Obituary of Terry Giesbrecht

Terry Giesbrecht went gently into that good night on Dec 27, 2023. Always one for a good adventure, Terry was born in Morris on the ides of March in an epic Manitoba snow storm that almost stranded his parents on the highway getting there.  He grew up in Southern Manitoba, attending Roland Elementary then Carman Collegiate, forging a lifelong connection to the Prairies and the Pembina Hills that were his playground.  Always curious, Terry traveled to many unique places throughout his life, but his favourite place on earth was West Hawk Lake where he spent his childhood summers. A water person with a fascination for the cosmos, Terry loved the meteor crater lake nestled in the Boreal Forest and would take an evening dip to stare at the stars reflected in its deep calm waters as often as he could.

Terry sowed his wild oats on the west coast as a young adult before returning to Winnipeg a city he loved for its grit and friendly people. This is where he met his wife Monica with whom he enjoyed almost 30 years of life’s wonders. His love of nature led him to work as a Greenpeace advocate for several years. An early adopter of all things digital, with a special gift for teaching and tinkering, Terry found his calling in the field of Information Technology, working for places like LazerFare, the U of W, and Postmedia in between independent entrepreneurial adventures.

Terry most loved rabble rousing and connecting with others on dirt bikes, motorcylces, boats, snowmobiles, golf courses, music bands, hockey and gaming teams. His family and friends meant everything to him. Mischievous, funny, and observant, he would drop a simple sentence into a gathering and watch the heated conversations unfold until someone realized he was quietly chuckling in the corner. Wise and deeply ethical, a true Yoda, he was always the grounding force in any group. Terr had nicknames like Terr-Bear, T-Bone, Dirt Thrower, Terrykins, and Tezza, born from people’s surprise at the gentle soul inside his gruff biker-viking exterior. Fiercely loyal, Terry would do anything for his people, prompting the phrase ‘don’t wake the bear’. Any creature who met Terry instantly felt his compassion and kindness and so he built special bonds with animals, elders, and children wherever he went.

Terry is survived by his wife Monica, his parents Len and Gerry Giesbrecht, brothers Curtis and Kevin, in-laws Helen and Petru Macra, sister in-law Gabi Macra, many uncles, aunts, cousins, the most amazing friends, and his furry companions Oz and Dot.

He met his long-standing health challenges with quiet determination never letting them dampen his positive outlook on life. If you asked him how he was feeling his standard answer was 60/40 leaving you guessing every time. Terry believed deeply in science and technology. He was so grateful to have almost twenty years of life after his first diagnosis thanks to Canada’s universal healthcare. We thank his many doctors and specialists over the years as well as the amazing staff at St. Boniface Hospital for their fierce and determined care. You made both his fight to live and his passing with dignity possible.

Terry had a long time to think about life and death. His deepest wish was that we would not be sad for him, as he was at peace with having lived a good life and looking forward to his next adventure. According to his wishes please save the date for a house party celebration of his life on Friday March 15, 2024. Please leave your happy memories of Terry at https://alternacremation.ca/tribute/all-services/index.html. The best way to honour his memory is to donate blood, become an organ donor, and contribute to medical research at organizations such as the Canadian Liver Foundation https://www.liver.ca/