Leonard Joseph Robert Thiele

Leonard Joseph Robert Thiele passed away peacefully at the Dauphin Personal Care Home on April 14, 2026, with his wife, Norma, and family at his bedside.

Leonard was born on March 19, 1937 in Spring Valley, SK, the eldest of 10 children. After the drought and depression of the “Dirty Thirties", the family moved to their new farm west of Dauphin, MB in 1950. He first attended Pleasant Valley School in Saskatchewan, and then Sandringham School in Manitoba, both one-room schoolhouses. He later graduated from the Dauphin Collegiate Technical Institute.

Leonard married Norma Rogers on August 23, 1961, and raised four sons in Fort Churchill, MB, Ottawa, and finally Dauphin.

In the late 1950’s, Leonard spent a year working with Radiosonde as a Meteorological Technician for the Canadian Department of Transport at Coral Harbour, on Southampton Island in what is now Nunavut. He later worked in the same role in Churchill for a year. From 1962 to 1965, Leonard worked as an Electronics Technologist for the Defence Research Northern Laboratory in Churchill, researching the aurora borealis. He was transferred to the Communications Research Centre in Ottawa where he worked until 1974.

In 1974, Leonard and Norma moved the family back to Manitoba to take over Leonard’s family’s farm, where they raised cattle and grew grain with the help of their sons. He was always interested in new farming ideas, and was an early adopter of innovative farming practices. He was among the first area farmers to grow mustard, peas, and fababeans, and to implement zero-tillage practices. Leonard and Norma retired and moved to Dauphin in 2010.

Leonard greatly enjoyed watching his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren grow, and was always proud of their accomplishments. He was a sociable person, and enjoyed many gatherings with the Thiele and Rogers families, as well as with friends and neighbours.

Leonard enjoyed hockey, baseball, curling and bowling, and was a big fan of the Winnipeg Jets. He was always interested in aviation, and obtained his private pilot’s licence in his 20’s, and owned a small plane for a time. He was a member of St. Viator’s Parish and the Knights of Columbus, and enjoyed participating in Bible study groups at the Parish.
Leonard was predeceased by his parents Frank and Otillia Thiele, brother and sister-in-law Larry and Roma Thiele, sister and brother-in-law Rosemarie and Dale Yeo, sister-in-law Glenda Thiele, and brother-in-law Fraser Webb.

Left to mourn Leonard’s passing are Norma, his devoted wife of 64 years, and four sons: Jeff (Susan) of Dauphin, MB, Greg (Shelley) of Red Deer, AB, Patrick (Leonel) of Guadalajara, MX, and David (Michelle) of Winnipeg, MB; his siblings Gailene Webb of Sydney, NS, Richard (Gail) Thiele of White City, SK, Myrna (Lorne) Kopeechuk of Snow Lake, MB, Ronald (Bonnie) Thiele of Red Deer, AB, Julie (Bob) Coleman of Lexington, KY, Gerald Thiele of Dauphin; and Sharon (Cliff) McArthur of Regina, SK, and many nieces and nephews.

Leonard is also leaving his precious grandchildren; Jordan (Amanda), Wade (Meghan), Joshua (Christine), Bryn (Hannah), Nick, Erin, Eric, Alice, and Blake, and his great grandchildren Olivia, Julien, Jase, Xander, Asher, Emmett and Charlie.

A funeral service for Leonard was held on Monday, April 27, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at the Sneath-Strilchuk Family Care Centre in Dauphin, with Rev. Christopher Dubois officiating.

Thanks to everyone from near and far. Special thanks to the many healthcare staff in Home Care, Dauphin Regional Health Centre, and the Dauphin Personal Care Home.

If desired, donations in Leonard’s name may be made to the Dauphin Hospital Foundation or CancerCare Manitoba Foundation

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