WILLIAM MANFRED SCHUBERT (BILL)

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WILLIAM MANFRED SCHUBERT
September 4, 1936 - May 19, 2020

After a brief and courageous battle with cancer, and with his wife and children at his side, Bill passed away on the morning of Tuesday, May 19.
He will be lovingly remembered by his beloved wife of 59 years, Liane, children, Clifford and Claudia, their spouses, Cheryl and Mercil, and his grandchildren, Kelli, Amanda, Deanna and Noah. William was predeceased by his parents, Wilhelm and Margarete Schubert, brothers, Reinhard and Norbert Schubert in Berlin, Germany, and is survived by his sister Isolde Pahl in Berlin, Germany.
William (Bill) was born September 4, 1936 in Berlin, Germany. He received his schooling and training as a plumber and pipefitter in Berlin. In 1957 he immigrated to Canada and worked in his trade in Vancouver, BC. In 1958 he moved to the interior of British Columbia and spent the next four years in various cities and towns in the interior of British Columbia.
In 1961 he went to Germany to marry the love of his life in a civil ceremony in Berlin. In the spring of 1962, he went back to Canada with his new bride to follow shortly after. They took up residence in Merritt, BC where William started his mining career with Craigmont Mines as an underground mechanic. In 1963 they married in a church ceremony in Kamloops, BC.
William had always been active in various aspects of rescue and first aid. When an opening came up in the Mine Rescue team, William joined and after a four-week training period became a certified Mine Rescue man. After a little over a year with Craigmont they relocated to Uranium City, Saskatchewan where William had been offered a position as an underground mechanic at Eldorado Nuclear in their Beaver Lodge Uranium Mine. From day one he was active in the Eldorado Mine Rescue efforts as an active mine rescue man and team captain and in the Mine Rescue Competition efforts of the company. In 1966, William quit the mechanical crew and went to work as a production miner. Two years later he was promoted to training supervisor in charge of all in-plant training including Mine Rescue. It was in Uranium City that their son Clifford was born in 1964, followed five years later by their daughter Claudia.
In 1971, a change in employment necessitated a move south to Thompson, Manitoba where Bill began and continued his position as Mine's Inspector and Mine Rescue Trainer with the Provincial Government, until 1987 when he transferred to Winnipeg to continue his work until he retired in 1997.
In 1997, William retired from the Manitoba Civil Service and relocated to La Salle, MB where he had their retirement home built. After 15 years, the work of maintaining this house and property became too much and he and Liane moved back to Winnipeg where they bought a condo.
During their retirement years, William and Liane spent their time travelling to many places throughout Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Cuba, Portugal, Hawaii, China, cruises along the Panama Canal and the Hawaiian Islands just to name a few. During all the vacations, he and his family never forgot to return home to Germany for a visit.
Bill was a devoted family man. He was incredibly proud of his children, Clifford and Claudia, and the families they built of their own. He shared a mutual adoration with his four grandchildren - Kelli, Amanda, Deanna and Noah. They all thought "Opa" was the "World's Best Opa - Hands Down!" who could fix absolutely everything - and he did... from their bumps and bruises, to their favourite toys, bikes, and eventually "bigger" problems including providing an ear and insight on some of their teenage/adult issues. In La Salle he shared his love for nature with them - there were lots of canoe trips on the La Salle River. Opa's basement was a magical place where all the tools lived and where he would invite the kids to spend time with him working on whatever hobby he had at the time. He loved sharing his abilities and passions with "the kids" taking every opportunity to teach them life skills along the way. Opa was also their biggest fan supporting each of their own interests - dance, hockey, fencing, taekwondo - and was incredibly proud of all their accomplishments.
In addition to being a true family man, he had many creative talents. He took pride in his home where he displayed many of the beautiful works of art he created over the years - stained glass creations, various carvings created out of soapstone, deer and moose antler and sometimes a combination of mediums.
Bill is described by those who knew him as a "good man". He cared genuinely and deeply for his family and friends, treating everyone with kindness and respect. When he was diagnosed with cancer, he faced his illness the same way he faced everything in life - hitting it head on, with great determination and maintaining his focus on LIVING with his core values and principles driving him through, in spite of the many challenges he faced during this time. This was supported unconditionally with the love and understanding of his wife, children and grandchildren, friends and neighbours. The family wishes to thank everyone who reached out to support Bill and the family during his illness.
Thank you to family physician Dr. Oliver Bereznay, the CancerCare Manitoba doctors and medical team, and the thoracic surgical team at Health Sciences Centre for their exceptional care and support of Bill during his illness. Thank you to the palliative care team for their care and concern in supporting Bill and the family during his final days and transition.

Schatz, it is impossible to imagine my life without you. I will treasure and hold dear our memories together. With all my love, Liane.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to CancerCare Manitoba or the Diabetes Foundation.
Celebration of Life will be held at a future date.

For those who wish to sign the online
Guest Book please visit www.chapellawn.ca

Chapel Lawn Funeral Home
204-885-9715

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 23, 2020