WILHELM (WILLI) (BILL) BARTH

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WILHELM (WILLI) (BILL) BARTH

Peacefully, with his family lovingly holding him in spirit and in our hearts, Dad passed away on November 24, 2020 at Seven Oaks Hospital.
He will be missed by his loving wife of 65 years Alina; his children, Marion (Chris Downey), Armin Barth (Joanne), and Andrea (Glenn Buffie); and grandchildren, Lauren and Kendra, Kyle and Brittney, Ryan, Kaitlynn, Mitchell, and Nicole.
Born on January 30, 1931 in
Nieder-Saulheim, Germany, Willi and his young family immigrated to Canada in 1960. He found a job with Dominion Motors and with support from friends and relatives soon bought a house and established his place in the community. Not long thereafter, Willi was offered a job with Borger Bros. (Borland) where he worked for 32 years until his
retirement in 1994.
He was a quiet and humble man. A man of few words. However, he was always listening, and piped up in lively family conversations when least expected. Dad was proud of his heritage. Growing up and working in the
vineyards of his hometown, he very much
enjoyed a glass of wine. "Red water" as he called it accompanied many meals and
special occasions at home. Opa was often heard saying "noch ein kleinen Schluck bitte". Another little sip and he was happy. Dad was very handy and talented with building things, including the cottage he proudly constructed at Lester Beach. The family spent many
happy times at the cottage and still do so
today. We fondly remember the quirky little things about the cottage, like light switches installed upside down, and the zest he had for keeping things "secure". Everything had to be nailed or bolted down properly, or at least
finely etched with his name in case anything went missing. Willi enjoyed travelling,
especially to Hawaii. Many winters were
happily spent on the lanai, or people watching along Waikiki beach. The holiday was even better when kids or grandkids could tag along. Opa was very proud of his grand-children. They loved him, and in his own very special way, he loved them back.
Dad never complained, even as his health deteriorated. When asked "how are you
doing", he would always answer "so, so",
"okay", or simply give us two thumbs up. He loved listening to music and in his younger years he loved to dance and sing. A waltz or a polka were always on the agenda at parties and family gatherings.
The family would like to thank Concordia Village and his home care providers for
tending to his needs each day, as well as the healthcare professionals at St. Boniface and Seven Oaks Hospitals for their efforts in keeping him comfortable.
A private family Celebration of Life, to
reminisce, eat well, and drink wine will take place when it is safe to do so.
He lived a good and long life, and we are glad to have been a part of it. Goodbye Opa, we love you and miss you.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 28, 2020