Obits | DrumhellerMail

Condolences to the family of Sheldon Watt

Obit WATT Sheldon

WATT
Sheldon Lee
1958 - 2024

Sheldon Lee Watt, born to Jim and Cec Watt (nee Madsen) in Calgary in 1958, passed away peacefully with his family on March 13, 2024, at the age of 65.
Raised in Standard, Alberta, Sheldon was the (usually) cherished big brother of his four (usually) loving sisters: Dawn (Phil) Faubion of Standard, Traci (Mike) Rasmussen of Standard, Janelle (Rob) Pettifer of Strathmore, and Tara (Adrian) Law of Chestermere. While in high school he worked many hours in his Grandpa Charlie’s general store. He always enjoyed gathering together with his family to play cards, swap stories, and share a good laugh. His love of sports as a kid continued into his adult life with the Rosebud Chickenhawks Hockey team and baseball with the family Watt-a-Team.
Sheldon graduated from Standard High School in 1976 and moved to Calgary. After surveying what the big city had to offer, he finally realized that the girl of his dreams had grown up just a block away from his childhood home. In 1983, he exchanged vows with Laurie Binning, also of Standard, daughter of Duane and Carolyn. This union added three more sisters to his family tree: Norma (David) Diesman, Joan Binning, and Debra (Warren) Kapaniuk. They settled first in Calgary, with regular trips out of the city to visit friends and family. In 1997, Sheldon and Laurie settled in the picturesque village of Carbon, where they fulfilled their dream of building a home in 1998.
Sheldon’s greatest joy came from his family. Welcoming his son Tanner in 1989 and daughter Danika in 1992 filled his life with equal parts chaos and joy. Danika’s union with Kyle Kalmbach in 2013 brought the arrival of Sheldon’s first grandson, Lincoln, in 2018, followed by granddaughter Emilia in 2022. He was so proud to be ‘Papa’ to his grandkids and loved every moment spent snuggling and telling stories.
Throughout his professional career as a journeyman partsman, Sheldon lent his expertise to Toyota, Nissan, Allied, Chrysler, Bigfoot, and John Deere. His friendly personality and memory for parts numbers were exemplary, leaving an indelible mark on those he worked with. He may not have remembered what he had for breakfast, but he could tell you the part number of a 1974 Celica alternator in an instant.
A man of many talents, Sheldon found solace in the simple pleasures of life, from engaging in spirited games of crib to honing his woodworking skills. He built an excessive number of decks for his beloved Laurie, a testament to his love, devotion, and his dislike of mowing grass. Laurie and Sheldon continued to travel and explore, buying their first trailer in 1987 and enjoying many camping trips with family and friends every year. Their annual May long weekend Watt campout became a cherished tradition that marked the beginning of each summer.
As an adult he was a dedicated member of the Carbon and District Ag Society and Curling Club. He was an avid curler, volunteered with the Carbon youth curling program, and traveled with his kids throughout the province for curling events. He spent many years volunteering with Kidsport Kneehill. Sheldon and Laurie hosted an annual curling bonspiel that raised thousands of dollars towards this organization “so all kids can play.”
Sheldon was passionate about reading and watching science fiction. After 40 years together, Laurie has unwillingly learned far more than she wanted to know about the Star Trek universe.
In July 2021, shortly after his retirement, Sheldon was diagnosed with ALS. Despite the challenges he faced, Sheldon’s unwavering spirit and positivity inspired all who knew him. Support from the ALS Society of Alberta, Alberta Hospice - Fostering Hearts Forward, Drumheller Homecare, Drumheller Long Term Care, and countless friends and family provided comfort and strength throughout his ALS journey.
Sheldon was preceded in death by his father, Jim Watt, and in-laws, Duane and Carolyn Binning. He is survived by his wife Laurie, son Tanner, daughter Danika, son-in-law Kyle, grandchildren Lincoln and Emilia, mother Cec, sisters, and seventeen nieces and nephews.
Sheldon’s legacy of love, resilience, and unwavering determination will forever remain etched in the hearts of those who had the privilege of knowing him. He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered. His sense of humour and the twinkle in his eye (shared with his father and many of the livelier Watt relatives) endeared him to anyone lucky enough to be a part of his life.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made directly to the Carbon Agriculture Society or ALS Society of Alberta in Sheldon’s memory.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, March 22, 2024, at Standard Community Hall at 2:00 p.m.
To send condolences, please visit Sheldon’s obituary at www.wheatlandfuneralhome.ca.

Condolences to the family of Harry Christensen

Harry Christensen
CHRISTENSEN
Harry Anthony
April 23, 1925 - March 8, 2024

Harry Anthony Christensen of Dalum Alberta passed away peacefully on March 8, 2024, at the age of 98 years. Harry was born April 23, 1925, on the family farm homesteaded by his father in 1920. He never married and had no children of his own, but he was a beloved uncle to 16 nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents Jens and Elizabeth Christensen, brother Joe Christensen, and sisters Mary Gundersen, Fran Dixon, and Dorothy Whittaker.
Harry was a kind and gentle man with service to God paramount and his demeanor always stayed true to his commitment to charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism as a Fourth-Degree member of the Knights of Columbus. He was a respected member of the community serving on the board of many community and district organizations including 20+ years as Secretary-Treasurer for the Dalum Gas Co-Op. He was also a member of the Dalum History Book committee, and a volunteer for the annual Drumheller Badlands Passion Play. He was an accomplished baseball player, curler, and marksman. He was most proud of his Dominion Marksmen Silver Shield earned in 1962 when he was a member of the Dalum Rifle Club and the gold medal won at a Men’s Singles Horseshoes competition in Drumheller during the East Central Summer Games of 1978. He was also regarded as a savvy bridge and cribbage cardplayer.
More recently, an article was published in the Drumheller Mail and the Globe and Mail about Harry’s arrowhead collection. He was absolutely thrilled to be in the newspaper! The collection has been donated to the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton.
He will be sadly missed by his family and friends. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, 151 3 St W, Drumheller, on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at 11:00 a.m.
A heartfelt thank you to the staff at Calgary’s George Boyack Continuing Care Facility and Dr. Don Stinton for their kindness and professional care. His prior stay at Sunshine Hillview Lodges in Drumheller also provided a happy and safe home for Harry for many years.

Condolences to the family of Konrad and Irma Grabner

Grabner Couple

Konrad Werner Grabner
December 13, 1928 - March 12, 2024
Irma Pipke Grabner
January 24, 1934 - April 3, 2016
Together again!

Much loved by daughters Irene, Bernice, and Janet Grabner (John Dahm), grandchildren Jasmin Dahm (Travis), Eddie Dahm, Alex Grabner (Dan) and great-grandchildren Chloe, Brady and Kaleb.
Mom and Dad were born in Bavaria, Germany. They met at 18 and 24 years old and bravely decided to move to Canada in 1952 to start a new life. They were married in Calgary and raised their three daughters in the city. They bought the family home in Calgary in 1958. The large, beautiful backyard was their pride and joy. Mom and Dad had a great group of friends that they camped and played cards with. Paddling down the Bow River in their canoe was one of their favorite activities. The family has great memories of summer holidays in the Okanogan, B.C. Mom and Dad enjoyed travelling far and away with friends and family. There were also many pets that they adored and spoiled. Mom and Dad loved Canada and were proud to show it off to visiting family from Germany.
In 1997 Mom and Dad bought a wee miners house in East Coulee, as a summer cottage, to be closer to family in the Drumheller valley. For almost 20 years Mom and Dad enjoyed the Badlands. Dad loved hiking in the hills and swimming in the river with the grandkids. They had an apple tree at the cottage that gave Mom plenty of apples to make apple pies. Baking and flower gardening were her favorite hobbies. She quickly made friends with some lovely ladies in East Coulee. The cottage was sold in 2014.
After Mom’s passing in 2016, Dad continued to live in the family home in Calgary. In 2022 Dad moved into the Continuing Care at the Drumheller hospital. He enjoyed living his last years in Drumheller with a view of the hills from his window. The staff loved Dad and his quiet, gentle ways. We would like to thank all the staff in Continuing Care and the Drumheller hospital for taking such good care of our precious Dad. You are truly angels on earth.
There will be a private family service at a later date.

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