July 4, 1930 – November 27, 2023
In loving memory ~

Gunther Beck passed away on the evening of Monday, November 27, in his 94th year. Gunther was born in Hamburg, Germany, on July 4, 1930. He was a late addition for parents, Heinrich and Theodora Schnackenbeck, and a brother for Gisela. He left post-war Europe in 1953 to come to Canada to learn English. He planned to go on to South America to learn Spanish; however, as he joked, he met a lovely French Canadian lady and stayed. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Claudette (nee Blackburn); four children, Denise (Robert), Philip, Karen, and Roland; six granddaughters; and two great-grandchildren.
Gunther worked in the oil patch for his entire career. His thousands of hours of field work in the prairies engendered a love of its geography and its freedom that stayed in his soul the rest of his life. He was an entrepreneur, establishing his own company in 1968 until he sold it in 1990. Like so many of his generation, he lived his life with hard work and discipline. He ‘retired’ to his beloved Summerland orchard, where he selflessly shared the bounty with family and friends. Many, many joyful hours of work and play were spent there, fondly remembered by his family.
His love of the outdoors was shared with his family: hiking, cross-country skiing in the Rockies, Alberta foothills, and the Southern Prairies. A legacy that his children and grandchildren still share—solace in the outdoors.
Spain was another special place for Gunther and Claudette. They spent many winter months there soaking up the Spanish sun, investigating the natural beauty and culture of Spain. To the day he died, he checked the weather in Torre del Mar, telling us how warm it was and how he wished he could still go.
Like so many, Gunther came to Canada to fulfill wanderlust and stayed—one of millions to arrive in Canada with new hopes and dreams. Gunther’s hard work, discipline, dedication, and love of the outdoors helped shape our country and his family. His story of arrival at Canada’s Pier 21 is a legacy of a lasting marriage and the three generations that followed him.
A family mass will be held on December 14. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
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