spent the last two years at the Niverville Credit Union Manor where he still enjoyed his flowers and even made a miniature leather harness for a horse statue. He is survived by brothers Arthur (Judy), Ken (Vicki), sister Emily (Ralph), children Maureen (Scott) Gilroyed and Myles (Barb) Hildebrand, and grandchildren Connor, Mylea, and Rowan. He was predeceased by his parents Adolph and Alvina Hildebrand (nee Steinke), and sisters: Edna (Bill) Hirsekorn, Ruth (Art) Roberts, and Velma (Joe) Vereb. He enjoyed keeping up with all the extended family and friends over his life and would be thrilled to be the guest star at one last funeral. His strong body seemed to fail him in the last year and doctors discovered that his bone marrow had shut down due to the chemotherapy he had 16 years ago - something that normally occurs within six years in younger people. He wanted to keep fighting as long as he could even as the treatments failed him. The loss of Gladys really set him back and his body worked overtime to keep going, to attend his sister's funeral and see friends one last time. He was very grateful for all the kind visitors he received in St. Pierre hospital and knew his legacy was not in worldy goods but in the family and community he always dutifully provided for. He was still making the wonderful staff at the hospital laugh until his last day. A celebration of life will be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. at Niverville United Church, 55 - 1st Street, Niverville, MB, with interment at Heritage Cemetery, Niverville, MB, and reception to immediately follow at the Niverville Heritage Centre. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Albert may be made to Canadian Blood Services. Arrangements by BIRCHWOOD FUNERAL CHAPEL 1-204-346-1030 OR 1-888-454-1030

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 05, 2016