Gunter Gauer

With profound sadness, the family of Mr. Günter “Guenter” Gauer announces his passing at the age of 83 years. Günter passed away peacefully at the Esterhazy Centennial Special Care Home, Friday, March 18, 2022.

Günter was born May 20th,1938 to the late Philipp Gauer and Helene (nee Hanisch) Gauer in Neuhof, West Prussia (Germany), the third of six children. He grew up on the family farm until the age of six years old, when he and his family were forced to leave their home due to the second world war.  The family fled to Wersabe on the North Sea coast of Germany and then to Hagen, Haspe (Germany).  In 1957, Gϋnter met his future wife, Marlies. They married in 1960 and immigrated to Canada in 1961.  Upon arriving in Halifax, they obtained their landed immigrant status papers, and made their way to Regina, Saskatchewan where Gϋnter worked as a mechanic at the Volkswagen garage. In 1962, Gϋnter moved his family to Esterhazy where he worked in his trade at IMC (Mosaic) until his retirement in 1993.  Gϋnter continued his work career at Goodman Steel in Rocanville, applying his passion for precision and detail until 1996, when he redirected his interests to his garden and grandchildren in his retirement years.  

Günter often spoke of the impact that the war had on the land and the people, including his family, and how devastating it was for him as a child, having lost his oma and baby sister along the way while fleeing. The rest of his family survived and for that, he was grateful. He was proud of his education having completed three years of trade and training in Industrial Mechanics Journeyman and Basic Mechanical Engineering and Thermodynamics (which included welding, machining, and blacksmithing) at Klöckner Werke A.G. at the Machinenbau School in Hagen, Germany. 

 Günter’s volunteerism and sense of community has been acknowledged many times over the course of his life.  Most recently, he was recognized for his 45 years of dedication and development to the soccer program in Esterhazy.  Gϋnter has been recognized by the Kinsmen Clubs of Canada with the Master Kinsmen Award for lifetime achievement.  Additionally,  one of his greatest accomplishments, was being a member of the Kinsmen Foundation Board of the first Telemiracle in Saskatchewan.  In his later years, he remained an active member of the Esterhazy K-40 club. Günter was also one of the founding members who established the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Esterhazy. He went on to serve for many years on church council and continued, until his passing, to be an active member of the Redeemer Lutheran Church.

 Gϋnter is predeceased by his parents Philipp Gauer and Helene Gauer (nee Hanisch), his sister Giesella,  two brothers Horst and Sigfried Gauer (Barbel), his sister-in-law, Renate (Günter) Fischer and brother-in-law Artur Daniel.

He will be forever remembered by his wife of 61 years Marlies (nee Daniel) and sadly missed by his children: daughter Daniela (Darwin) Fiske and his son Philipp (Nicole) Gauer. Proud Opa to Sarah Fiske (Michael Gillis), Daniel Fiske, and Heather Fiske. He also leaves to morn, his brother Armin (Elke) Gauer, his sister Sigried (Rolf) Schmidt, his sister-in-law Monica Gauer, his sister-in-law Renate Daniel and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Günter will be fondly remembered for his faith and gentle spirit that inspired those around him. His kindness, smile and sense of humour connected him to generations of people who loved and admired him. His greatest joys came from the times that he was surrounded by his loving family and dear friends.

As expression of sympathy, memorial donations to Kinsmen Telemiracle will be gratefully appreciated. 

The family would like to sincerely thank Dr. Mandi Nel as well as the staff of the Esterhazy Centennial Special Care Home for the care and compassion that Günter received.

“For when the One Great Scorer comes to write against your name, he writes not that you won or lost, but how you played the game”.