Obituaries

AREND (ARNOLD) SOLLEVELD
November 20, 1935 – November 22, 2022

Lovingly surrounded by his family, Arnold Solleveld passed away at the age of 87, in Winnipeg Manitoba.

He leaves behind his children Glenn (Benita), Diana (Don) Dupras, Kim Overly, his grandchildren Ryan (Amongluck), Terri-Rae, Eric (Lucie), and Krista (Jesse), and his great-grandchildren Dontai, Donovan, Nicholas, and Nina.

He is predeceased by his wife of 43 years Adeline (Storoschuk), his son David, his parents John and Ella Solleveld, and his brothers Ed, Tim, Bernhard, and his sister Elizabeth.
Arnie was born in the Netherlands in 1935. Like many families during the war, the Sollevelds looked to Canada for a better life, and at 17 years of age Arnie and his family embarked on a journey to Manitoba.

As a very young man new to Canada, Arnie dabbled in several different professions – most notably his stint as a taxi driver, which gave him mean driving skills and an impressive sense of direction. At 20 years of age, he began his 35-year long career at MTS. Arnie and Adeline were married in 1957 and quickly started a family. Over the course of their 43-year marriage Arnie took pride in tending to their very large garden, raising his family, planning memorable family road trips, practicing his faith and serving God through the Worldwide Church of God, and then taking on the role of a grandfather and great grandfather. When he retired from MTS in 1990, he volunteered much of his time to Meals on Wheels, Victoria Lifeline, and CNIB. Arnie also had musical talent and sang in the church choir and performed in many church concerts. After a time into retirement, Arnie, Adeline, and their son in law Don, created a band named the 21 Strings and they brought joy to many by performing at care homes and numerous other functions.

In 2002 Arnie reconnected with his high school sweetheart, Dineke, from the Netherlands. They spent 14 years sharing each other’s homes and traveling back and forth from Canada to Holland, with plenty of trips in between to places like Mexico, Europe, across Canada and the United States, the Canary Islands, and Alaska.

Arnie had a true zest for life and a positive outlook that charmed everyone he met. He was a very sociable person and was appreciated and respected among his family, his large circle of work colleagues and friends, and his church family. He had a kind and gentle nature, and he was always so easy to please. He had an entertaining and playful sense of humour that drew people in; He loved to joke and laugh. Arnie savoured the company of others and was in his element with an evening of good food, drink, and a lot of laughter. He had a genuine and warm concern for others and assumed responsibility for the elders in his life and assisted them however he could. He was a man of God and exemplified this with how he lived his life, and how he treated and cared for people.

We will miss his gregarious, honest, and amiable nature every day. We love you, Dad. Until we meet again…

Special thanks to the 2nd floor staff at Kildonan Personal Care Home for their care and compassion.

Private family internment to take place at a later date.