1925 – 2021
In our End is our Beginning
In our Time, Infinity
In our Doubt, there is Believing
In our Life, Eternity
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our loving father, grandfather, great grandfather and uncle Erwin Paul Standar on January 23, 2021 in the Olds Hospital Long Term Care Unit at the age of 95 years old.
Erwin was born on September 18, 1925 in Neudorf, Silesia, Poland. He was the eldest child of Anna and Paul Standar. Erwin was born to an agricultural family, where the life philosophy was instilled about working hard and his faith in God. Erwin had to learn to be resilient in order to survive during WWII cope with keeping safe, loss of family and friends, dealing with sirens, rationing and shortages. While he was in agricultural college, he was conscripted to join the army in 1942. Only 17, he went to Siberia where he was wounded and always had shrapnel in his leg. He returned to Germany for surgery and recuperation. Upon recovery, he went west with his battalion, which suffered massive losses of life. He quickly rose to be one of the most important battalion members since he was the communications guy, operating the wireless. He was told to keep pushing west and he became a prisoner of war on the English Island of Guernsey. Even though England had won the war, economically times were tough for everyone, especially for the prisoners. Food was scarce and he grew to hate mutton. They would make things in the POW camp and trade these handicrafts so that they could trade for vegetables from the local farmers. Since England needed able bodies to work, the English government encouraged the POW’s to return to England following repatriation. Even to this day, he speaks about the coast of Cornwall as being his favourite place in the world.
Erwin’s family had no home for him to return to. It had been swallowed by the communists. His mom and siblings had travelled west trying to get ahead of the communists but landed in East Germany—not far enough west. His dad was lost in northern Russia. His mother encouraged Erwin to stay in England, which he did. A lot of the POW’s were designated by the agricultural community to be hired help. Erwin was hired by the Mann’s in Bovey Tracey, Devon, a most idyllic community where he became part of their extended family. Erwin became restless wanting more than being a hired help. He explored joining the Foreign Legion but decided on coming to Canada, landing in the German speaking community of Elmira, Ontario for 6 months.
The west beckoned him and he had several friends in the Calgary area. He found a job as a manager of a ranch in Spring Bank. After a gruelling winter in a wooden cabin that you could see the sky, calving cows being lost in the blizzard and an unappreciative boss, he quit. He started working at the Bowness Bakery. Here is where Erwin met Adina, who was the post mistress across the street from the bakery. Adina spoke German to Erwin and he was smitten. They were married in October of 1955 at the East Olds Baptist Church. They bought a house in Calgary, started a family with Sylvia being born in 1957 and Paul in 1958. Erwin was always looking at improving his financial situation. He rose through the positions of the bakery and became manager.
He wanted to improve his young family’s financial position and he received a position in the grain elevator business. His customers loved him and as he accepted promotions, where his customers followed from whatever elevator he was at. With managing grain elevators, they lived in Brooks, Cluny, Scandia, and Tilley. He retired from the Alberta Wheat Pool in November, 1985.
Erwin was always interested in people and endeared himself to his many friends in Brooks and area. He liked to get involved with the community by being a Deacon at church in Calgary, Brooks, Scandia, and Tilley; a Village counsellor in Tilley; Leader in Cubs and Scouts in Scandia and Tilley; a member of the Newell Foundation in Brooks, and singing in the choir for many years with the Prairie Pioneers in Brooks. The last few years of his life brought forth interesting behaviors from him as dementia set in. One of those behaviours was that the PTSD had him not liking to have a bath because it reminded him of his struggle and almost drowning in the English Channel during the war.
Erwin’s family would like to extend their sincerest thanks to the staff at the Olds Hospital both in Acute Care and in the Long Term Care Unit. Your care was exemplary and your compassion shined through for the loving care that Erwin received while a resident there, and for the support that was given to each and every member of the family during his stay there. Much appreciation to the staff of Newbrook Lodge in Brooks, where Erwin resided for 8 years before moving to the Olds area.
Erwin is lovingly remembered by his 2 children, Sylvia (Ron) Van Oene of Didsbury and Paul (Donna) Standar of Eckville. Erwin was a loving grandfather who will be sorely missed by his grandchildren Jessica (Cuong) Nguyen of Cypress, Texas, Jordan (Melissa) Green of Redcliff, AB, James (Sydney) Standar of Sooke, B.C., Nathan (Maritess) Green of Brooks, AB and Nicole (Skylar) Weeks of Blackfalds, AB; his 6.5 great-grandchildren; sister-in-laws Frida Semrau and Freda Edel; his nieces and nephews and their families.
He was predeceased by his loving wife, Adina; mother and father, Anna and Paul Standar; his sister, Hildegard Wagner; brother-in-laws, Werner Wagner and Ben Edel; and brother Manfred Standar. Erwin will be laid to rest with Adina at the East Olds Baptist Church. When Covid restrictions are lifted, a celebration of his life will be held. Memorial tributes may be made directly to the Olds Hospital Foundation Long Term Care Renovations. Heartland Funeral Services Ltd., Olds entrusted with the arrangements. Condolences may be made or viewed at www.heartlandfuneralservices.com
God saw you getting tired when a cure was not to be.
So He closed His arms around you and whispered “Come to Me.”
You didn’t deserve what you went through, so He gave you rest.
God’s garden must be beautiful, He only takes the best.
And when we saw you sleeping so peaceful and free from pain,
we could not wish you back to suffer that again.
