JOSEPH STENGER

1930 ~ JOSEPH STENGER ~ 2023
Joseph (Joe) Stenger passed away peacefully with his family on Saturday, December 9, 2023 while in palliative care at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital. He leaves to cherish his memory his sons, Lyle Stenger (Yvonne), Thomas Stenger (Kim), Clifford Stenger (Jennifer Cote), and Brad Stenger (Cheryl); daughter-in-law, Cindy Stenger; siblings, Velma Impey (Tom) and Mary Dell; thirteen grandchildren; and eighteen great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Cornelius (Nellie) Stenger; first wife Mary Brown, second wife Mildred Stenger (Rommel), and third wife Violet Stenger (Otto); sons, Leonard Stenger and Neal Stenger; brother, Alec Stenger; sister, Agnus Solverson; brothers-in-law, Hubert Solverson and Walter Dell; and sister-in-law, Peggy Stenger. Joseph was born to Joseph and Cornelius Stenger in the hospital at Empress, Alberta on July 24, 1930. He was the second oldest of five children. He attended school to Grade nine at the Wainfleet country school located four miles south of their homestead farm. He told stories of driving his sisters to school with a horse and cutter in the winter (with hot rocks and blankets in the bottom of the cutter to keep his sisters warm) and a horse and wagon in the summer. In 1945, when he was fifteen years old, Joe went to Medicine Hat where he purchased a violin from Levinson’s for $15.00. He learned to play the violin on his own “by ear” and played at country dances with his brother Alec on the banjo and their friend Joe Dirk on the accordion. He was an excellent dancer and loved to dance. Joe and his brother Alec farmed with horses on the original homestead farm located northeast of Empress, Alberta. They were very excited when they purchased a Fordson tractor which was “very small” by today’s standards. Joe continued to farm by himself when his brother Alec joined the Canadian Navy. Joe eventually purchased the homestead farm from his Mom. Later he purchased the Dosch farm located eight miles north of Empress across the border in Alberta, sold the old homestead farm, and eventually purchased two more adjacent farms in Alberta. He was a hard worker and a successful farmer. The younger farmers in the area frequently asked him for farming advice. He married Mary Kibel in 1952 and they had a family of six sons over the next eleven years. Two of their houses on the homestead farm were destroyed by fires in 1962 and in 1964. Joe and Mary divorced in 1971. He married Mildred Rommel in 1978. They lived together on the farm until 1997 when he sold the farm to his son Leonard. Joe and Mildred retired in Medicine Hat where they lived in the Southridge and Cotton Wood areas. They went on several Wheat Pool bus trips to the USA with other farmers. They moved to Chinook Village when Mildred’s health declined. Joe continued to live at Chinook Village following Mildred’s passing in 2015. He met Violet Otto at Chinook Village. They were married in 2016 and lived together at Chinook Village until Violet’s passing in 2022. Joe moved into assisted living at Chinook Village in 2022 and lived there until his health declined. He moved to Age Care Riverview in 2023 where he lived until his passing. Our Dad was a wonderful, hardworking, honest, kind man who had a ready smile and loved his family. We want to send a special thank you to the healthcare staff at Chinook Village, the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital, Age Care Riverview, and to Dr. Ockert Kruger. They all showed so much care, concern, and compassion for Dad. A funeral service for Joe will be held in the spring of 2024 and will be announced in the Medicine Hat News. Condolences may be sent to condolences@saamis.com subject heading Joseph Stenger. Funeral arrangements entrusted to

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