Alfred Lucien Bretecher

Alfred Bretecher

February 4, 1945 - July 4, 2025

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved
father Alfred Bretecher at 80 years of age in Brandon, Manitoba.

Alfred was born on February 4, 1945 in Ste. Rose du Lac, Manitoba, the
youngest child and only son of Marcel and Helen Bretecher. Along with
his older sisters Rita and Florence, Alfred attended Micawber School, a
one-room prairie schoolhouse. Growing up, he enjoyed the typical
activities of farm life. Alfred enjoyed being outdoors and spending time
with his cousins that grew up nearby.

In the late 1960's, a number of the Ste. Rose nurses met some young
farmers from Toutes-Aides. Violet Ellchuk was one of those nurses, and
she met and became engaged to Alfred, marrying on October 11, 1969.
Their honeymoon was a whirlwind affair with stops in Atikokan, Kenora,
Minnesota, and Winnipeg.  Alfred convinced Violet to trade in her
nursing hat and shoes for a warm toque and rubber boots and they settled
into a life on the farm. Violet and Alfred had two children, Jeffrey, in
1972 and Shannon, in 1977.  Alfred worked tirelessly on the farm during
all seasons; be it feeding cattle during forty below winter mornings,
calving time in the wet and mucky spring, making hay and harvesting
crops during the heat of summer, or winterizing the farm during the
brisk fall months, Alfred was always outside busy with something.  It
was this hard work and dedication that supported his family 
comfortably, as they never needed or wanted for anything.  Alfred’s few
moments of leisure in the winter were often spent curling with friends
Joe Smigelski, Bill Bradford, and Rufus Honish as they travelled the
circuit of curling bonspiels in towns like Winnipegosis, Eddystone, Ste.
Rose, McCreary, and Rorketon.

In 2001, Violet and Alfred decided to retire and moved to Brandon where
they lived for four years. They became very close with their next door
neighbours, Ray and Mary Lou, but they missed their life back home,
built a house in Ste.Rose, and moved in October 2005. During their
retirement, Alfred enjoyed working around the yard, attending church,
camping, and the occasional casino excursion. Most of all, Alfred and
Violet enjoyed meeting up with their friends, whether it was at home,
the local Chicken Chef, or camping at Hecla or Manipogo Beach. The
highlight of every year for Violet and Alfred was attending the Manitoba
Society of Seniors games in various locations in the province. He
excelled and won medals in cribbage and slo-pitch.  The best part of the
games was attending the banquets, where they got to make new friends and
catch up on fun times with the old ones.

For their 40th wedding anniversary in 2009, Violet and Alfred's children
treated them to an Alaskan cruise on Celebrity Cruises complete with
airfare, a limo to and from the airport, and champagne and flowers in
their suite. Ports of call included Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and
Glacier Alley. Alfred also enjoyed travelling with his children. A trip
to Las Vegas where he got to fly into the Grand Canyon in a helicopter
and a Mediterranean cruise with his children in 2014, which included
Venice, Athens, Rome, Florence, and Malta as ports of call.  Proving
simple pleasures are the best, perhaps the highlight of the trip for
Alfred was the nightly serving of strawberry ice cream for dessert.

After Violet’s passing on August 15, 2021, Alfred decided to sell his
retirement home in Ste. Rose and move into the same neighbourhood as his
son in Brandon.  Before that could happen however, Alfred suffered a
“silent heart attack” and needed to be admitted to the intensive care
cardiac unit of St. Boniface General Hospital in December of 2021.
Complications from this event, as well as from diabetes led to Alfred to
be moved to the Fairview Personal Care Home in Brandon in April 2022. He
received visitors daily, be it from Jeffrey or Shannon, or other friends
and relatives, played cribbage, watched Blue Jays games, enjoyed
chatting with the nurses and aides at the home, getting the occasional
Teen Burger or Chinese take-away meal, Saturday afternoon beers, and
spending time just enjoying the outdoors on nice days, watching people
and vehicles passing by.  Alfred enjoyed the time he had left and on the
day of his passing of July 4, 2025, was surrounded by his family who
never left his side and cherished every moment they were fortunate
enough to spend with him.

Alfred’s wishes were that no funeral be held. Flowers are gratefully declined.  Should friends so desire, 
donations may be made in his memory to the St. Boniface General Hospital
Cardiac Care Unit, Fairview Personal Care Home, or a charity of one’s
choice.

Sneath-Strilchuk -Ste. Rose Chapel
204-447-2444
www.sneathstrilchuk.com

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