When we were still young, Wilbert and I would meet during family gatherings. His mother was a sister to one on my late aunts. He is almost three years my junior and so was a few classes lower in the country school we attended at Bryntirion just a few miles south-east of Ebenezer village. We both attended the Baptist Church there. Then when when we were in our teens, I moved to Churchbridge south-east of Yorkton and Wilbert to nearby MacNutt. There we both attended the country church at Beresina Church of God which later it relocated to the town of Churchbridge.
I remember Wilbert coming along with Ray Schultz and me when we went dating some of the local girls from church. He was a bit shy and so failed to make it to the altar with any of them. Neither did Ray and I! We all eventually found our life-long mates beyond the home range. A highlight during our teenage years was when we both attended youth camp one summer at Echo Lake in the Qu'Appelle Valley. It was a time of spiritual renewal and getting to know other Christian young people.
Our times together were not as aften anymore after my wife Marion and I went off to the mission field in Africa. We would still meet but only whenever our travels during home assignment took us to Churchbridge for services. Wilbert was by now a successful farmer with a taste for old vehicles which he loved repairing. On one of these occasions, he took me up in his plane, which he learned to fly, so I could see the country side from the air. I enjoyed that flight.
My last time to see him and his wife Mavis was just a couple of years ago when Marion and I held services at a missions convention in Churchbrige. We stayed in their home, not knowing that it will be my last visit with him this side of eternity.Our condolences go out to his wife and family. I remember Wilbert as a humble, kind, and considerate person. He loved his bobbies, and stayed on course all his married life. Miss you Wilbert! See you soon, when we are together in that heavenly home.
