1934 - 2022
Richard Leslie Wiens, trained auto mechanic and welder and self-taught carpenter, plumber, electrician, and general handyman, passed away in the Olds hospital on April 23, 2022. He was 88 years old.
Richard was born January, 1934 near Herbert, Saskatchewan to David and Sara Wiens. They moved to Didsbury, Alberta and then on to Bergen, Alberta in 1936. He was the older brother to seven other siblings who looked up to him and whom he helped out in many ways.
Richard attended the Olds Baptist Church while working as a mechanic where a pretty young lady caught his eye. He married Mary Johansen on October 25, 1958. They had three children – Leora, Cheryl and Allan. They moved to the family farm in Bergen in 1971. After retiring from working as an oil field operator they moved back to Olds in 2006 where he resided until his death. His family and his faith were the priorities in his life that guided his decisions in where to live and work. Richard was always generous in his time and money to support his family, his church, his community, and other people and groups in need. Even on his travels with Mary he would help fix a tap or do other projects while staying with friends or relatives. He continued to donate his time and skills repairing things up until the last months of his life when cancer weakened his body.
Richard is survived by his wife Mary, his seven siblings, his three children, his seven grandchildren, and his only great grandchild. His siblings are Wilfred and Margie Wiens, Lucille and Mervin Traub, Leone and Howard (deceased) Baughman, Grace and Larry Hamilton, Barry and Kitty (deceased) Wiens, Paul and Debbie Wiens, and Gordon and JoAnne Wiens. His children and grandchildren are Leora and Keith Vandenbrink – Angela and Natasha Vandenbrink; Cheryl and Kim Searle – Brendan and Leslie Searle; Allan and Barb (Soepboer) Wiens – Timothy and Rebecca (Hoekstra) Wiens and their son, Johnathan Wiens, Jonathan and Alex (Wong) Wiens, Julia (Wiens) and Evan Proudfoot.
There will be a graveside service at the Bergen Cemetary on May 2, 2022 at 2:00 pm followed by a luncheon at the Bergen Hall. Instead of flowers, the family suggest that a donation on Richard’s behalf to The Burden Bearers which would support a charity that was important to him and would honor his desire to help others. (The Burden Bearers, 101 Main Ave. E, Sundre, AB, T0M 1X0)
West View Funeral Services, Olds, entrusted with arrangements 403-556-6576
