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Bernd Friedrich Kiesewetter.Courtesy of household
Bernd Friedrich Kiesewetter: Meticulous. Father. Husband. Fan. Born Nov. 19, 1941, in Rudolstadt, Germany; died March 20, 2022, in Edmonton, with medical help in dying; aged 80
When Bernie Kiesewetter was younger, one among his academics advised him to jot down down all of the issues he dreamed of doing in life. Bernie advised few individuals what he wrote however his many adventures in life reveal a very powerful issues on that record.
No. 1: Meet a very good girl and make an excellent household. When Bernie immigrated to Canada in 1964, he discovered his method to Calgary, the place he started his apprenticeship as a pipe fitter. However right here he additionally met Winifred Mary Brown, the stunning English lass who stole his coronary heart. Collectively, they moved north to Edmonton, the place Wyn labored as a courtroom stenographer and Bernie spent nearly all of his profession doing work for oil patch firms. Collectively, they’d a son, Andrew, and later, a granddaughter, Andree. Wyn shortly realized that she was not Bernie’s old flame however an in depth second to his ardour for soccer (soccer). She additionally realized there have been advantages to this, as each 4 years, she was pleased to not need to cook dinner for Bernie for a complete month when he headed off to the World Cup.
No. 2: Attend the World Cup. Bernie liked soccer, having performed it as a tough-nosed central defender for his residence group in Rudolstadt. When the World Cup was hosted by Germany in 1974, Bernie knew he needed to be there and till he breathed his final breath, Bernie wouldn’t miss attending a World Cup. He made it to 12 tournaments. Bernie would belt out the German nationwide anthem every time he was fortunate sufficient to see his group stay and whereas he wasn’t vulnerable to crying, he claimed it was only a misty night time in July 2014 when Germany beat Argentina for its fourth World Cup win.
No. 3: See the world. Bernie visited each province and territory in Canada and each state in America. However he additionally visited each continent and each German state capital, together with the previous Prussian capitals. In 2018, as a result of he was going to be in Russia for the World Cup, Bernie was insistent that he get tickets to a sport in Kaliningrad so he may go to the final German capital on his record. In 1976, when he travelled to Bavaria with Andrew, one among their first stops was at Dachau. He wished his son to know concerning the atrocities that occurred on the focus camp and the way it was historical past Germans shouldn’t conceal from.
No. 4: Be interested by life and the way issues work. Bernie was an avid outdoorsman, who loved climbing and snowboarding. He liked tennis, picked up golf later in life and handed these passions alongside to his son and granddaughter. As a pipefitter, solely Bernie may spend a complete afternoon perusing a wrought iron exhibit on the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. However Bernie liked to see how issues labored, from bridges to iron gates to the picket deck of his neighbour, who’d employed a few English tradesmen. When Bernie confirmed up for a drink, he regarded over the job. When requested for his opinion, Bernie cheekily replied: “I can not imagine we misplaced two wars to them.”
No. 5: Exit on a excessive notice. Bernie was usually the lifetime of the social gathering, whether or not it was schnitzel with Wyn or the $5 breakfast on the greasy spoon along with his buddies. He drank two beers a day, by no means extra, and completely detested the pattern of craft beer. “Germans have been making beer for tons of of years with simply 4 components. What makes these guys assume they will do any higher?” he’d complain.
Bernie and Wyn had been planning an Italian cruise when he was recognized with terminal most cancers. However aside from household and some buddies, he stored that prognosis to himself. Close to the top, Bernie’s impish sense of humour by no means waned: He’d have preferred to be in Qatar for his thirteenth World Cup, however stated the soccer Gods didn’t need him to cheer towards the Germans in the event that they had been to face Canada.
Alfie Lau is Bernie’s World Cup travelling companion.
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