Leon Podbielski

August 09, 1923 – August 08, 2019

The family of Leon Podbielski are sad to announce his passing just hours prior to his 96th birthday. Leon lived a good long life. He was brought into a world that fascinated him, by a midwife on his parent’s homestead in Strong Pine, SK about 40 km NE of Prince Albert. He spent his next 92 years on the farm. In 1955, Leon married Vernice Barton, a beautiful hardworking farm girl from MacDowall, SK and they brought up their 3 children on the farm. Leon farmed with his father for many years and then took over the farm when his parents retired to Prince Albert. He then farmed with his son, Garry, until he was no longer physically capable.

Dad never wanted to leave the farm. Although farming was his vocation, what he really enjoyed was fixing things. In the early years, he did all of the maintenance on the farm equipment and anything else that needed fixing. He was a perfectionist, an improviser and an inventor, and not many mechanical problems stumped him.  

Dad loved life and often worried that his was nearing the end. To his last days, his mind was sharp and he had an amazing memory. He was endlessly curious, a voracious reader, spending hours every day reading from his immense collection of books on every subject under the sun. Everyone was amazed at his vast knowledge, and his ability to quote statistics on practically every subject.

Leon was predeceased by his mother Angeline in 1980; his father Marian in 1977; and his sisters Helen (Paul) Sapieha in 2012 and Mary (Walter) Berezowski in 2013.

Leon is survived by his loving wife of 64 years Vernice and their three children Marie Eldridge (Tony Lamprecht), Garry (Rosa) Podbielski and Ron Podbielski. He is also survived by his grandchildren Jordan and Whitney Eldridge, Travis, Landon, Taylor and Tessa Podbielski, Grace and Jonathan Podbielski, as well as numerous nieces and nephews and their families.

The family are thankful for the caring and patient staff at River Breeze Retirement Complex, the nursing and physio staff at Victoria Union Hospital, the council of Dr. Christo Lotz, and the attending physician Dr. Awad. We are especially grateful for the insight, help, patience, kindness and support of Mom’s sister, Ina Holtom… you are an angel.

A Memorial Service and Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, August 15,  2019 at 1:00 p.m. at Gray’s Funeral Chapel, 575 – 28 Street West, Prince Albert, SK.  In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the charity of your choice.

Condolences to the family may be sent to www.grays.ca.  Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Gray’s Funeral Chapel, (306) 922-4729.

• Date : 2019-08-08
• Location : Prince Albert, SK