We Remember
LEHMANN, Bruno Karl
—
Loving husband and Father, Bruno Karl Lehmann, 88, of Kelowna, British Columbia passed away in the early morning of Friday, January 29, 2021, peacefully in his home with his family and loved ones by his side.
Bruno passed of old age, and finally lost his battle with congestive heart failure.
Bruno grew up in Harburg, Germany, a suburb of Hamburg, and was the eldest of the four Children of Karl and Annie Lehmann. Bruno met, married and devoted his entire life to his beautiful wife Elfie whom he met after the Second World War. They married on December 4, 1953 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, after immigrating to Canada earlier that same year. They shared 67 loving years together.
Bruno was born December 18, 1932 in Hamburg, Germany, and is survived by the love of his life, Elfriede Marie Lehmann, his four children Ellen, Ralph, Sandy and Garry, Grandchildren Ashley, Bradley, Adison, Christopher, Justin, Alanna and Amber, all of their partners, as well as Great Grand Children Haydin and Adeline. Bruno is also survived by his best friend, confidant and protege, Thomas Ingram.
Bruno was a devoted father and husband who always taught others to appreciate life, the beauty of nature, and the value of meaningful relationships. Together Bruno and Elfie dedicated their entire lives to the nurturing and fostering of their beautiful family. They could often be seen gliding across a dance floor, camping in the mountains on weekends, or travelling to far-off lands, as both he and Elfie had an abiding love for history, culture and the outdoors. This was often expressed through song, dance, laughter, and he possessed a sharp wit, which everyone appreciated. He treasured time with family and friends, and he and Elfie always acted as exemplary models of happiness and ambassadors of love as the Patriarch and Matriarch’ of the family.
Bruno will surely be missed, but will never be forgotten. He has taught us all love, courage, forgiveness, patience, and invaluable lessons that will live on forever through all of us in our memories.
We love you so much Dad. May you rest in eternal peace, may you walk in the glorious gardens of heaven, and visit us all often in our memories until we meet again. You will never be forgotten. You are and always have been the Godfather of the family.
You have touched the lives of all of us, and you truly are “The man, The myth, The legend…”
Due to the current pandemic restrictions, a private Celebration of Life will be held to honour Bruno. However, the family would like to invite all who want to pay their respects to join by Livestream on Saturday, February 6, 2021 at 1:00 PM. A recording will be made available to view shortly thereafter.
If you wish to send a condolence, post photos, or share a memory please scroll down the page to the area called “Condolences”.
Garry, I am so sorry for your loss. Hugs and love to you and your family during this very difficult time.
“The loss is immeasurable but so is the love left behind.” Hugs! Amanda
So very sorry for u r lose he sounded like an amazing man. Rip
On behalf of the family, we would like to send a heartfelt thank-you to everyone for attending the memorial and being so supportive. ❤️
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful, heartfelt, loving tribute. So many emotions felt with tears of sadness and joy for a life well lived. The best evidence of a life well lived, is a death embraced. Bruno would be beaming with love and so very proud. Love you all.
To the whole family
So saddened for your loss.
Dear Elfie and Family:
So very sorry to learn of Bruno’s passing. I will never forget the many happy hours we spend together because being with Bruno meant joy and laughter. He never learned to be unhappy or cross. An incredibly talented craftsman who could bend iron into treasure and a singer who could miss the high notes with the best of them.
Rest in peace old friend.
Joanne and Theo Schmidt
To Elfie and family, Our deepest sympathy to you and you r family. We will always remember Bruno for his joyfulness, kindness, friendliness and helpfulness. A man of many talents, vibrant and always fun to be with. We will remember a many good times together. Many dances we all met at the German Club and other places. You and Bruno one of the best dancers on the floor. We hope that you will keep healthy and may God love 💞💞 and prayers 🙏🙏 always there for you at the time you needed most. We will make sure we see you when we visit Kelowna. May he Rest In Peace. Co and Flore Langeslag, Abbotsford, BC
Daniel and I were saddened to hear of Bruno’s passing. We will always remember his sense of humour. Condolences to your entire family.
Dear Elfi and family,
Sending you deepest sympathy as you remember Bruno and the many joyful memories he created and shared with all. May those memories help you through this difficult time.
Sincerely,
Ilse and Manuella
Dear Dad,
You are and always have been my hero. I will always aspire to be just like you.
I love you so much, may you Rest In Peace until we meet again!
Your son,
Garry
Dear Elfie, it is a great loss for all of us. We will always remember Bruno and the camping and all the sing a long we had in your house. Bruno my big brother Rest in Peace I love you.❤️❤️❤️❤️
My Opa was the Man, he was the Myth, he was a Legend.
He had a sense of loyalty in which you could depend.
He was handsome, he was funny and was authentic to the bone.
He had this charm about him, which is impossible to clone.
He is was made up of these traits that are admired by us all,
and would fight along beside you, if your backs against the wall.
My Opa had this energy that could radiate a room, like a rose amongst the garden bed thats just about to bloom.
He has been a stand up influence through my entire life,
through the way he loved his family and the way he loved his wife.
He is a man who was magnetic and was wise beyond belief,
to completely describe my Opa… the explanations not so brief.
I could truly write a novel about this amazing Opa of mine,
who has also been a dad to me and had shown up all the time.
He has given me these memories that are worth their weight in gold,
and if the walls could talk, there’s many stories to be told.
I am so grateful for my Opa for I truly believe, he has helped create the woman that has shaped me into me.
There is no more valuable lesson, within this world we live,
than the love that he has shown me and the advise he’d always give.
To GODFATHER of the family I raise my glass to you,
I salute the man you have always been, for you have always been our glue!
My dearest Opa,
I hope you are dancing in the sky and I hope you are singing in the angels choir.
I will never say goodbye… until we meet again.
Love always, your granddaughter Ashley.
Please accept our condolences Gare and the rest of your family.. may your Dad RIP
Sandy Treena and Gaylen and Tyson❤️
Dear Gary and family
We are sorry for your family’s loss. You have our sympathy and are in our thoughts as you grieve the passing of your Dad. We have only beautiful memories of Uncle Bruno.
Love and hugs from us. ❤
So sorry for your loss. We moved in beside Bruno and Elfie almost 10 years ago. Warmer weekends almost always meant the pleasant sound of songs and laughter coming from their backyard. He took such good care of Elfie’s beautiful garden. Rest In Peace Bruno. You will be missed.
Dear Elfi
It was with great sadness that we learned of Bruno’s passing. Please accept our heartfelt
condolences and we hope that in a small way they help through these trying times. We will be thinking of you in this moment of grief
.
Leo and Sylvia
Uncle Bruno I love you and I will miss you .I will always and forever cherish all the memories I had with you until we meet again ❤
Elfie we have wonderful memories of Bruno and his gift for generating happiness and camaraderie in others. Although we have not been in touch for some time, please know we are thinking of you and your family in this difficult time.
Dear Elfie and family
I’m so sorry to hear about Bruno’s passing. Please accept my deepest condolences.
My condolences to the family for the loss of a great man. May he rest at peace in heaven.
On this day, your day of sorrow, reflection and rejoicing, the life of Bruno, no words expressed can comfort or console but know our love, thoughts and prayers are with you all this day of mourning.
Dear Elfie,
if Bruno had had seven lifes he would have wanted to spend his eleventh with you too, Elfie.
For all the love he gave, he received so much love
and for the songs he sang, he found so many to sing with him
and when he laughed there were so many who laughed with him.
Bruno hasn’t gone, he’s just not here, but so much of him will stay.
There is no finitude without infinity.
We send you hugs and wish you a lot of strength from Hamburg.
We love you BRUNOLINO!
Bernd, Lydia and Cici
Dear Elfie,
Dear Elfie,
I’m so sorry to hear that Bruno past away.
Let’s remember all the good times.
My Condolences to you and your family.
Love from your friend Hildegard
I
Thinking of your family during your time of great loss.
Tante Elfie, Garry and family. I am so sorry to hear of Onkel Bruno,s passing! What a great man! I will always have great memories of growing up with the family, laughing at his jokes. He was so funny and always had a smile on his face. You could always see his passion for life, his amazing family and loving friends! My heart and thoughts are with you all. Lots of love ❤️ Jackie
To Elfie, Ellen, Ralph, Sandy, Garry and all the members of your family,
Bruno was a truly special person, he will be missed by every person who had the pleasure of meeting and spending time with him. I am sorry for your loss. I have very happy memories of spending time with Bruno & Elfie and Garry as a child. Your memorial was a wonderful tribute.
Carey
With deepest sympathy to all within the Lehmann family on your loss of a great man, husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, friend, mentor and teacher. His undeniable love and loyalty for his family was something we all wish for. The family he created with his beautiful wife Elfie was one to be truly admired and envied by many. When you think of him and all the things that he did to show you he cared. The wisdom he shared. A piece of advice you’ll never forget. His zest for life, and let’s not forget his charm. The way that he lived, examples he set. The places he’d been, the stories he’d tell. The sound of his voice, his laughter. He could always be counted on to lighten up a dull moment with his sharp wit and sense of humor that had everyone laughing hysterically through his jokes, stories and antics. His passion with the work he put in to doing things well, a true master of his trade with Sunshine Ornamental. When you think of Bruno, and everything that made him the man he was, his love will live on through you, leaving an indelible imprint in your heart, keep the great legacy he built alive with the way you live your life. You’ve got so many wonderful and precious photos and videos taken over the years, what a great joy to be able to relive those special times spent together. I was blessed to grow up with the Lehmann family, I first met my best friend/sister Ellen back in the 60’s. Those days and still to this day, are some of the most wonderful and precious memories of my life, I will forever treasure. It is what being a family means to me, spending quality time together, laughing, singing and dancing, the love, loyalty, support, selflessness and genuine concern for each other, I truly was blessed to be a part of it. To Elfie, you are the reason for everything. Your beauty, your strength, your compassion, your wisdom, your love, loyalty, courage and support along the way was the driving force behind your husband. 67 amazing years, you don’t get that far without a whole lotta love, and that’s what you’ve given to each other and to family and friends. A love like yours is a beautiful, rare thing, you are an inspiration to all. May you find comfort in knowing your dear husband will be with you with every step you take, his gifts of love are yours to keep, may they console you now, and fill your heart with their comforting warmth. I love you my “other” MOM
My condolences to the Lehmann Family. Mr. Lehmann made a great impact on me as my coach when I played soccer when I was 11 years old. He always coached discipline and he worked us hard so we were properly conditioned for games. He taught me that great work ethic gets great results! He was right, I carried that mind set into hockey and into all parts of my life. It’s amazing how much impact coaches can make when your young.Mr. Lehmann was one of those coaches that made an impact. I am forever grateful and may he rest in peace. Much love to you all.
Dear Elfie,
Just like I, you must ask the same questions;
Where do they go to, the people who leave?
Are they around us in the cool evening breeze?
Do they still hear us and watch us each day?
I like you to think of them with me that way..
I share in your sorrow, for I know what it means to lose your life long partner.. My thoughts are with you.
Love, Elvira
Thank you so much for broadcasting such a beautiful tribute to your beloved Bruno. Just when I thought my heart was broken for good you let out a cheer or two to a life well lived and somehow that helped. Little did I know just weeks later my mother also passed. As far as Garry and I can figure bit out they were born a day apart on the same year probably only a couple hundred miles apart (Sonderborg Denmark) So now when I feel too sad about my mom I think of all the times we said skol in life amd I feel better. I wish our parents had met, they would have loved each other. RIP Bruno.
It is with great sadness that I heard of Bruno’s passing. My condolence goes out to Elfie and family. I will never forget that Bruno gave me my first job when I came to Canada.
Jurgen & Marlene Alberti
Hi Jurgen,
Email me…. I am sure my mom would love to hear from you. furymax1@msn.com
Dear Dad
On January 29, 2021, at approximately 6:30 AM, you took your last breath on this planet and officially became an angel. Wherever that may be, I am sure you were greeted with a standing ovation.
For those of us who were left behind, your passing was, and still is, devastating for us all. Speaking solely for myself, albeit painful, I consider myself privileged to have been given the honor of being there as your beautiful soul left this world and plane of existence; and to give you your final send off with all the love in my heart.
Today marks the end of this past year without you, and it was filled with all of the highly emotional and difficult firsts; the first anniversary of your passing, everyone’s birthdays without you, the first Father’s Day, you & mom’s first Wedding Anniversary, first Christmas, and so on. It has truly been a life-changing year, like riding a roller-coaster at full speed, on a track built of pure emotions, unlike any I have ever experienced before. Not one, single day has gone by that I have not thought of you. Your jokes, your smile, your guidance, the love that you brought in abundance to mom and the family, and the list goes on-and-on.
Dad, I want you to know how much I love and miss you, and to tell you that you would be very, very proud of mom. This last year, Mom stared the adversity of losing you directly in the face. Her world completely changed in every way the day you parted, and she has been nothing short of inspirational – she’s a warrior. Through her bravery, she has taught us all how to cope, grieve, and to overcome every obstacle. Most importantly, I watched her learn, adapt, and to tap into her own inner strength as an independent woman. What an amazing woman she is!
Since your passing, we are reminded each and every day of the love that you and Mom forged, and how lucky we were to be the recipients of that love. We were so fortunate to have had someone as special and incredible as you in our lives. Both of you. Without a doubt, you are watching over us from up above to guide and protect us, and to help us navigate our journey forward in this new and unfamiliar place.
You’ve always been the Patriarch, “the boss,” so without question, I’m pretty sure you’ve already exercised your leadership and have made a number improvements up above. In fact, knowing you as well as I do, you’ve probably already earned a distinguished rank among the other angels. You are that amazing!
I miss you so much Dad.
Bis wir uns wiedersehen!
Love Always
Xoxo
Garry (a.k.a. Number 4)