Contact Us Anytime
Obituary of Donald and Marina Schettler
Donald Jackie Schettler, age 86, of Neepawa, MB, passed away on Sunday, June 4, 2023, followed shortly thereafter by his wife Marina Rose Schettler (Larwood), age 87, of Neepawa, MB, on Monday, June 5, 2023, both at Rest Haven Care Home, Steinbach, MB.
Donald and Marina are both survived by their son Dale (Barbara), grandchildren Carissa (Clinton) and Kyle, and great-grandson Waylon, along with numerous nieces and nephews.
Marina is also survived by her brother Fred Larwood.
Donald is also survived by his sister Bernice (Russell) Patterson and his brother William Schettler.
They are both predeceased by their infant son Terry Don.
Marina is also predeceased by her parents Charles and Alice Larwood and her siblings June, Irene, and Bert.
Donald is also predeceased by his parents Charles and Katherine (Katie) Schettler and his sister Irene Moore.
Marina was born in McCreary, MB, on August 3, 1935. She was the youngest of five to Alice & Charles Larwood where she grew up on a small farm.
At the age of 17, Marina was teaching school on a permit when the school Superintendent saw the “teacher” in her so he suggested that she go to Winnipeg to Normal School where she got her teacher training. And teach she did! Starting in 1952 she taught at Bracken School, Turtle Plains, Pumas School, East Tupper, Maitland and then Plumas School again until her retirement in 1993. In her “spare time” on Sundays she taught Sunday school at the Plumas United Church for 20 years!
Charlie & Katie Schettler (Don’s parents) took Marina on as a boarder while she was teaching in the area. This is where she met Donnie and the love affair began!
Donald Jackie Schettler was born in Winnipeg, MB on March 14, 1937, the second youngest of four to Charles & Katherine Schettler (Schick). His family moved to Plumas in 1938.
They married on August 17, 1957 at the Plumas United Church. They lived in the town of Plumas when their son, Terry Don, was born in 1959, but he did not survive. Later they moved to a farm just outside of Plumas where Donnie farmed as well as worked for the CNR.
Dale Charles was born on November 27, 1963. He was the light of their lives and became his dad’s best friend. If they weren’t waterskiing, they were hunting or fishing. Donnie had webbed toes and LOVED the water. He spent many hours in a boat. Many of them fishing with his Dad, Marina, Dale, Barb, and then his grandkids, Carissa & Kyle. He taught them how to water ski as well. He was a fountain of information. He was called on numerous times by his neighbors to help with a cow having trouble calving. He broke horses as well. Dale recalls seeing his Dad riding a bucking horse back and forth never letting go. In about two days of this, the horse was calm and ready to ride.
Marina would drive Dale to school everyday. When they were late (and that was often) Dale knew that he was in for a ride when she put the pedal to the metal!
In 1977 they sold their farm and moved into the town of Plumas. Donnie became the school custodian and worked there until he retired.
In 1990 they bought a house in St. Adolphe to be closer to their grandkids, but they longed for the country life so in 1997 they bought an acreage just outside of Neepawa where they built their retirement home. Donnie was always on the go, either blowing snow at the church, cutting the many acres of grass, tending to his garden or picking raspberries. They became members of the Neepawa Anglican Church. When their health began to fail they moved to Minnedosa to the Personal Care Home and had to leave their retirement home. Donnie in his usual self made friends wherever he went. But again, too far from their family. So they moved to Rest Haven in Steinbach in late 2022 where they resided until they passed.
Don & Marina were very excited to become Great Grandparents when Waylon was born in 2022.
They LOVED dancing with each other! They had many dear friends. They loved spending time with their family and friends and laughed a lot. They were selfless people. When they were newly weds they took in Marina’s ailing mother and looked after her day and night. Their niece Debra and nephew Derryk lived with them for different periods of time and became like their own kids. They traveled coast to coast with their motorhome, but rarely left the country. They were always together and Donnie was always telling stories making everyone around them laugh. Marina would say “Oh Donnie”, then laugh along with the others. We will miss them both dearly, but are comforted that they are together forever.
Cremation has taken place and a private service is being planned and will be announced at a later date. Ash interment will take place in Plumas, Manitoba.
