Anton "Tony" Julius Wegscheidler

Anton Julius (Tony) Wegscheidler of Penticton, BC, passed away on January 21, 2019, just shy of his 89th birthday . He will be fondly and lovingly remembered by his children Eve of Kelowna, Tony (Karen) of Calgary, and Linda (Dwayne) of Vernon, and grandchildren Kendra, Aaron, Kate and Rose. Tony was predeceased by his wife Rita in 2012.  Tony was the patriarch and the bedrock of the family.  Born in 1930 in Weisstetten, Czechoslovakia, Tony spent his formative years in close family environment, an environment eventually shattered by the war.  A forced relocation at the end of the war found him alone in Salzburg, where he worked as an apprentice butcher.  He immigrated to Canada at age 21, sustaining himself as a logger, miner and eventually a cement block worker.  In 1957 he returned to Europe where he met Rita. He returned to Canada and convinced her to come out to join him. They married and put roots down in Penticton, where soon the family grew to five. Pivotal to the early years was the acquisition of a property north of town. The farm would come to define who Tony was – an orchardist and independent businessman. It formed an integral part of the lives of the entire family for almost 50 years.  From his time as a 15-year old refugee and arrival in Canada, to his farming days and eventually the travails of old age, Tony was the epitome of resilience.  He enjoyed the outdoors, time with friends and a good glass of wine. His care of family, personal courage, uncomplaining attitude and self-sufficiency garnered the respect of all. He will be sadly and sorely missed.  Special and sincere thanks to Dr. Main, the staff of IH Home Support Services and to the staff and his friends at Athens Creek, who made his final years enjoyable.  A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday January 26, 2019 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church, 1296 Main Street in Penticton, with Father Rex officiating. A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:30 pm at the Athens Creek Retirement Lodge, 170 Warren Avenue West in Penticton.  In lieu of flowers, donations to the Heart & Stroke Foundation would be appreciated. Condolences may be sent to www.providencefuneralhomes.com