Winkler city council is mourning the loss of one of its own.
Councillor Don Fehr passed away on Saturday of a suspected heart attack. He was 62 years old.
“It is with profound sadness that we share news of the sudden and unexpected passing of City of Winkler councillor Don Fehr, yesterday afternoon,” Mayor Henry Siemens said in a statement Sunday. “We extend our condolences and prayers to Don’s wife Kathy and their family during this unimaginably difficult time. We will miss him immensely around our table.”
Fehr was in the midst of his third term in office, having first been elected in 2014.
He’d been a fixture in the local business community for decades, most recently as the owner of Eco Plus Sanitation and Cleaning Supplies.
His community involvement stretches back for years before he entered municipal politics, including stints as Harvest Festival co-chair and with the Awana Children’s Ministry in Manitoba and Northern Ontario.
In an interview Monday, Siemens shared his memories of a dedicated public servant and friend.
“He was a good friend, somebody who was a listening ear. He always had optimistic thoughts and ideas,” he said. “He always believed that every problem could be solved.”
Fehr served on numerous boards and council committees over the years.
“He never, ever declined an appointment,” Siemens said. “He always stepped into it enthusiastically.
“I think the biggest thing that we can say about Don is that he loved his community. He wanted to find a way to contribute to it. He thought Winkler was a great town and he wanted to do everything that he could to make it even better.
“He did that through his service in his private business as well. When you talk to his customers, he always had time to visit. He always had time to share.
“He was a man of deep conviction, a man of faith,” Siemens continued. “He listened to absolutely every opinion that was out there … even when he disagreed with the points that were being made, he took the time to listen.
“That was, I think, one of the hallmarks of Don’s life.”
