Clem Bexte

1935 - 2016

Clemens Hubert Bexte, beloved husband of the late Tina Bexte, passed away in Lethbridge on Tuesday, April 12, 2016 at the age of 81 years.

 Relatives and friends were invited to meet with the family at Southland Funeral Chapel, 5006 - 48 Avenue, Taber on Monday, April 18, 2016 between 7:00 P.M. and 8:00 P.M.

 The Funeral Service was held at the Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church, 320 - 9 Street North, Vauxhall, on Tuesday, April 19, 2016 at 2:00 P.M. Burial followed at the Vauxhall Cemetery. 

 Clem is survived by his children Bev (George) Vander Gaast of Taber and their children Kristi (James) Mitchell, Curtis (Amy) Vander Gaast, Amanda (Danny) Webster and Brian (Denica) Vander Gaast (children Anisley, Bria, Malcolm and Roman); Murray (Joy) Bexte of Vauxhall and their children Jordan (Lisa) McEwan (children Landon and Kinley) and Jayden Bexte; Bonnie (Ken) Anton of Lethbridge and their children Rachel and Julia Anton; Benita (Martin) Kondor of Vauxhall and their children Aimee and Blake Kondor. He also leaves to cherish his memory his sister Sylvia Vogt and brother Reno (Lydia) Bexte; sisters-in-law Charlotte, Monica, Nadine and Edna, as well as numerous beloved extended family members.

He was predeceased by his wife Tina, granddaughter Megan Kondor, parents Bernhard and Anna Bexte, brothers Heinz-Joseph, Fred, Beny, Hugo, Hubert and Adolf, sisters-in-law Margaret and Dorothy Bexte, brother-in-law Ben Vogt.

 Clem was born January 9, 1935 in Schlesien Kreis Namslau, Germany. Due to hardships endured as a result of the war in Germany, Clem’s family was desperate to find a safe haven. They managed to escape to Canada in 1953; there they settled in the Picture Butte area, working sugar beet fields for a local family. Despite a huge language barrier, the Bextes established their roots in Arrowwood, Alberta. Clem worked on bridge construction and later for the PFRA in Vauxhall.

 In 1966 he married Tina Johnson (nee Friesen) and accepted and adopted her children Bev and Murray as his own. Due to Dad’s sense of responsibility and hard work ethic, he took on extra jobs doing odds and ends after hours to provide for his family. After realizing that construction was his passion, he established Bexte Construction in 1979.

 After Tina’s passing, Clem embraced his time with his grandchildren, attending numerous sporting events. He loved gardening and camping, especially the annual Friesen and Bexte Reunions, where he enjoyed playing horseshoes and Doppelkopf. In recent years, he looked forward to daily coffee row visits with his buddies.

 If friends so desire, memorial tributes in Clem’s name may be made directly to the Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Cancer Society, 317 - 10 Street South, Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 2M7 www.cancer.ca.