Terence Grant Fehr
June 13, 1971 – April 25, 2023
With heavy hearts we announce the sudden passing of our youngest brother and friend, Terry. He was born on a warm sunny Sunday, the day of our church picnic. He brought a whole new dimension to our family, being almost a generation younger than the rest of us children. We enjoyed him as a baby and young child with our parents, looking forward to every new thing he did and discovered in this world. As a young boy he had an impeccable memory and recited long poems at family functions. He also had a good sense of humor and always had a joke for the situation and loved to play practical jokes. He had an extensive repertoire of many famous one-liners, especially in Low German, a language he found to be much more descriptive in what he was trying to convey. He could imitate many cartoon voices and enjoyed entertaining others with them. He attended WES and GVC in Winkler, graduating with awards in accounting, drafting and computer science. When he was only 12 or so, our dad, seeing his interest in electronics, gave him a commodore 64. This began a lifelong learning quest into the world of AI, computer programming and all the automations that came with it.
Terry also had interest in spiritual pursuits, learning much of the Bible by memory, and studying it with many friends. Upon confession of his faith in Jesus Christ, he was baptized by pouring in 1989. He then went on to attend Providence College completing a Certificate of Biblical Studies with honors in 1991. When he moved back to Winkler he led a college and career Bible study in his parents’ home and various locations for a number of years. He continued to grow in knowledge and faith over the years, attending and contributing to various study groups and churches. Through revelation and the laying on of hands he received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to activate his spiritual gifts. He had a strong gift of prophecy with which he encouraged many. Later he was baptized by immersion to publicly profess his trust in Christ’s finished work, dying to the natural man, and being raised to new life in Christ. Terry worked in the field of Computer programming and networking. Most of his occupational life he worked with his brothers at Elias Woodwork. For a couple of years in his twenties he worked and lived in Winnipeg installing computer networks in larger corporations. At Elias Woodwork his abilities contributed to the streamlining of the manufacturing process, writing programs that integrated all phases of production and increased productivity. He also did cataloguing and programming for specific applications and computer controlled machines. He was always very excited to see any new equipment that came in and loved to talk with his brothers about the capabilities of these machines. In 1998 Terry had his first health challenge, losing part of his vision, which was later diagnosed as MS. In his twenties he lived with friends in various locations, but when Don and Karen moved back to Winkler in 2000 he moved in with them, living in a basement suite of their home. Slowly he developed more symptoms as a result of the MS, co-ordination, balance and eventually limitations to ordinary life functions. In June of 2021 he suffered an attack on his ability to swallow and ended up in St Boniface hospital on a respirator. Because of the lack of oxygen during that attack, he suffered memory loss and even further lack of ability to move about and take care of himself. He was hospitalized for 5 months, after which he came home for 7 months needing full care. He moved to Salem Home in July of 2022. After the attack in 2021 his strength slowly improved and co-ordination and vision were also showing signs of improvement. We were preparing for him to come home again, when things took a turn for the worse a few weeks ago. He confounded the staff with various unexplainable symptoms and suddenly without saying goodbye he passed away in his sleep. Terry was loved and will be missed by his family and the many friends he made along his life journey.
Terry is survived by two brothers, Ralph and Julie Fehr, John and Linda Fehr and one sister, Karen and Don Friesen. He is also survived by 6 nieces, Kristen Dyck, Lynn Knelsen, Jacqueline Penner, Kayla Sukkau, Tracey Dyck, Katelin Ardila and their families. He was predeceased by his parents, Dave and Tina Fehr, nephew Jordan Fehr and niece Brittany Fehr.
We would like to express gratitude to all who connected with Terry by phone, social media, or personal visits. Thank you for the many prayers and friendship and how you supported Terry, he appreciated it so much. Thank you to all the doctors and caregivers that served him during these past 2 years at BTHC, St Boniface Hospital, Swan Lake Hospital and Salem Personal Care Home. May God richly reward you for the stewardship of your gifts.