Lawrena LENFESTY

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

LENFESTY: Lawrena Joan Lenfesty (nee Clark) of Alexander, Manitoba entered into rest on April 30, 2009 at the age of 61 years. She left our world to be with her Father after a courageous endeavor fighting pancreatic cancer. Predeceased by her father Lawrence Hubert Clark in 1966, mother Katherine Helen Clark (Gilmore) in 2004 and sister Sandra Helen Sagin in 2009. She will be deeply missed by husband Wayne, daughter Angela Morasch (Clint), granddaughter Laurie, grandson Layne, daughter Jody Heidinger (Jason), granddaughter Emily. Nieces Karen Crudden, and Donna Sagin, brother in law Wayne Sagin, parents in law Doug & Julia Lenfesty, sister in law Corrine Lenfesty, Aunts Jean Middleton, and Pat Gilmore, and many cousins as well as countless friends. Joan was born in the Brandon Hospital on June 24, 1947 to parents Katherine and Lawrence Clark. She resided on the farm at Wellwood with her parents and sister for the duration of her childhood. Joan faithfully attended Sunday School and sang in the choir at the Zion Presbyterian Church in Wellwood. She attended school in Wellwood, and Brookdale. Activities and jobs on the farm far out-weighed any time spent in school. Farm chores with her Dad and Grandpa were treasured times. Joan was a member of the Wellwood 4H Beef and 4H Pony Club for many years. Joan loved her calves, which she broke to ride and drive. She outfitted them with saddles & bits or harnessed them up, hooked them to a wagon and raced them with her friends down the lane. She even performed at the Brandon Winter Fair with a team of calves hitched to a wagon. All this experience was preparing her for the day she would finally get to own a horse. One day her Grandpa Mac brought her home a pony named Star. This was most certainly the start of a deep love for an animal that would stretch far into her future. This passion has continued on in her family’s veins. Joan later acquired a little red roan mare named Dolly, then a bay mare named Stormy that would carry her to many Championships in the gymkhana and rodeo arena. Joan won the Canadian Girls Rodeo Association barrel racing championship for Manitoba in 1965, 66, and 67– traveling to Calgary and Banff to receive her awards. An honour she had fond memories of. These accomplishments brought joy to her parents and grandparents who supported and encouraged all her efforts. She was a member of and held executive positions in the Manitoba Gymkhana Rodeo Association, the Manitoba Barrel Racing Association, and the Canadian Western Horse Association. Joan was an enthusiastic competitor and won many awards in all these associations. She also successfully competed in MRCA and CCA Rodeo’s. Her family helped form the Woodberry Riding Club which she also enjoyed participating in. While on the rodeo trail Joan met a cowboy who had similar interests to her. While visiting the family farm, the gentleness in the way Wayne picked up and held the family barn cat convinced Joan that he was the one. Wayne & Joan were married in 1971 at the Zion Presbyterian Church in Wellwood, Manitoba. They were blessed with a daughter, Angela, in 1972. They resided at Wellwood for a short time and then later moved to Ormiston, SK where a job with PFRA would keep them for 4 years. She made many friends in southern Saskatchewan. A new job opportunity with PFRA would lead them back to Selkirk, Manitoba in 1976. In November of 1976 they were blessed with another baby girl, Jody. Joan and Wayne’s love of horses led this family on its life’s journey. Owning, showing and breeding horses would lead to many lifelong friendships and memorable experiences. Joan loved to barrel race. She had a few favorite horses that she competed on successfully. Of course, Stormy, who would live long enough to have Angela and Jody compete on, then Lee Boy, and Keejigo, who traveled to many CCA & MRCA rodeos and Tansy who won many hi point awards in the Canadian Western Horse Association. Joan loved to watch her daughters compete and she taught them almost everything they know today about being quiet, patient horse owners. She hauled them to hundreds of barrel racings, reinings, fairs and rodeos and was always there to support and encourage them. Being a good sport was her first priority- win or lose - and she made sure that was instilled in her daughters. After the untimely death of her Dad, Joan’s first job was helping her Mom run the family farm. Joan cherished farm life. After getting married her farm experience became a great help to Wayne and his chosen career. Joan spent many days in the saddle helping her new life partner manage the large herds of cattle on the community pastures. On many of these days, Angela or Jody were riding in the saddle in front of their Mom. After Angela and Jody began going to school, she became a Teachers Assistant at Happy Thought School in East Selkirk and later Daerwood School in Selkirk. She had found a new profession that suited her like no other – it was a job she loved - helping kids that needed help. She had very special relationships with many children over the years and never forgot any of them. And they did not forget her. Every Christmas she receives cards from many of those children – now adults. As a compliment to those teaching skills she was also a horse 4H club leader of which her daughters were members. She went on to give many barrel racing clinics to 4H clubs over the last number of years. She always had a way of making learning fun and boosting the confidence of those who had none. In 1994 another job opportunity for Wayne led them to Brandon. They bought a home and some land west of the city where they made a house a home for their horses, cats, dogs and company! Leaving the home, the job she loved, and the friends she had made for nearly 20 years didn’t come without mixed emotion. If Joan had one outstanding quality that rose above all others it was her ability to make a stranger a friend, and to “light up” every roomful of people she entered. It came with compassion, devotion and an honesty that was appreciated by all who knew her. From her school friends to horse show acquaintances to Tim Horton’s coffee buddies and her close family members - they all held their own private place of companionship in her heart. She never knowingly left anyone out of a conversation. Her priority in life was to care for others before herself. She sent cards to everyone she knew for every occasion – sad or happy. And every new born in a family she knew received a gift. She would be the first one to visit people who were in the hospital. She always gave money to the poor guy sitting on the sidewalk, or hitch hiking down the road. She sent funds, cards and gifts to girls in El Salvador and Kenya for several years as well as filling several shoe boxes every Christmas to send to needy children around the world. She carried on that generosity with her grandchildren as she sent numerous care packages for every holiday imaginable. Joan was proud of her Scottish heritage and family history. She took great joy and satisfaction in taking care of all her ancestors’ grave sites in the Carberry and Wellwood Cemeteries. She made weekly trips to Carberry to plant and then water the flowers through the summer. These flowers were all grown in her or her daughter Angela’s greenhouse. She would always take walks through the cemetery and reminisce with her departed relatives and friends. Coronation Street was one of her favorite television shows and you did not want to interrupt her while it was on. She could repeat with perfection many of the ‘oddities’ of their script often resembling Scottish pronunciations. She loved decorating for holidays. Her home would overflow with holiday cheer no matter how large or small the occasion. Birthday thrones, Christmas lit windows and trees and Easter eggs galore. Halloween was one of her favorites. Many of you have likely been in the presence of Paris ‘Wiltin’, The Old Fur Trapper, Hugh Heffner or lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the Blond Buxom Vegas Show girl. She planned her Halloween costume attire for weeks. Along with good friend and neighbor Karen; they harassed and entertained as many friends and neighbors as they could. The last few years Joan could always be found at any horse function that was held at the Keystone Centre. She always looked forward to visiting with friends and catching up on all the news. She scheduled many things around just being able to sit, watch and enjoy. She still liked trail riding. She saddled “Champ” and her and Wayne went on several rides over these last years. Joan took great satisfaction in helping out at the Triple S Fair and Rodeo in Selkirk; which her and Wayne did every July for the last 35 years. She looked forward to visits from Emily and Jody who had great times at the Brandon fair in the petting zoo! She looked forward to her trips out west to see Angela, Laurie and Layne and all their cattle show and barrel racing activity. Grandma Joan loved showing pictures and telling stories to her friends about her grand kids. Most recently, Joan held three jobs. One at Fruits and Passion in the Brandon Mall, at Chappels Greenhouse, and at Tim and Tara’s “egg factory” She enjoyed these jobs and so did her daughters. Gifts for them included their favorite bubble baths, lotions and a whole lot of beautiful flowers. If you ever had the chance to visit Joan’s home and yard you’d know how much she enjoyed her garden and flowers. She had pots and flowerbeds everywhere and a garden full of all her favorites. And I’m sure she grew enough tomatoes and cucumbers to feed all of Brandon. Her Yard was like a park. She spent many hours a week on her lawn mower – which she enjoyed. She considered it her time to meditate. Her green thumb was inherited from her Grandma Ruby. Joan loved Elvis Presley. A lifelong dream to get to Graceland was realized last year on a bus trip to the US with Wayne. She loved the Great Smoky Mountains, Dollywood, Nashville, and the Grand Ole Opry, and marveled at the landscapes of the Ozark Mountains. She loved country music and her car and home were full of tapes and CD’s of her all her favorites. And Joan loved to dance. There wasn’t a day go by that she did not take a few fancy steps – to show her joy for life. Joan had a keen sense of humor; and she was a prankster. She found a way to pull pranks on unsuspecting people and enjoy being entertained by their reactions. She was an undiscovered poet. She took the liberty of poking fun at people through her writings. Joan also gave almost everyone she knew a nickname. I believe she would say she acquired these skills from her father who was her best friend and soul mate. She missed him every day of her life after his untimely passing. She liked her steak well done - burned actually. She enjoyed badminton matches and croquet; checkers and card games with anyone who’d challenge her. She couldn’t draw to save her soul and her grand kids got a lot of laughs over it. She was a terrific speller and a stickler for the proper use of grammar. She was a pretty darn good driver and bragged about her merit points. She was an early riser and made sure everyone else was also. Sleeping in was not an option on any day - as life is too short to do that. She hated mushrooms and garlic. The smell of either of them cooking was enough to send her back where she came from! She never passed a Tim Horton’s when on any trip. And her Grand Am could usually be seen at one of the Tim Horton’s in Brandon on any given day. Simply put, Joan enjoyed life and all the people that made it worthwhile. In the last few months she spoke often about how it made her feel to have to leave everyone. More than anything, she worried about anyone being sad. Although hard to expect, she wants us all to know it would be her last wish for us all to celebrate her life in a way that she lived hers – believing in and living as Jesus wants us to, living happily, without regret or sorrow, without jealousy or ignorance. Always be kind to others and never hold a grudge. And to never take for granted a cup of coffee with friends. The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to Dr. Butler, Dr. Smith and all the staff on the 3rd floor of the Assiniboine Centre for their kindness and caring. Also a big thank you to all those who sent flowers and cards and who visited. Your acts of kindness brightened Joan’s days and are greatly appreciated. Interment will be held at the Carberry Plains Cemetery at 10:30 am, Tuesday, May 5, 2009. The memorial service will follow at 2:00 pm at the First Presbyterian Church, 339-12th St. Brandon, Manitoba. Rev. Dr. Dong-Ha Kim and Rev. Harvey Hurren will officiate. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Canadian Cancer Society, 193 Sherbrook Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 9Z9. Active pallbearers are Jim Ranson, Ray Girard, Guy Robertson, Paul Adriaansen, Brian Donald, and Zane Fredbjornson. Expressions of sympathy can be made atwww.memorieschapel.com. Arrangements are with Memories Chapel and Pre-Planning Centre, 727-0330.

As published in Brandon Sun on May 02, 2009