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DONALD (BUD)  EARL GUENTHER
July 25, 1932 - Sept 13, 2017

It is with sadness that we announce the death of Bud Guenther, at the age of eighty-five, in Lanigan, Saskatchewan on Sept 13, 2017 following several strokes in the past 3 weeks.  Yet it is with full hearts and deep gratitude that we appreciate the life we had with him and because of him.

Dad was predeceased by our mom, Shirley, his wife of 50 years (at the time of her death in 2005) and by his parents, Albert and Ada, his siblings, Adeline and Clarence, Mom’s parents, Garfield and Hester and Mom’s siblings, Ward, Haldon, Ivan, Helen, and Doris.

Dad will always be loved, remembered and missed greatly by his cherished friend and companion, Rose Nowoselski, by his deeply loved children, Dawn Guenther (Terry), Brian Guenther (Cheryl), Judy Guenther (Reg), Ric Guenther and Doug Guenther, by his beloved grandchildren Carol Fong (Shay), David Fong (Myranda), Danny Fong (Liz), Amber Siebold (Adam), Ashley Guenther (Cory), Malorie Guenther (James), Mitch Babin, Eric Babin (Pam), Scott Babin (Kayla) and by his precious great-grandchildren, Simon, Hannah and Alex Fong and Pria Mercy. He is also survived by Mom’s siblings, Evelyn, Stanley, Gladys and Inez, by his sister-in-law, Gladys, and by numerous nieces and nephews and his many, many cousins.

Dad lived his life in Lanigan. He was born there, the youngest of three children, and spent his first years on the farm.  Hard times in the 30’s meant moving to town as his family struggled to make ends meet, much like everyone in the area.  He never lost his love of the land and farming life. He worked for farmers in his teenage years and had a trap line that he tended that had him walking or skiing miles in the country after school and on weekends. We can’t remember a time when he didn't have a horse or two in a pasture at the edge of town and then, in later years, had a small pasture of his own, to nurture that passion.  It was truly a balm for that yearning when Brian and Cheryl chose to farm - he spent many fulfilling days with them cutting hay, branding cows, riding horses and generally being able to be who he was meant to be.  

Dad married Shirley Hodgins in 1955 after her arrival in Lanigan as a nurse at the local hospital.  They had 5 children over the following 10 years.  Dad worked in numerous jobs
(painting, auctioneering, hauling scrap iron, to name a few) and often several at a time, to support our family.  He taught us about work ethic and pride in what we do. He was active in sports as a young man, with baseball as his greatest love, carrying him through into the ‘twilight ball’ years. He also spent many years attending his kids’ sports activities, coaching their adult teams and refereeing or umpiring.  The other passion that carried him through life was music.  He acquired a saxophone in his teenage years and taught himself to play. There was rarely a time that he wasn’t a part of a band, playing and singing for dances, sing-alongs, community events, church choirs, weddings and funerals and, until only a couple years ago, at seniors’ lodges far and wide.  Our most beloved memories include the hours of singing in the car where we learned to sing harmony as we listened to Dad and Mom; he was always so delighted and proud to sing with all of us.

Dad’s greatest gift to us was his deep love for our mom.  We witnessed laughter and music in our home, mutual caring for each other, a shared sense of commitment to community involvement and responsibility, a social justice perspective in the world and an unspoken understanding that he was always there for her as well as us.  He was uncomplaining and generous in mom’s last years of failing health as he cared for her.

In the years following Mom’s death, a final blessing graced Dad’s life.  Laughter and joy returned to him as Rose became his friend, his companion, and, as his health declined, a valued caregiver and supporter of Dad and our family. He was able to remain in his condo until this past month, with loving care from Home Care staff, coming and going from his 5 kids and from daily contact, assistance and tender loving care from Rose.  Dad’s life-long wish was to remain living in Lanigan, the only place on earth that has ever felt like home for him.  He always was pro-active in making changes in his life as he aged so that he was not, in his words only, ‘a burden to his family’.  Living independently in his own home was only possible for him because of Rose.  We shall be forever grateful.

A memorial celebration will be held for Dad at the Lanigan Town Hall on Saturday, October 7th at 11:00 AM. A private family interment will occur at the Lanigan Cemetery.

Dad has donated his brain to the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Clinic and Research Program. Donations in memory of Dad can be made to the RUH Foundation for this research or to a charity of your choice. For online condolences, tributes or to make a donation “In Memory of Bud Guenther” please visit fotheringham-mcdougall.com