Battersby: Gilbert Arthur Battersby passed away at the Brandon Regional Health Centre on March 17, 2005 at the age of 65 with his loving family at his side. Art was born in Brandon on September 25, 1939. He leaves
to mourn his passing his loving family, wife Dolores, Chater, Manitoba, son Brooke (Trina), granddaughters Hannah and Myah, Estevan, Saskatchewan, daughter Carma (fiancee Wayne Peech), Brandon, foster son Steve Lamont
(Marnie), Regina, Saskatchewan, Steve's daughter Jennifer, Winnipeg, brother Leonard and his children Pamela and Brent (Cheryl) and their children
Brynne, Mitchell, sisters Phyllis Weatherald, Oak Lake, Manitoba and her children daughter Eileen Calcut and her children Curtis, Chalene, Colin, Clint and Cayden, Virden, daughter Barbara Tousignant, her children Daralee, Drayson, Deandra, Brandon, son Bryan Weatherald (Rhonda), their children McKenna and Madison, Selkirk, Manitoba, sister Katherine O'Donnell,
her children Cory and Lacey, Vancouver, British Columbia. Good friends George and Ellen Strange, Les and Marilyn Hoad, Stan and Jan Johnston. Extended families, sisters and brothers-in-law and families, Jack and Bernice Gullett, Brandon, George and Bev Butcher, Williams Lake, British Columbia, Don and Beryl Horning, Winnipeg, Manitoba, John's children -
Shawna (John) Godler, Victoria, British Columbia, Gary (Christine) Loewen,Vancouver, British Columbia, Amber (Bruce) Phipps, Brandon, Manitoba, Scott (Teri)Loewen, Vancouver, British Columbia. Art was predeceased by his
father Herman Battersby, 1981, mother Mersetta, 1998, brother-in-laws Peter Loewen, 1964, Lionel Weatherald, 1997, John Loewen, 1998, mother and father-in-law, Walter Adams, 1996 and Anne Adams, 2000. Art's early years were spent on his beloved farm in Oak Lake, Manitoba. He lived near the lake and marsh so there was a lot of fishing, hunting and trapping. Art attended Lands Down School, Oak Lake High School and worked at many surrounding farms at Oak Lake. Art worked for the Hatches and Taylors and made life long
friends with them. During this time Art tried his hand at raising sheep and really enjoyed it. Following this time he moved to Swan River and worked for several different employers and made more good friends. Art returned home to Oak Lake and decided to join the RCMP. Due to height restrictions at that time, Art was not able to join. After that Art got a job at Mansoff Welding were he was an apprentice for 10 years. This is when he got his welding ticket and met his future wife Dolores. Art and Dolores were married February 12, 1966. Shortly after Art went to P & A Welding and Dolores was offered the job of house mother at Kinsmen House, a group home for teenage boys. When Dolores told Art of the job offer and told Art that he would be
the house father he accepted without question. The many boys that came to live at the house, Art would take them fishing, hunting (after they passed their hunters safety, of course). Art would also take them to all their sports and activities. It was about this time that a little guy of 12 years old came to live at Kinsmen House, Steve Lamont. Steve and Art got along
great and Art loved him like a son. Art and his brother-in-law Jack Gullet, started a business together as they said, "on a shoe string budget", known
as Globe Holdings. Later this would become known to many as Cardinal Muffler Centre. Over the next 30 years Cardinal Muffler would become the place to
meet for building stock cars and meeting with good friends. Jack and Art built a stock car named Thor and later, a faster car named A70. Many happy years were spent racing with Steve at his side. Art and Jack won the Manitoba Dirt Track Championship several years in a row, and many other trophies for racing. Dolores raced as well until their son Brooke was born May 2, 1974, then Dolores decided to give up racing. After Brooke came along Art bought some land at Chater and in 1975 he bought a cedar home that he built for his family to live in. Art had the foundation poured and after working all day at Cardinal Muffler he would spend evenings building his home. On February 12, 1977 our daughter Carma was born and our family was
complete. Steve was in Regina working, starting his own family, and spending time with his daughter Jennifer. Art and Dolores felt like foster grandparents to Jennifer. In 1979 Art moved his family to Chater and was wonderful dad to Brooke and Carma, they were his life. Art took them fishing, hunting, to their sporting events and to all their school
activities. Art watched his children grow into wonderful adults. Art drove many miles for Brooke's hockey. Brooke went back to Estevan to work and he
met a wonderful person, Trina, and that gave Art his two beautiful granddaughters Hannah (6) and Myah (2). Arts daughter Carma remained in Brandon and is now in her 4th year of the BN program. Art was very upset
about missing Carma's graduation and her wedding. Many happy times were spent with his sister Phyllis and brother Leonard and their families. Phyllis's door was always open to Art's friends, the boys from Kinsmen
House, and she cooked many meals for them all. Art spent many good times at his brother Leonard's, as they hunted and ski-dooed together. Leonard lived
at Chater in the stock car days and Art and Leonard used to reminisce about the years spent on the farm. Art loved all his nieces and nephews. He worked
as a welder for Zenith Paving for the past 4 years. Art was always welding,wheel chairs and braces for the handicapped. Just recently he built a brace for a child at the Brandon Hospital from a drawing that a doctor needed or the child would have to go out of province. Art was a Mason, Blue Lodge 90 Past Master and a Shriner. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Art may be made to the Brandon Wildlife Association, c/o Mark Henson, 612-40th Street, Brandon, Manitoba, R7B 4E2 or to the Oak Lake Garden Park, c/o Marion Masson, Oak Lake, Manitoba, R0M 1P0. Funeral service was held on March 23, 2005 at Memories Chapel, with Harvey Hurren officiating, George
Strange was urnbearer. At Art's request, cremation has taken place and he was laid to rest on March 23, 2005 at the Brandon Cemetery. ~~~We had many wonderful days together, just not enough years. ~ Love you always, Dolores. ~~~Dad you were our life, you where always there for us when we needed you, you
held our hands to ease our fears, you hugged us close to wipe away our tears. ~ Love Brooke & Carma~~~ You are my "Uncle Art" you always have been, always will be, I always knew I could stop at the shop and talk to you about anything. You always had time for me and we could talk about anything or nothing for hours if we had the time, you taught me a little bit about cars, alittle bit about life, it is the little things that I will miss the most. I wish we could have more time.
I am not done talking with you yet. I miss you so much. You may be gone but you will stay with me forever. You are my "Uncle Art". ~ Brent BattersbyMemorials
Brandon Wildlife Association, or Oak Lake Garden Park