Obituaries

GUNNAR ALBAK

NOVEMBER 3, 1928-FEBRUARY 6, 2024

Our beloved father, grandfather (farfar) and great grandfather passed away peacefully at home.  He was predeceased by his wife Miriam in 2018, his sisters Mary, Susie and brother Egan.  Left to cherish his memory, son Russ (Donna), daughter Carol (Ron) grandchildren, Stephen (Kendra), Laura (Jeff), Jennifer (Ryan), Gary (Princess), Bryan, Mark and Kristopher, great grandchildren Archer, Avianna, Kaitlyn, Juliet, Liam, Scarlett and Hyara.

Gunnar was born and raised in Froholm, Denmark. He lived a fruitful life. He was a senior scout and attended a world jamboree.  Scouting taught him a lot of life skills. His ability to tie and untie knots was amazing.  He was very capable at securing a load.  He served with the Danish army and studied Horticulture in Denmark.  Gunnar came to Canada in the early 1950’s.  He joined his brother, sister Susie followed. Gunnar soon started to work for the City of Winnipeg. He was sent to Shoal Lake with Water Works and that is where he met Miriam in 1953.  They were married in 1955.  Gunnar transferred to the Forestry Department, then to the Conservatory at Assiniboine Park. During those years, he had a landscaping business on the side, working evenings and weekends to provide for his family. He then switched to Parks and Recreation and finished his career as Superintended of District 3.  This included Kildonan Park and the surrounding area.  Many upgrades occurred at Kildonan Park during his tenure.   Gunnar enjoyed his career and was considered a very capable and effective administrator. Dad took pleasure in having his family together. Celebrating a birthday or simply an impromptu dinner was special.

Upon retirement in 1988, Gunnar and Miriam moved to Carman, MB. He was involved with their church, curling and golf as well as tending to his hobby farm. He planted grapes, fruit trees, bushels of potatoes, cucumbers and tomatoes to name a few.  Throughout their married life, they enjoyed working together in the kitchen, making pickled herring, homemade chokecherry wine, canning vegetables and even producing homemade laundry detergent. Together they read extensively and supported the local library.

Upon moving back to Winnipeg, he developed the community garden at their Assisted Living home. In later years, he took up knitting again and donated hundreds of scarves to Koats for Kids. He was quiet, wise and unassuming.  Gunnar always seemed to adapt to life’s twists and turns.

The family would like to extend their appreciation to several folks who treated and supported him over the past few years: his long term care companion, Stella Kandilakis, his long term physician, Dr. C.W. Fletcher, current physician, Dr. Alastair Brown, case manager Sherisse Abraham, all of the kind and attentive professionals at PRIME Deer Lodge Centre.  Also, the staff at Brightwater of Tuxedo, who facilitated the opportunity for him to pass at home with comfort and dignity.

Dad, we miss you deeply and we know that you are with mom in your eternal home.