Edward Hapke

HAPKE: Edward "Ed" age 92 of Ponteix, SK, and formerly of Vanguard, SK passed away on July 4, 2022 at the Foyer St. Joseph Nursing Home. The memorial service was held on Monday July 11, 2022 at 2:00 pm from St. Olaf Lutheran Church with Pastor Greg Kiel officiating.  The life story was given by Tye Hapke, readers were Janet Ray and Cathie Myers and the urn bearer was Evan Myers. Ed was born in Vanguard Saskatchewan to Henry and Jennie (nee Davie) Hapke, a younger brother to Charles. Ed is survived by Edna, his beloved wife of 70 years; children Bonna, Robert (Judy), Janet, Cathie (Lynden) and Darell (Maureen); grandchildren Krista (Dan), Darren, Nathan, Ian (Steph), Rachel, Kellen, Evan (Kayla), Kara (Kyle), Jason (Angela), Clarke, David and Kristina, Mark (Christina), Tye and Tristan; great-grandchildren Ayden, Aubrey, Annika, Jas, Link, Ayden, Talyah, and Owen. Ed was predeceased by his parents Henry and Jennie Hapke, brother Charles, Uncles Louis, William and Albert and son-in-law Bruce Gerlitz. Ed grew up on the family farm homesteaded by his father and uncles.  Growing up during the 1930's meant helping on the farm learning to drive the tractor at a young age. He attended Vanguard school either riding horseback or skiing across fields of snow in the winter. After high school he attended STI in Moose Jaw where he took a course in agriculture. During summer holidays Ed spent many happy times with the Ostranders at the Turkey Track Ranch, a place that also became a favourite for all of us. He got his pilot's licence so he could fly the Tiger Moth plane that he and Charles owned. In June 1952 he married Edna Hoffman, a nurse who had come to Vanguard to work for a few months. Ed and Edna were the loves of each others' lives, recently celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary. Together they had five children and for the arrival of each, he brought her a dozen red roses. Ed was a lifelong farmer. He began farming with his parents, uncles, brother and later his sons. He witnessed unprecedented changes to farming over his lifetime. As a baby he was set on the binder in an apple box during threshing time. Somehow his crib slipped off the machine and he wasn't discovered by his parents until the next round in the field. The incredible degree of change he experienced in agriculture is evident when comparing this to later years when he rode auto-steer GPS guided equipment. Ed began farming with the pioneers in Saskatchewan and ended by operating machinery with computers. In 2008 the Hapke Family Farm was awarded the Century Farm Award, truly a proud moment for him. He continued farming until the young age of 85 when he retired and sold the farm to Darell. Ed was the consummate storyteller and loved recounting tales of the homesteading years. He was a self taught man and made education a top priority for the family. An avid reader, he kept informed about agriculture, implementing farming practices such as soil testing and irrigation. He loved the land he worked, enjoyed hunting and held a deep connection with nature along the Noteku Creek. Ed enjoyed sports particularly baseball in which he excelled as a pitcher, later coaching minor hockey and sharpening skates for the teams. He was community minded so was committed to supporting the local Co-op, recreation board, town council and school boards. Ed enjoyed hobbies and always had various projects underway. He had an affinity for photography so was called upon at weddings and known for his memorable picture of an old steam engine billowing into the sky on a cold Prairie day. He delighted us with family slide shows recalling every detail on the screen and prompting us to regale the story of each classic picture as it appeared. When they built their new house in town, he spent many hours in his woodworking shop and at his custom work bench, made precision-built gifts for his grandchildren. Ed liked old time music, the kind that you can hear the words to, and on a Saturday evening, often tuned into Don Messer's Jubilee People were drawn to his warm smile, practical wisdom, quiet spirituality and great sense of humour. Over the years Ed and Edna took trips to various places and were known to courier Vanguard sausage to the friends and family they visited along the way. They always appreciated company whether at home or at the cabin and drop-ins were always welcomed. Ed lived a good life and to the end, remained a loving, loyal partner to his wife and best friend, Edna. Love You Forever! Donations in Ed's memory may be made to St. Olaf Lutheran Church Memorial Fund 665 Central Avenue North, Swift Current, SK, S9H 0M2 or the Foyer St. Joseph Nursing Home, P.O. Box 450, Ponteix, SK, S0N 1Z0. Lemieux  Funeral Home, Ponteix, SK was entrusted with the arrangements. For further information please call 306-625-3925 or visit our web site at www.lemieuxfuneralhome.com to express your sympathy to family members on the family tribute wall.

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