It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Willie (Bill), on December 25, 2025 at Bethesda Regional Health Centre in Steinbach at the age of 88.
He was predeceased by his parents Peter H. And Susana Bergen; brother Abe; sisters Tina Spencer, and her husbands Art Spencer and Albert Brandt; Trudie and Bill Ringer; Margaret and George Friesen; Sara and John Friesen; and Mary Harms.
He will be deeply missed by his wife of 65 years, Tina, and five children; Les and Ann, Mike and Maryann, Rhonda and Gary Sobering, Joanne and Cory Dyck, and Marcia Bergen; as well as thirteen grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He also leaves behind one brother-in-law, Jacob Harms, as well as Tina’s family, Nettie Peters, Anne Doerksen, Frieda and Ed Neufeld, Mathilda Kehler, and Helen Kehler.
Bill was born on November 30, 1937 near Halbstadt, MB to Peter and Susana Bergen and was the sixth of seven children. He went to school at the Lister West School, south of Grunthal.
Bill and Tina met at the back door of the Book & Variety Store where she worked when Bill was delivering freight for Penners Transfer. He was baptized on May 24, 1959 by Bishop P.S. Wiebe. On August 21, 1960 they were married by Rev. H.K. Schellenberg at the CMC Church in Steinbach.
Bill worked at a variety of jobs ranging from delivering milk bottles to homes by horse and wagon, to bread delivery, to long distance trucking. In the mid-1960’s Bill took high school upgrading and then a community college course in Basic Electronics and T.V. Servicing, bought a t.v. repair shop, and then built B & K Electronics on Main Street. The last 20 working years were spent as a purchaser at Barkman Concrete.
During these years he took up bowling and curling, and after open heart surgery in 1992, he took up golfing and walked 18 holes three times a week for many years.
Bill went through many health issues over the years. In 2022 he was diagnosed with Lymphoma and bone marrow cancer, enduring bloodwork, chemo and maintenance injections.
In the early-1990’s Bill took up wood turning to create bowls, which then led to a discovery of Intarsia. He created masterpieces of wood art which have graced many homes and cottages as far away as Germany and Ireland. Soon he found a passion for wood carving which resulted in a number of trips to Upper Michigan for carving and painting classes. All this led to teaching others these skills as well. He continued this craft until he became ill on December 17. His all time favourites were to carve and paint ducks and, more recently, trying his hand at owls as well.
Bill and Tina enjoyed some travelling to the West Coast, East Coast, Alaska for their 50th anniversary, Hawaii and many other USA States. They made seven winter trips to Texas to volunteer at the Rio Grande Bible Institute where Bill created many book shelves, vanities, cabinets, desks and counters for the campus.
In 1980 Bill realized he needed Jesus Christ in his life. This brought a dramatic change for him. He taught the Young Adults class at church for a number of years. In 1991 he a went on a short term missions trip to Papua New Guinea to help build a house for the missionaries in the tribe that lived in the rainforest. More recently he was involved with the Ethnos Aviation program to help purchase more planes to get to the remote tribes. His heart remained burdened for the unreached.
Bill’s body may have failed him but he now has a new body free from pain and struggles. 2 Timothy 4:7-8 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on the day – not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing.”
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, January 2, 2026 at Crossview Church, 345 Loewen Blvd. Steinbach, Manitoba, with viewing one hour prior to the service. A reception will be held in the church reception hall.
Interment will take place in the Steinbach Heritage Cemetery, following the reception.
For those unable to attend the service in person, the family invites you to join them via livestream.