John "Arnold" Schaefer

February 22, 1916 – January 9, 2016

Arnold was just 43 days shy of his hundredth birthday! No one can say he didn’t live a long and fulfilled life. He was a kind and gentle man who worked hard, cherished time with his family and enjoyed exploring the world. While not highly educated, he was an extremely wise man whose council was often asked for by friends and family. He was never mean or spiteful and always saw the best in people.

Arnold was born on a farm just south of Gilbert Plains Manitoba and for the first 30 or so years of his life worked on the family farm, before moving to his own farm. Arnold married the first love of his life Doreen (Bassett) in 1946 and they spent the next 32 years together until her life was cut short. His first son Lloyd (Gina) was born in 1947, prior to Arnold leaving the farm to go to Dauphin, where he worked with Manitoba Hydro. This is where he started his career as a power engineer. Shortly after his second son Ian (Julie) was born in 1950, he moved to Winnipeg and the home on Lansdowne Avenue where he raised his family.

He and Doreen were active members of the Atlantic Avenue United Church and he was also a very active member in the Odd Fellows. He worked for a short period of time for Manitoba Cold Storage but left for a better position at Shea’s Brewery, which was later bought and run by Labbatt’s. This was an odd career choice for a man who was a complete abstainer from alcohol. Arnold always told the story of how he had to fix a leak in the pressure line feeding the bottling shop while on the late shift. He did not get things fixed until he was chest deep in beer and to make matters worse he had to take the bus home at midnight.

Most summers found Arnold, Doreen, the boys and at times a nephew, Blaine, in the car, going to places such as Yellowstone, BC or Detroit to visit relatives or just sightsee. Once the boys grew up, he and Doreen travelled to many US cities with their interest in the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs fraternal order. In the year, prior to her death, Arnold and Doreen travelled to Cuba and when Doreen passed away in 1978, Arnold continued traveling, often with his eldest son Lloyd.

Lightning struck twice and Arnold married the second love of his life Joan Thurlbeck in 1984 and spent a glorious 31 years with her, prior to her passing 7 months ago. This union gave Arnold 3 step-children Greg Thurlbeck, Tracy (Angelo) Macchia and Jeff (Caroline) Thurlbeck. After marrying Joan, Arnold's passion for travel expanded and there were few places in the world he did not travel with Joan at his side. His travels took him to the UK (England, Scotland, and Ireland), the Middle East (Egypt and Israel), South Africa, Europe (Italy, Greece, Germany, amongst others), Russia, Poland, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Asia (Thailand and Malaysia),Venezuela, Peru, Panama and finally China. After visiting China in 2002 at the age of 86, he decided that maybe it was time to stay home and relax as he found it tiring climbing up and down the Great Wall.

Arnold also leaves behind grandchildren Ryanne (Sean), Kalyna, Luka, Elorie, Dylan, Sara (Colin), Daniel and Adam, as well as great-grandchildren Declan and Emmett. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends and those whose lives he touched.