Obituary of Wilbert Monroe Esau
Wilbert Monroe Esau was born to John T. Esau and Margaret DeVeer Esau on April 13, 1929 at Linden, AB. He passed away peacefully on December 13, 2020 at Outlook, SK, at the age of 91.
Grandpa enjoyed his childhood in the homesteading frontier of Crooked Creek, AB, where he rode his horse to a small one-roomed school. He grew up in a large family with 4 brothers and 3 sisters. Grandpa loved to tell us stories of how, as a child, he would take a pail of eggs to the local store to sell. He packed the eggs in grain to keep them from breaking.
Grandpa loved the wild native land of northern Alberta. He regaled incidents of hunting rabbits and other wildlife. Of course, rabbits made a tasty meal for the family. He would ride far down the Simonette River, hunting and sightseeing. When Grandpa was 12 years old, he gave his heart to God and was baptized on July 9, 1941, by his uncle, Gerhard DeVeer.
On November 9, 1952 Grandpa married the love of his life, Lorena Loewen from Linden, AB. Grandpa talked fondly of Grandma’s beautiful blue eyes long after she died in 2010 and his voice broke with emotion whenever he spoke about her. He mentioned just before his passing how he was looking forward to seeing her.
Grandpa did various jobs for a living, including working at the sawmill, catskinning, working in a cheese factory, doing electrical work and driving public school bus. In their young married years Grandpa and Grandma spent a memorable and fulfilling time in Sunchild Mission near Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. He was also part of a quartet who got together to sing. The family has many happy memories of those times.
Grandpa was involved in the gas co-ops starting up in Linden, Alberta, in 1966. In 1967 he bought a trencher and started plowing in secondary gas lines to many farms. This was one of the first municipalities to receive natural gas. Fifty-three years later his grandson has done some repairing on his original connections.
Grandpa spent numerous years working as an orderly and maintenance man at the old Linden Nursing Home. This included Grandpa milking the cow and Grandma doing laundry in the basement. The maternity ward was in the back of the nursing home, so Grandpa and Grandma were involved with that as well.
Grandpa & Grandma moved to Donavon, SK, in 1978 and started farming sheep. Grandpa built a metal fabricating shop as well. In his older years, Grandpa built 2 different pontoon boats and loved puttering in the shop and on his projects. In his sunset years, Grandpa’s grandson built him a small one-bedroomed cabin where he loved to spend time in the summers or when he got tired of living at the Villa.
Grandpa had a reconsecration a few months before his death and rededicated his life to God.
We will always remember Grandpa’s hugs that included sound slaps on the back, his deep rumbling bass and his long slow tales of the old days.
Left to cherish memories are five children, Dean & Lois Esau, Delisle, SK, Ramona & Ron Isaac, Linden, AB, Ellen Chiasson, Saskatoon, SK, Ron & Michelle Esau, Linden, AB, and Arlen & Jodi Esau, Donavon, SK, as well as 14 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. He also leaves behind two sisters, Pauline Penner, Steinbach, MB, and Mildred Cardinal, Vancouver, BC, as well as two in-laws, Harvey Cardinal, Victoria, BC and Rosella Esau, Edmonton, AB.
He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Lorena, son-in-law Don Chiasson, as well as 1 sister and 7 brothers (3 died as babies).
We, as a family, would especially like to thank the workers at the Villa and the nurses and doctor in Outlook for the exceptional care Grandpa received in his last days.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Wilbert
Monroe
Esau 1929 2020..
Death notice for the town of: Linden, Province: Alberta