William (Bill) Goertzen was born on July 22, 1927 to George and Helen Goertzen of Plum Coulee, Manitoba. He was raised on a farm in Homewood, along with his siblings, Helen, Elsie, George and Bert. He received his education in Hopeland School. After Grade 6, Bill was required to quit school to work on the farm, a farm that Randy, his son, still operates to this day. He attended Winker Bible Institute in 1944 and 1945.
Bill accepted Christ as his Savior when he was 17 years old at a prayer meeting. He was baptized in 1950 in the Elm Creek MB Church.
Bill started farming in Homewood as early as 1947 at the age of 20, renting land close to the family farm and eventually making this his homestead. When Bill and his parents moved to Winnipeg in 1954, Bill farmed in summer and in winter trucking asphalt on #2 Highway and later driving a moving truck for Canada Messenger.
He married the love of his life, Mary Sawatzky, of Winnipeg on April 14, 1962. They have two daughters Wanda and Valerie and one son, Randy, and predeceased by a stillborn son in 1970.
In addition to grain farming, Bill also supplemented their income with hog farming from 1970 to 1981.
In 1973 at the age of 46, Bill received his pilot’s licence and then two years later received his night endorsed licence. He flew for a total of 20 years, flying west to Abbotsford, BC, east to St. Catherine’s ON and numerous flights to Oshkosh, Wisconsin and finally to Churchill in 1992.
Bill took his family on many vacations to Detroit Lakes and Delta Beach in the early years. Florida and Mexico were special vacations including the grandchildren. Bill and Mary enjoyed many adventures together, one of the highlights was traveling to Israel in 1991.
It was time to move to a house in Carman in 2002 where they enjoyed small town life over 18 years. During this time, they decided to transfer their membership to Friends Community Church. Bill’s strong work ethic continued even in his later years where he continued to “supervise” his son’s farming operation as his health and abilities allowed until his “retirement” at the age of 91. In 2020 they moved to 5th Ave apartments.
Bill will be dearly missed by his wife, Mary, two daughters: Wanda Enns (Harold), Valerie Wiens (Art) and one son, Randy Goertzen. Nine grandchildren: Joshua, Jocelyn (Matt), Aaron (Kassandra) Enns. Sarah, Carley (Brett), Jayme Wiens. Noah, Riley, Liam Goertzen. Four great-grandchildren: Mason, Bentley, Logan and Sophia.
Bill will be sadly missed by one sister, Elsie and one brother, Bert, their families and many relatives and friends.
Thank you to Dr. Kruk and the compassionate staff at the Carman Hospital during the past few weeks of his hospital stay.
Funeral Service: Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at Friends Community Church, Carman, Manitoba.
Donations may be made to International Children’s Haven (Chilliwack, BC) or Missionary Aviation Fellowship (MAF Canada) Guelph, ON.
Bill accepted Christ as his Savior when he was 17 years old at a prayer meeting. He was baptized in 1950 in the Elm Creek MB Church.
Bill started farming in Homewood as early as 1947 at the age of 20, renting land close to the family farm and eventually making this his homestead. When Bill and his parents moved to Winnipeg in 1954, Bill farmed in summer and in winter trucking asphalt on #2 Highway and later driving a moving truck for Canada Messenger.
He married the love of his life, Mary Sawatzky, of Winnipeg on April 14, 1962. They have two daughters Wanda and Valerie and one son, Randy, and predeceased by a stillborn son in 1970.
In addition to grain farming, Bill also supplemented their income with hog farming from 1970 to 1981.
In 1973 at the age of 46, Bill received his pilot’s licence and then two years later received his night endorsed licence. He flew for a total of 20 years, flying west to Abbotsford, BC, east to St. Catherine’s ON and numerous flights to Oshkosh, Wisconsin and finally to Churchill in 1992.
Bill took his family on many vacations to Detroit Lakes and Delta Beach in the early years. Florida and Mexico were special vacations including the grandchildren. Bill and Mary enjoyed many adventures together, one of the highlights was traveling to Israel in 1991.
It was time to move to a house in Carman in 2002 where they enjoyed small town life over 18 years. During this time, they decided to transfer their membership to Friends Community Church. Bill’s strong work ethic continued even in his later years where he continued to “supervise” his son’s farming operation as his health and abilities allowed until his “retirement” at the age of 91. In 2020 they moved to 5th Ave apartments.
Bill will be dearly missed by his wife, Mary, two daughters: Wanda Enns (Harold), Valerie Wiens (Art) and one son, Randy Goertzen. Nine grandchildren: Joshua, Jocelyn (Matt), Aaron (Kassandra) Enns. Sarah, Carley (Brett), Jayme Wiens. Noah, Riley, Liam Goertzen. Four great-grandchildren: Mason, Bentley, Logan and Sophia.
Bill will be sadly missed by one sister, Elsie and one brother, Bert, their families and many relatives and friends.
Thank you to Dr. Kruk and the compassionate staff at the Carman Hospital during the past few weeks of his hospital stay.
Funeral Service: Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at Friends Community Church, Carman, Manitoba.
Donations may be made to International Children’s Haven (Chilliwack, BC) or Missionary Aviation Fellowship (MAF Canada) Guelph, ON.