FERDINAND “FERD” HARTUNG WAS CALLED HOME TO HIS LORD AND SAVIOR NOVEMBER 4, 2000 AT VULCAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE AT THE AGE OF 71 YEARS.
FERD WAS BORN JUNE 29, 1929 ON THE FAMILY FARM NEAR CHAMPION, ALBERTA TO CONRAD AND MOLLY HARTUNG. HE ATTENDED YALE AND HARMONY HIGH SCHOOL . HE FARMED WITH HIS FATHER AND WHILE WORKING WITH HIM HE PURCHASED A SECTION OF LAND OF HIS OWN. FERD OFTEN WENT TO CALGARY FOR CHURCH EVENTS. WHILE HE WAS THERE HE MET TILLIE RATHGEBER OF MELVILLE, SASKATCHEWAN, WHO WAS LIVING AND WORKING THERE AT THE TIME. THEY WERE MARRIED ON JUNE 29, 1956 AND TOGETHER THEY CONTINUED TO WORK ON HIS PARENTS FARM FOR SEVERAL YEARS. IN 1963 THEY PURCHASED ANOTHER HALF SECTION AND MOVED ONTO THEIR OWN FARM TWENTY MILES EAST OF VULCAN. HE POURED HIS WHOLE HEART AND SOUL INTO HIS FARM FOR MANY YEARS, WHICH RESULTED IN A VERY SUCCESSFUL OPERATION. IN 1988 FERD AND TILLIE MOVED INTO VULCAN AND FERD CONTINUED FARMING UNTIL RETIRING FOLLOWING AN ACCIDENT IN 1996. HE MOVED INTO THE LONG TERM CARE UNIT OF VULCAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE IN 1998 WHERE HE HAS RESIDED SINCE.
FERD WALKED WITH THE LORD DAILY, AND SHOWED BY EXAMPLE HIS LOVE FOR THE LORD. HE SERVED ON NEARLY EVERY CHURCH BOARD AT LEAST ONCE, INCLUDING THE BUILDING COMMITTEE, MENS GROUP AND VULCAN EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CHURCH BOARD. HE LOVED HIS FAMILY. HE LOVED VISITING WITH PEOPLE AND WHEN THE FAMILY WENT OUT, THEY WERE ALWAYS THE LAST TO LEAVE AS FERD WAS STILL BUSY VISITING. HE LOVED FARMING AND FARM LIFE AND WAS VERY HANDY. HE HAD THE TALENT AND ABILITY TO IMPROVE AND FIX JUST ABOUT ANYTHING. HIS FAVOURITE MATERIAL TO WORK WITH WAS METAL. HE MADE MANY USEFUL INVENTIONS, WORKED ON ALL HIS OWN MACHINES AND HAD A KNACK OF MAKING THINGS WORK JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER. HE ALSO ENJOYED WORKING WITH WOOD, SINGING AND PLAYING ROOK AND RELISHED IN THE VICTORY OF A WINNING HAND. FERD WAS VERY GIVING AND LOVED TO SHARE JOKES. HE ENJOYED FISHING AND COULD CATCH FISH WHEN MANY PEOPLE AROUND HIM COULD NOT. HE TRAVELLED TO MANY PLACES INCLUDING HAITI AND COLUMBIA WHERE HE WENT ON WORK CRUSADES WITH MEN FOR MISSIONS. HE AND TILLIE ENJOYED TRIPS WITH FRIENDS TO HAWAII, FLORIDA AND CALIFORNIA. IN 1994 HE VISITED THE BIRTH PLACE OF HIS DAD IN RUSSIA, WHICH IS SOMETHING HE HAD ALWAYS WANTED TO DO.
BELOVED HUSBAND OF TILLIE OF VULCAN, LOVING FATHER OF FOUR CHILDREN BARRY (SHELLEY) OF CALGARY, ELDEN (DEBBIE) OF VULCAN, ARLENE HARTUNG OF LETHBRIDGE, BONITA HARTUNG OF VANCOUVER, SIX GRANDCHILDREN, ALESHA, RYAN, KELSEY, CHRISTOPHER, JENA AND COLE A BROTHER DON (FAITH) OF CHAMPION, A SISTER IRMA (HARRY) MEIER OF LEADER, SASKATCHEWAN FOUR BROTHERS-IN-LAW HERB (LORNA) RATHGEBER OF TISDALE, WILBERT (MARILYN) RATHGEBER OF CHILLIWACK, LAWRENCE (DIANE) OF SASKATOON AND RAYMOND (PEGGY) RATHGEBER OF MELVILLE, THREE SISTERS-IN-LAW CLARA SAIP OF FORT QUAPPLE, BETTY (JERRY) SAELHOF OF EDMONTON AND JEANETTE RATHGEBER OF CALGARY, NUMEROUS NIECES AND NEPHEWS.
FERD WAS PREDECEASED BY HIS PARENTS, A NEPHEW SID HARTUNG IN 1999, MOTHER AND FATHER-IN-LAW AND A BROTHER-IN-LAW ELMER RATHGEBER.
FUNERAL SERVICE WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2000 AT 1 P.M. AT VULCAN RECREATIONAL CULTURAL CENTRE WITH PASTOR FRANK HARRIS OFFICIATING.
INTERMENT VULCAN CEMETERY.
HONORARY BEARERS CHARLIE FITZPATRICK, NICK ANDRUCKOW, EMIL BOETTCHER, GEORGE KRAMMER, PETER THIESSEN AND HENRY FRIESEN.
CASKET BEARERS BRIAN MEIER, CHRIS RATHGEBER, TIM RATHGEBER, GORD RUPP, RANDY ANDRUCKOW AND KEVIN WAY.
MANY THANKS TO VULCAN LONG TERM CARE FACILITY FOR THEIR EXCELLENT CARE AND LOVE SHOWN TOWARDS FERD.
IF FRIENDS SO DESIRE TRIBUTES IN FERD’S MEMORY COULD BE MADE TO MEN FOR MISSIONS BOX 10 BURLINGTON, ONTARIO L7R 3Y3.
ARRANGEMENTS IN CARE OF VULCAN FUNERAL HOME. DIRECTORS. TELEPHONE 1-403-485-2633. E-MAIL CONDOLENCES TO vulcanfuneralhome@hotmail.com.