Leslie "Les" Lawrence Hainer

Obituary for Les Hainer

“It pains me to admit it, but apparently, I have passed away.  Everyone told me it would happen one day but that’s simply not something I wanted to hear, much less experience.  Once again I didn’t get things my way!  That’s been the story of my whole life.

While on that subject (the story of my life)… on February 24, 1943 my parents and older brother Don celebrated my birth and I was introduced to all as Leslie Lawrence Hainer, the  son of Lawrence (Hainer) of Loyalist and Margaret (nee Wagstaff) of Consort. 

I can’t believe that happened in the first half of the last century but there are records on file in the Alberta Archives which can corroborate this claim.

Just a year and a half  later another baby was born, my brother Frank, his arrival doomed me to being the middle child the rest of my life.  My world was forever changed.

I grew up on the farm and like all farm kids I had chores to do. I developed a strong hatred towards chickens during this time as it was on my chore list to gather eggs and clean the roosts and coop. The only way I tolerate chickens now is roasted with a tasty stuffing and cranberries on the side.

Education was important in our family and as a child I had to run barefoot, through deep snow, uphill both ways to catch the old bus for our daily trips into Consort School. Frank and I were often in the same classroom together and had an unwritten pact that what happened at school, stayed at school. I was encouraged by the staff and administration to enter Education upon my graduation from High School. I gave it a lot of thought and realized this would be a career choice that gave me so many holidays and days off. The thought of summer holidays was just too good to pass up.

I proudly started my teaching career at Veteran School where as it turned out I spent my  entire teaching career.

So many things in my life seemed of little significance at the time they happened but then took on a greater importance as I got older.

Memories … where do I begin?

I was fortunate enough to have traveled with a different friends over the years, each with it's own memories.

I never married because  I was waiting for the right lady to come along and she had to be agreeable to living in Veteran. It was 2010 and prayers were answered when I met Christine. Here was a girl I loved and she loved me and best of all, she wanted to live in Veteran. I thought I had won the jackpot. I  convinced her to marry me in the spring of 2012.

I had a wife and an instant family.  All the things I had hoped to have in my lifetime happened for me. Time did not exist and it felt like the most natural thing in the world.

I have been a teacher, principal, mayor, council member, writer, editor, historian, coach, referee, small business owner, tour guide, consultant, collector, husband, grandpa, friend and many others.  Each was a learning opportunity that came with each of the different hats I wore.

Though I had no immediate, living family, Jim and Wendy Dafoe became my family. Christine says she owes Wendy a huge thank you for taking my rough edges off and making me easier to get along with. Not that I felt there was anything amiss of course, but it seemed to make her happy.

Generally speaking you will find me wherever someone complains about the weather or gets on the wrong side of a political discussion or tries to disparage the Calgary Flames or the Calgary Stampeders. I can tell you now, my wife does not cheer for the same teams that I did. She was an Edmonton hold out. I loved her anyway.

I’ll leave you with this…please don’t cry because I’m gone; instead be happy that I was here.  (Or maybe you can cry a little bit;  after all, I have passed away).

Today I am happy and I am dancing. 

Love you forever.”

I was predeceased by my Mother, Father, brothers Don and Frank, numerous family members and friends

I am survived by my wife, Christine, four stepchildren, nine grandchildren, one sister in law, and one brother in law. I am also survived by my very special adopted family of Jim and Wendy Dafoe and family.

Be kind to one another and enjoy the delicious lunch you are going to get after this service, funeral food is always delicious.

Leslie "Les" Lawrence Hainer
Funeral Service
Thursday, March 29, 2018
1:00 PM
Veteran Full Gospel Church, Veteran, Alberta

Heather Caseley has been entrusted with the care and funeral arrangements; Coronation Funeral Home P.O. Box 358 Coronation, Alberta TOC 1CO; 403.578.2928 Condolences can be sent to the family by visiting our website at www.coronationfuneralhome.ca