Earl Johnson Vanwyck
It is with great sadness that the family of Earl Johnson Vanwyck announce his passing on Friday, February 26, 2010 at the Carman Memorial Hospital at the age of 88 years.
Funeral service was held at the Carman United Church in Carman, Manitoba, on Monday, March 1, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Harold Kenyon officiating and interment at the Greenwood Cemetery in Carman.
Besides his loving wife Joan, Earl leaves to mourn one son Raymond (Norma) Vanwyck, their three children Lauren, Erin and Bryan (Karen) and their children Faith, Ethan, and Carter. Earl is also survived by Joan's children Jennifer (Shaun) of England, Julia (David) of Carman and Mike (Val) of Beausejour and their extended families. He will also be greatly missed by his brother Jim and sister Mildred of Owen Sound, Ontario and their families. Earl was predeceased by his first wife Ada, brother Irvin and two sisters Doris and Irene.
If friends so desire, memorial donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba.
On June 20, 1921 Earl Johnson Vanwyck was born to William and Sadie (nee Johnson) Vanwyck of Sydenham, Ontario. He grew up on the family farm along the shores of Georgian Bay with his five siblings Irvin, Irene, Mildred, Doris and Jim. Earl moved to Roland, Manitoba to work on a farm for his great uncle Herb Van Wyck at the age of twenty. In 1949 he moved to Carman and worked as a mechanic for McCallum and Shaw, a Minneapolis farm equipment dealer. During this time Earl was fortunate enough to meet and fall in love with Ada Simpson of Miami, Manitoba and they were married on June 26, 1951. They briefly lived in a small rented house while building their new home which was completed just in time for the arrival of their son Raymond in December of 1953. About this time, Earl began working for Porter's Garage, the Ford dealership in Carman, where he would remain employed for the next 30 years. Earl also worked for both Carman Ford and Kings Park Chrysler until he retired in 1986. Retirement was short lived as he became an invaluable asset to Raymond and Norma's new business, the Esso service station in Carman. He soon found himself repairing small engines and running back and forth to Winnipeg for parts, mowers, tillers and snow blowers. Although work ethic was a large part of Earl's life, there was much more to life than work. Earl and his family loved to travel. They enjoyed camping, fishing and boating trips, picnics and family outings. Earl loved to bowl, curl and play shuffleboard during the winter. In the summertime, gardening was a great hobby; their well manicured lawn and amazing flower beds were the envy of most passersby. Earl was also a fine carpenter. There was no project that he couldn't tackle if it was made with wood and his fine workmanship on countless items of furniture, tables, clocks, frames, and games are showcased throughout our homes. Family meant everything in the world to Earl. He taught his grandchildren many virtues including patience, work ethic, integrity, honesty, pride and to do everything in life to the best of their ability, all with the patience of a saint and always leading by example. He believed that doing your best was the best you could do.
Earl's loving wife of 44 years, Ada, passed away in 1995 leaving him lonely and heartbroken. In trying to carry on with his life as best he could, he increased his participation in his favourite pastime, bowling. This led to the introduction of a fellow bowler, a lovely English lady that would change and enrich his life from that point on. Luckily and unexpectedly, Earl found that he was to be given a second chance at love and he and Joan Ross of Carman were married March 16, 1996. They too were perfect for each other. Enjoying the same things in life and having the same family values, they complemented each other's lives beautifully. Earl and Joan lived happily together in Carman for 14 years - 6 in the house that Earl built and 8 in the Riverview Legion Place. They enjoyed trips together overseas to England and he found his life to be further enriched by a new extended family and circle of friends whom he cherished.
Earl will be greatly missed and always loved by all whose lives he touched.
