Stuart Gordon Briese

STUART GORDON BRIESE

1946-2019

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Stuart Gordon Briese on March 12, 2019, age 72 at his home in the Municipality of North Cypress-Langford. He was the much loved Dad of Karla Sawchuk (Leonard) and Kallan Briese (Kendell), Grandpa to Taylor and Karlee, stepdad to Dana Craig & Colin Craig, and partner to Barb Harris.

Stuart was born in Neepawa, MB on May 6, 1946 to Lloyd & Trudy (Harrison) Briese. He attended Dumfries School and NACI. He lived all his life on the farm with the exception of a couple of years working in Winnipeg.

He was very proud of his children and their accomplishments and his grandchildren, who brought joy to his life. He coached minor and intermediate baseball and managed a minor hockey team for many years and enjoyed supporting his children in all their activities.

Stuart’s roots were in agriculture. He was a proud farmer, owning and operating a 4th generation grain, hog and cattle farm since 1975. He received the Conservation Farm Family award in 1996 and the Environmental Stewardship award in 1997.

Stu had a lengthy political career, and spent twenty years as councillor for Langford between 1986 and 2006, eight of which he served as Deputy Reeve. In May of 2007, Stu was elected to the Manitoba Legislature as MLA to the Ste. Rose constituency. He was re-elected in 2011 for the newly created electoral division of Agassiz. His vast political experience and rural knowledge enabled him to be a fierce and effective exponent of his community. He was the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for Outstanding contribution to Municipal Government in MB.

Over the years, Stu contributed to many committees and boards, both provincially and locally. Provincially, he served on the Prairie Grain Roads Committee, Infrastructure Selection Committee, and Assiniboine River Management Committee. He also sat on the Assiniboine Delta Aquifer Board, Tire Stewardship Board, and Manitoba Community Services Board. From 1992-1998 Stu served as director on the Board of Union of Manitoba Municipalities and from 1998-2004 as Vice President then President of AMM. As past president of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities and former director of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Stu advocated for municipal government on numerous issues over many years. Stu was proud to have been involved with legislation policies pertaining to land use planning and environmental sustainability during his participation on the Consultation on Sustainable Development Implementation Board. Locally, he served on the Minor Hockey Board, Curling Club Board, Yellowhead Complex Board, and for 20 years on the Neepawa and Area Planning District Committee.

Stuart was an avid reader, a Blue Jays fan, enjoyed curling, loved to travel, and was a real people person, and always enjoyed a good visit. He was a member of the Elks Lodge, and Royal Canadian Legion. We shall remember him for his love of family, farming and farm life, and his interest and concern for his community and his province. He was a great joke and story teller, and historian!

He will be lovingly remembered by his sisters Wanda Long, Karen Janzen (David) and their families. Also treasuring his memory are his Aunt Lillian Sangster, many treasured nephews, nieces, cousins, neighbours, former colleagues and many friends. He was predeceased by his parents Lloyd and Gertrude (Trudy) Briese, his infant brother Wayne, and his brother-in-law Brian Long.

I believe that friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

Funeral Service will be held in the Neepawa United Church on March 23, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. with Rita Friesen officiating. Interment to be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Beautiful Plains Community Foundation, Box 486, Neepawa, MB, R0J 1H0. Whites Funeral Home in care of arrangements.

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