Garth Schnittker ~ Of Stratford and formerly of Listowel, on Thursday, October 20, 2016, Mr. Garth Vernon Schnittker, in his 86th year.

Beloved husband and best friend of Betty Ann (McCullough) Schnittker. Father of Wayne and Brenda Schnittker of Hanover, Paul and Bonnie Schnittker of Almonte, Joan and Doug Flynn of Kitchener, and June and Gary Dippel of Listowel. Garth will be remembered by his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and sister-in-law Lois Schnittker of Port Elgin.

Predeceased by his parents Ernest and Lena (Giesz) Schnittker, brother Meryle Schnittker, infant granddaughter Theresa, and by Betty's brothers and sisters.

Garth Schnittker spent his early years growing up in the area we as family fondly remember as the Fourth of Bruce. It was a quiet little country gravel road that ran into bush at the end of the concession where it became a sparsely graveled narrow track with grass that would tickle the bottom of the car as you passed over it. Quiet and Peaceful. On the corner of the homestead farm was a quaint little EUB (Evangelical United Brethren) one room church with no basement heated by a pot bellied stove where the loyal congregation of the local farm families met faithfully every Sunday for the weekly service. Garth would turn at this corner and walk the mile and a quarter through the side road never plowed in the winter through the farm land he came to love and would later own on his way to the one room yellow brick schoolhouse on the second of Bruce. He loved the farm. No one was surprised when he announced that he wanted to learn to become a better farmer and journeyed what in those days was an incredible distance to the City of Guelph. The Farming School of all schools, at the University of Guelph. Class of 51. Party Phone lines had recently been strung on the new hydro poles down the Fourth of Bruce. It is no surprise then that he became intrigued with a beautiful young phone operator who could miraculously bridge the miles and connect him to the family back home with a quick push of a few quarter inch round phone jack cords and a few twirls of a hand cranked ringer. Betty Ann adored this tall, handsome, powerful man with the dark black hair. After graduation he proposed married to Betty at the Honeymoon paradise of Niagara Falls. He proudly brought her home to his beloved Fourth of Bruce, and with the help of his family they purchased their first dream farm, and home, where they became connected to the community with their own party line, known as line 59, ring 13. There calls were identified by three long rings of the hand cranked bell followed by one short. The 16 people connected to the same phone line would often run from their barns when the phone would ring not able to distinguish their proper Morse code signal of a ring and would often end up listening in on the conversations of this new city girl who quickly caught on to the rural farming way of life. They built a farm, and raised a family of four. Wayne, Paul, Joan, and June. wondrous family memories remain to this day with all of us of the warm caring community in the area. Warm even in the winter as you cuddled under your blanket at night near the warm stove pipe running to the chimney from the modern oil powered stove in the living room downstairs. Following Garth's back injury the decision came to move to town where Garth and Betty retired from the farm life and spent the next few decades of their lives in Listowel as business entrepreneurs running a handful of small home town stores. The kids grew up, found partners of their own and Garth and Betty found time to enjoy and reflect on their many adventures enjoying the winters in their second warm home, their beloved trailer in Florida. We remember now those special moments we shared with Garth as he moves on to his next warm and caring home.

Visitation will be held at the Eaton Funeral Home, Listowel on Sunday from 2:00 until 4:00 p.m., where the funeral Service will be held on Monday, October 24th at 1:00 p.m. with Rev. Colin Snyder officiating.

Interment in Fairview Cemetery, Listowel

Memorial donations to Trinity United Church, Listowel, or Listowel Memorial Hospital, or charity of one’s choice would be appreciated.