Obituary of Lawrence "Larry" Paul Engel

Lawrence (Larry) Paul Engel was born in Lemberg, Saskatchewan on what must have been a sunny day, July 6, 1930, to John P. and Anne Engel. He was their third child. Larry was predeceased by his brother Frank (Molly) Engel, sister Margaret (Stan) Krupski and is survived by his sister Bernice (Dave) Ward. He was married to the love of his life, his Valentine, Gail (Abel) on July 3, 1956. This summer would have been their 59th wedding anniversary. Gail and Larry had three children, Jeff Engel, Jay Engel and Jocelyn (Terry) Denham as well as 6 grandchildren, Briana (Michael) Orosz, Travis (Kristen) Denham, Austin Denham (Elise Lussier), Lucas, Tess and Megan Engel. He was also the proud Great Grandpops to Jacob and Hailey and was looking forward to the birth of his 3rd great grandchild. Larry had a wonderful childhood, he was blessed to be an incredible athlete who excelled at whatever sport he played, from baseball to hockey but especially curling and golf. He was fearless as evidenced by the fact that he waterskied into his 70's. He was someone who could fix anything and in fact even earned the nickname MacGyver. He could do everything from extend the shelf life of your favorite toy/pair of shoes to building tree top perches and wakeboard rails. His crown jewel was the house he built for his family at Crooked Lake. Larry was a life-long learner with a passion for sharing knowledge and engaging others, especially his family, in the things that interested him. This translated into backyard golf lessons, early morning Spanish lessons and the evening crossword puzzle. He had a keen sense of humor and his smile could light up a room. His wit and charm were traits he dazzled us with even in his later years. Many hours were spent with Larry as the lively head of the table entertaining everyone with his masterful storytelling. Siestas were also a ritual and Larry perfected them! Larry retired from his role as a conductor for CN / VIA Rail in 1989 after a long career highlighted by his selection as a member of the crew to serve on the Royal Tour in 1970. He was a long time member of the Knights of Columbus. Larry loved people and had many wonderful friends. He and Gail spent 24 winters in Mission, Texas and had a devoted group of friends and adopted family with whom they spent endless hours visiting, golfing and dining. He loved his family deeply which was exemplified by his commitment to having everything at the lake perfect for their annual family summer holidays. His passion for fun and adventure was contagious and his goal was to always make sure that everyone had a wonderful, carefree summer. Larry passed away on May 15th 2015 at St. Paul's Lutheran Home. A service celebrating his life will be held on June 1, 2015 at 2:00 pm at St. Henry's Roman Catholic Church in Melville. In lieu of flowers the family has asked that donations be made to the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan. Service Information Monday, June 1st, 2015 2:00pm, St. Henry's Roman Catholic Church