Grandpa Scheibner

My Grandpa passed away on September 14, 2013.  It was sudden, but I suppose also expected.  My Grandpa has always battled with heart disease and had his first open heart surgery before I was born over 30 years ago.  Since that first surgery he has had numerous by-pass surgeries and has always come out strong!  My Grandpa was always quiet and usually behind a video camera but he was a man of great strength and vibrancy!  I learned a lot about him that I didn't know from the eulogy my Aunt gave at his funeral:

Len Scheibner Eulogy

It is a sad day when we lose someone we love but  that sadness becomes less as we start remembering the rich blessing our dad has been not only to his family but to many others . Dad has left us with a precious gift. That gift is how he lived his life and the role model he was for us.

This picture was taken at Grandma and Grandpa's 60th Wedding Anniversary

This is the most recent picture taken of Grandma and Grandpa with their children, it was taken last year for their 65th Anniversary at my Mom's house!

He modeled service

The first thing I remember him being involved in was Civil Defence in Coaldale and since he had his ham radio license he participated in the Amateur Radio Emergency Service. They had a regular net for the purpose of passing emergency communications not to mention the often noisy background of a house full of kids.

He was a member of many Ham Radio Clubs, Bowling leagues, Horseshoe pitching clubs, Seniors Groups, Rotary Club. He was never just a member of a club – he was the driving force behind the clubs.

He modeled leadership

When we were clearing out the house this summer we had to empty about a dozen briefcases each containing old records from the various clubs of which he was either president or the treasurer.  I don’t think he belonged to anything he didn’t take a leadership role in.

When he was working for Automatic Electric he travelled extensively as part of the CSA group developing and monitoring standards in the phone industry. He always brought home a souvenir plate for Mom of the many places he travelled to in Canada and the U.S. and it was added to the collection lining the walls. None of us can think of their home in Coaldale without immediately visualizing all the plates.

Dad modeled adventure

Dad came from brave and adventurous roots. (So did Mom) His dad was born in Kingston Tennessee and his mom in Kansas City Kansas – a long ways from Alberta. Their families moved to the Wilbur Washington area where my Granddad and Grandma married. They made the decision to move to Canada – the only branch of the Scheibner family that did and homesteaded in the Gem, Alberta area in 1915 going on to develop a large ranch that is now home to Glen and Linda Scheibner. Dad was the baby of the family – and spoiled as such. I always loved hearing the stories of his youth and some of the things he got up to – one in particular left its mark when he shot himself in the foot. I don’t think he did much shooting after that!

He got his pilot’s license – we actually found his original flight log book this summer. He had a lifelong interest in flying even though he had to let his license lapse when we kids came along. One of his favourite TV shows was Discovery Channel’s Flying Wild Alaska.

 He modeled enthusiasm

What Dad did he did enthusiastically. Sometimes more enthusiastically then his kids liked. If he was keen on something he expected us to be just as keen. I hated bowling but he roped me into his bowling league one season. I’m not a horseshoe pitcher yet I spent a day in Calgary pitching in a Pro/Am competition – thank goodness for the Pro I was matched up with. I actually did not too bad myself! He kept trying to convince me how Excel was the best system for keeping track of my finances – the way his were set up was brilliant. Finally, when he was staying with us a few days he set up a complete set of Excel books that I still can’t figure out.

Dad modeled good sportsmanship

Dad was active in sports – starting on the Scheibner hockey line with his brothers Lawrence and Clarence – they were unbeatable.

Hockey must be in the gene pool somewhere. Our cousins Glen and Mark carried on that tradition with the Lethbridge Native Sons – winning the gold medal at the 1975 Canada Winter Games headquartered in Lethbridge. With their involvement on the team, Dad enthusiastically recruited Bonnie to go to the games with him and created a real rink rat that continues to this date. They were loyal fans through the transition from Native Sons to Broncos and now to the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Bonnie is going to miss her hockey buddy!

He enjoyed cross country skiing and even took up water skiing. It was horse shoe pitching that he really excelled at. He received so many titles while competing at the local, provincial, national and even world competitions. He was honoured by being inducted into the Horseshoe Pitcher’s Hall of Fame. He enjoyed the friendship of other competitors more than just beating them – though he rather liked that too.

He promoted his sport in many different ways. He was often called upon to get a group together to demonstrate the sport and try and encourage new people to join the clubs.

The gift of hard work and responsibility

For many years Dad always had a second job as a telephone lineman. He often would take Larry and me along as he either repaired downed lines or fixed someone’s phone. It was amazing watching him climb the poles and, while suspended by his tool belt, splice wires together to get the rural phones up and running again.

One of the scariest moments I remember was not when Dad was suspended from the telephone pole, or when he skittered to the bottom, but it was when he went to one of the Hutterite colonies to fix their phone and Larry and I were waiting in the car. This Hutterite lady came over to entice us out of the car which we would have no part of – bear in mind even if we weren’t so scared of her appearance, we wouldn’t have understood her speaking to us in German anyway. When Dad was finished the job he came back to the car carrying a paper bag full of the donuts she was inviting us inside to have.

As phones and service became more reliable there wasn’t much need for telephone linemen and when he finished at the TV station, it was this phone experience that got him the job with Automatic Electric/Microtel/Novatel from which he retired in 1991.

The gift of humour

Dad laughed a lot – he enjoyed a good joke and especially a good comedy show. I remember how he got such a kick out of The Carry On Gang shows.

As in all other aspects of his life, when he had seen a very funny show he enthusiastically shared the details with us. It usually lost something in the translation either because he did not have the gift of delivering a punch line or he was laughing so hard we couldn’t understand what he was saying.

The gift of music

Dad loved good gospel music, good country music, and good old time dance music. Our living room was the site of many jam sessions when Dad would strum along with his guitar or play along on the piano.

The violin here was our Granddad’s and – together with our Grandma’s pump organ (which has now taken up residence at Debbie’s) was used at many a barn dance in Gem. This violin was even used in a recording of old time dance music. Dad and Mom went to the Pemmican Club Christmas dances for years dancing and/or watching the 2 step, schottisches, old time waltzs. They got me to go many times.

I also remember going to many country music concerts over the years. Since Dad became Director of Live Programs at the TV station he got to know all the entertainment that came through the city. We had back stages passes more than once to the Tommy Hunter concerts.

Up until the last few years, every day Dad would either play his guitar or the piano. Hopefully we will soon hear Maryssa giving us a tune on that same piano which is now at her house.

The gift of faith

Dad’s was a constant and trusting faith. Mom and Dad joined the Coaldale United Church in the mid-50s, later moving to Southminister United Church in Lethbridge and then in the late 80s becoming part of the Lethbridge Salvation Army.

As their health failed, they kept up their regular Sunday worship through the Hour of Power with Robert Schuller and The People’s Church with Charles Price. If we were visiting, he would crank up the volume so everyone there would have the benefit of the message!

 The gift of love

Dad loved his family so much that if he knew we were coming he would actually record The Young and The Restless and wait to watch it later!  Last November they celebrated their 65^th anniversary. No marriage lasts that long without being held up by much love on both sides.

Dad didn’t often verbalize his love. If we would say “love you” his response would be “same” but there was at his core a romantic loving man. We recently came across a love letter he wrote to Mom on November 1, 1945 from Brooks at 7:00 pm. (he was a man of detail) which I am so glad she kept. It paints a picture of Dad that we, as kids, never saw. I won’t read it today but will highlight some of the parts –

It starts by saying – I received your letter this morning which I have been anxiously waiting for all week. I have read it about four times today and each time wishing I was with you. He goes on to say he is promising to come up on the weekend (from Brooks to Gem) and if Clarence doesn’t come down to get him he would hitch-hike up no matter how cold it is. He goes on to say that next to her those “town girls” don’t stand a chance.

It was Dad’s final act of love to Mom to have her settled in a safe place where she has all she needs – including him, through her and our memories.

Many gifts we have received from Dad and now we offer a gift to him of a tribute to his rich and full life. 

Grandma and Grandpa with all their Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren at their 60th Anniversary!

All of Grandma and Grandpa's Great Grandchildren!

Calum and Great Grandpa Scheibner 

Jared was asked to play Amazing Grace on my Grandpa's classic Gibson!  He did a wonderful job, and it truly was a tribute to my Grandpa.  The way Jared played it reminded me of the style my Grandpa always played when he picked up the guitar!  I taped it while he played at the funeral but it didn't turn out because I had my had covering the speaker!  So I had Jared play it again at home, only he used the Martin, but it sounded very similar!

It was a beautiful service celebrating a beautiful man!  I am thankful for the example of my Grandpa and for the love that he showed to me and my family whenever we were together.