Ralph WHETTER

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WHETTER: Ralph Jacob Clinton Whetter died in Brandon on March 17, 2016 in his 97th year. He lived a rich life and was granted a good death. Clint was born on June 20, 1919, on the farm NE 2-5-23, Dand, Manitoba. He was the fourth son born to Jacob Clinton Whetter and Annie Alberta Hodgson. Clint attended Dand School and had the fortune to attend University of Manitoba enrolling in Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. Clint fell in love with Dorothy Lorene Keeler of Lauder. Their courtship continued while they were in Winnipeg, Dad at University and Mom attending Bible College and pursuing a degree in piano. Life was interrupted by WW11. Clint enlisted for service in the RCAF in 1942. His crew, 425 Alouette Squadron, was then selected to join Pathfinder 405 Squadron. In total, they performed 60 operations. He and his crew were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Clint and Dorothy were married on August 1, 1945 in Lauder and together they built their homestead at Dand SE 35-4-23. Clint Whetter had two passions in life – Conservation and 4H. He was never a big landowner but his methods were on the leading edge of agriculture. He recognized the need for soil conservation and the need to change farming practices. To this end, The Turtle Mountain Conservation District was formed in 1973, with Clint as a founding board member. Clint served as Chairman of the Manitoba Conservation Districts Association for 10 years. Public recognition of Clint’s activities came with his induction into the Canadian Conservation Hall of Fame in 1992 and to The Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2009. Clint re-started the 4H program in 1948 and continued in a leadership role in the Dand 4H Club for over 50 years. He loved working with the youth and took pride in teaching them life skills. Beef, public speaking, photography, and conservation were his salient projects. For his long-standing efforts in 4H Clint was recognized by the Canadian 4-H Council in 2002 as a Lifetime Honorary Member. That year he also received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Commemorative Medal for exemplary community involvement over the past fifty years. Peaceful times were spent canoeing down the Souris River, hikes in the Hartney Sandhills, and walking the pasture along Chain Lakes. While most of his waking hours were spent working, Clint was a dedicated family man. Mealtimes, Sundays, summer vacation, and many farming activities were planned as family time. Clint was predeceased by his wife Dorothy and his brothers Reg, Jack, and Bill and all of his Air Force crew. Clint is survived by his four children, Dale (Dorothy) Whetter, Glen (Erma) Whetter, Ellen (Robert) Stevenson, and Bernie Whetter, nine grandchildren, Katherine (Colin) Skibitzky, Michael (Kendra) Whetter, Orlando (Geraldine) Whetter, Corrie (Jaco) Van der Westhuizen, Laura (Joshua) Van Mulligan, Sidney Stevenson, Eva Stevenson, Sarah (Ryan) Boyd, and Ted Whetter, and twelve great-grandchildren. Our family is thankful to many good people of Dand, Lauder, Hartney, Deloraine, Goodlands, Waskada, Boissevain, and Brandon and to all the youth who gave Mom and Dad so much pleasure through their work in music and 4H. Thank you to the medical staff and Home Care Services in Deloraine, Boissevain and Brandon for their health care. A celebration was held in honor of Clint in Hartney on March 22, 2016 with services provided by Smith Funeral Home. Donations may be made to Canadian Food Grains Bank.

As published in Brandon Sun on Apr 09, 2016