Arthur (Art) Dyck

Arthur (Art) Kenneth Abram Dyck, age 94 years of Altona, MB passed away on Tuesday February 11, 2025 at the Altona Memorial Health Centre. 

He is survived by his wife of 72 years Mary (Suderman), daughters Joan (John) Goossen, Ruth (Bruce) Luesley, son in-law Paul Henderson, 8 grandchildren (Richard (Renia), Rachel (Andrew), Bethany, Jeannine (Mark), Andrew (Chen), Hannah, Tabitha (Sonny), and Natalie, and 9 great grandchildren (Treyson, Asher, Ian, Eliott, Theo, Jax, Anna-Marie, Dylan and Reuben). He was predeceased by his parents, two sisters (Gertrude and Deanna) and his daughter Sharon Dyck-Henderson.

Art was born near Horndean on the farm belonging to his parents, Abram and Annie (Klassen) Dyck. As the eldest child much of his early years were spent working on the farm with his father. It was hard physical work using horses and threshing machines. This time shaped Art both physically and mentally. Art did well in school and was organized and meticulous.

Once he had completed the required grade 11, he had hoped to attend Teacher's College but ended up working in Plum Coulee at the local egg station. When an opportunity came up to manage the Altona Eggstation, Art was willing and the company took a chance on him even before he was bondable. Art ran and grew the business for the next 15 years, even adding a hatchery. It was early during this time that Art met Mary Suderman and soon they married and started their family. They had three children – Sharon, Joan and Ruth. Mary helped out in the business as well and the girls were often on site.

With the market changing, Art moved on to spend a year at Red River Mutual before being approached by Art Braun to join the Altona Credit Union in the loans department. Art soon assumed the post as Loans Manager and worked there for the next 27 years before retiring.

Art and Mary and the girls (as they were known sometimes) would holiday in Detroit Lakes, spending time swimming, water-skiing,paddle-wheeling, and gallivanting around town. As a couple they enjoyed weekend getaways with friends to see baseball games in Minneapolis. And locally the liked to participate in curling and golf.

Art was very civic minded and active in the community. His passion for education led him to be on the school board at an early age and in total was involved for over 20 years as a trustee and chairman where he oversaw the growth and construction and amalgamation of the various school districts. Toward the end of his time he was also part of MAUM executive at the provincial and national levels.

After his time on the school board, Art turned to local politics spending one term as councillor and then three terms as Mayor. He was forward thinking and proactive, and was proud of his achievements. Among these was ensuring that the Altona Hospital was built. Post retirement he was also involved as chair of the Seniors Centre and helped revitalize it as a valued hub in the community. He saw all of this work as part of his service to the community. And in March 1997, he was named the 1996 Altona and District Citizen of the Year.

The Altona Bergthaler church was also a large part of Art's life and activity. He was a Sunday School teacher for over 20 years and also served on finance and construction committees and was Church Chair for a while. His faith was important to him. His Bible was well underlined and he enjoyed singing in a variety of choirs and the occasional Brummtopp.

Art and Mary spent much time in BC over the years. First visiting with the family and later going there to visit two of their daughters and their families. The children and grandchildren came out at various times as well and Art and Mary were able to keep up with their family as it grew.

In his later years, Art especially enjoyed going for coffee with their couple friends and with the assorted groups of men that regularly met in coffee shops around town. He liked to explore his own family history by helping organize a number of Dyck reunions and also enjoyed his drives with Mary around the southern Manitoba roads looking at some of the farmyards and homesteads that their relatives had lived on.

After spending most of his married life living in a house that his uncle had built, Art and Mary moved to the Buffalo apartments after retirement and lived there for 17 years. They recently moved to the Manor and were just settling in when Art fell and broke his pelvis and was hospitalized in late November. Other ailments caught up to him and he passed away peacefully on Feb 11th with Mary, Joan, Ruth and John at his side. A special thanks, for their care and patience, go out to the staff at the Manor and at the Altona Hospital.

Funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 15, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. at the Altona Bergthaler Mennonite Church.

A private family burial will take place prior to the service. There will be no public viewing. 

To honour Art's life feel free to order memorial trees or send donations to the Altona Food Bank or the Seniors Centre.