Obituary of Ed Gebhart

Edwin Adolph Gebhart, better known as Ed or Grandpa, was born on February 27, 1933, in the McEachern District, SK. Ed passed away on November 20, 2016, at St. Joseph Hospital, Gravelbourg, SK, at the age of 83. He is survived by his loving family, wife of 60 years Audrey (nee Lyness) Gebhart; son Howard (Roberta) Gebhart; daughter Fay Kohl (Otto Rausch); son Vern (Mary Ellen) Gebhart; grandchildren Jenine Gebhart, Lindsay (Curtis) Haubrich, Kyla (Brad) Tetreau, Travis Gebhart, Tysen Gebhart; great grandsons Axton Gebhart and Rhett Haubrich; brothers Rienhold (Sheila), Norman (Louise), Glen (Betty); sister Helen; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Predeceased by his parents John and Elizabeth (nee Foster) Gebhart; brothers Henry, Herman, Jack, Otto, Ernie; sister Alice; son-in-law Rick Kohl; father and mother-in-law Claude and Sadie Lyness; brother-in-law Jack Lyness. Ed attended Bannick and Return schools, graduated in Mankota, and worked for many farmers and ranchers in the area. On October 8, 1956, Ed married Audrey Lyness. The worked for a farmer and spent their first winter looking after Audrey's parents place while they were away. Ed started working for Sam Dunn the next fall, and continued to work for Sam for the next 17 years. During this time their children, Howard, Fay, and Vern were born. Howard and Fay attended Return Country School until in closed in 1969. Ed and Audrey then bought a farm from Jack Dunn so that the children could be bused to school, as there were no school buses down south at the time. Howard boarded with his Uncle Ted and Aunt Melitta Rausch the first winter when he started school. Ed then bought a Ski-doo from Kouri's market when Fay started the next year. Vern began school in McCord. When Ed bought the Dunn Creek Ranch he became partners with his brothers, Reinhold, Jack, and Herman. In 1984, Ed and Audrey moved back to the Ranch; this was always where Ed's heart was. They sold the Ranch to Grasslands Nations Park in 2001, and bought Warren Klein's farm just south of Mankota, where Ed resided until his passing. Ed loved horses, Hereford cattle, collie dogs, music, and dancing. Ed's favourite time of year was branding, and he called it Cowboy Christmas. He was a lifetime member of the Mankota Stockmen's Weigh Co. Ed was proud of the life he made, and most of all was proud of his family. As his great grandson Axton would say, "Dood Bye Drampa." We love you. Funeral Service was held on Thursday, November 24, 2016, at 1:00 p.m., at the Mankota Agricultural Hall, Mankota, SK. Officiant was Mark Elford. The eulogy was shared by Vivien McLeod. Slideshow by Ed's Grandchildren. Tribute to Grandpa was read by Lindsay Haubrich. Urn bearer was Tysen Gebhart. Music was shared by Bill Kohl and Leeta Brisebois. Honourary pallbearers were Bill and Mary Kohl, Don and Martha Davidson, Judy and Herman Schiml, George and Shirley Wallace, Elwood Anthony, and Howard and Vivien McLeod. Family interment took place at the Zion Lutheran Cemetery. Memorial donations in memory of Ed to the Mankota Agricultural Hall, Box 328, Mankota, SK S0H 2W0, were greatly appreciated.