Obituary of Wayne Elwood Couling

COULING: Wayne Elwood Couling passed away very peacefully on the Palliative Care Ward of the Brandon Regional Health Centre on Saturday, November 25th, 2017. Wayne was born at the Souris Hospital on August 25th, 1942 to Harvey and Minnie Couling of nearby Wawanesa. The family lived on the rented Ed Payne farm high up on the north riverbank of the Souris River overlooking the town. Wayne took his first year of schooling at Wawanesa, then in 1949 the family made the move to Boissevain. Wayne enjoyed his youth and the benefits of small town living; playing hockey and baseball, participating in track and field events at school, and church involvement at St. Paul's United. He delivered newspapers, and later accepted a job working as a student at Houston's Drug Store. He served as president of the student council in his Grade 12 year and graduated from the Boissevain Collegiate in June of 1960. He then enrolled at the School of Pharmacy at the University of Manitoba and spent his summers working at Whitfield's Drug Store in Souris. He graduated with his BSc (Pharmacy) in the spring of 1964. He was especially proud to receive the Pat Gorman Memorial Award for outstanding academic and athletic achievement in his final year. On May 5th, 1964 his professional pharmacy career began as a staff pharmacist at the Clinic Pharmacy in the Brandon Clinic. In the years that followed he partnered with a number of other Brandon pharmacists in the ownership and management of several dispensaries including Brown's Drug Store, Brandon Clinic Pharmacy, Hutching's Drug Store, B & C Drug Mart, Allen Brown Drug Mart and the Ste. Rose du Lac Pharmacy. In January of 2012 he sold the Brandon Clinic Pharmacy, after 48 years of involvement. Two years later in 2014 he and a few of his classmates were recognized for being members of the Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association for 50 years. Though Wayne was a Jaycee, a Kinsman, and a K-40 member he also belonged to a rather unique hunting lodge known as Scuttlebuck Lodge, an old farm house and adjoining property on the shores of Whitewater Lake near Deloraine. From there for 35 years he hunted ducks and geese with many of his closest friends. These same hunters were sometimes known to journey as far as Alberta or South Dakota hunting pheasants. Wayne enjoyed curling, bowling and golf as well as attending Wheat King games. He also served as a director/timer for the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba. On May 8, 1975 Wayne married Gilda Andres in Brandon. They had three children: daughters Heidi (married to Joel Abrahamson), and Andrea (married to Les Edwards), parents of grandsons Sebastian and Jackson, and son Bryce, father of granddaughter Katelyn and grandson Benjamin. Wayne's smartphone was always full of photos of his children and grandchildren that he loved to share. There are many fond memories of family vacations and celebrations. Wayne loved Clear Lake. Life long, it was the gathering place for many holidays, family picnics, golf tournaments and special family celebrations including his own 75th birthday in late August of this year. In 2000, his dream of owning a lakeshore cottage became a reality when he and Gilda purchased 177 Wasagaming Drive just above "the courtin' bench" on the lakeside walk. As well as always being a gracious host, he was known to catch some sun from his lawn chair at the water's edge and later in the day he could be found on his deck enjoying another beautiful Manitoba sunset reflected across the lake. Wayne was predeceased by his parents and infant sister, Karen. He is survived by his sister Elaine Couling, brother Bill (Lois) Couling and family and sister Dori (Rob) Martin and family. Also surviving Wayne are his mother-in-law Hannah Andres, his brother-in-law Herb (Carol) Andres and family, his sister-in-law Paulette (Bob) Perchaluk and family and brother-in-law Bruce Andres. A beautiful Celebration of Wayne's life was held at Central United Church on Thursday, November 30, 2017. Flowers are gratefully declined and if so wished, donations may be sent to Western Manitoba Cancer Centre at Brandon Regional Health Centre Foundation 150 McTavish Ave East, Brandon, MB, R7A 2B3 or to Central United Church, 327 - 8th Street, Brandon. MB, R7A 3X5.