**Funeral has been postponed and a service will be held at a later date.**

 

Thomas George Bales passed away on the 13th of July 2022 at the Portage District General Hospital after living with pancreatic cancer for a short while.

Tom was born August 28, 1949. He grew up on a small farmhouse outside of Gladstone, sharing a bedroom with 4 younger brothers. The house was heated with coal and never had running water. There was never any money, but there was always lots of food from the huge garden, fresh milk and cream from the cows, and eggs from the chickens. At 15 when his dad became ill, Tom became the man of the house, mentoring his brothers and becoming responsible for the garden and the animals. Additionally, he did farm work for his uncle and neighbours to augment the family income. He never lost his love of gardening and always had a large garden.

Tom attended Preston School – a one-room school accommodating grades 1 to 8 – walking a mile there and back each day. He went to W.M.C.I. for high school and then University of Manitoba to become a teacher. Over the years, he continued his education at Brandon University.

Tom began his teaching career up north – first in God’s Lake Narrows (where he met Bernadette) and then in Oxford House. He moved back south to be closer to family and taught in Sandy Bay for the next 10 years. Tom spent the rest of his career working at many small schools (Amaranth, Kelwood, Parkview Colony, Grass River Colony, and Alonsa) in Turtle River School Division, as both a teacher and a principal. He enjoyed being a teacher and genuinely cared about his students. He spent 48 years helping young people develop their minds and preparing them for the future before retiring to his home in Langruth where he enjoyed spending time with family.

Tom loved being outside every summer. He worked with varying success in his vegetable garden and his flower beds. He took pride in a well-groomed lawn. He befriended every stray cat that would visit him. He loved feeding the variety of birds that would come to his yard – some becoming so trusting that they would come when called or fly down beside him to eat. This spring, he took immense pleasure in the dozen plus orioles that were drawn to the yard when he started placing fruit out for them.

Tom was always active and liked to share his hobbies with his family. He raced snow mobiles and curled with Bernadette. He hunted with his brothers and friends. He fished with the whole family.

Tom loved sports whether it was watching curling, the Jets, or the Bombers, which he did every week from his hospital bed. He coached his son’s hockey team in Langruth and McCreary for several seasons. He also enjoyed rec hockey.

Tom was an avid dart player, winning the Clearwater Trophy a few times at the Langruth Legion, and was a regular at the Kinosota Dart Club. He shared the love of darts with his wife, his son, and his grandson.

Tom’s family was the most important thing to him. He and Bernadette married in 1970 and recently celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary. He was proud of their three children and loved being around their five grandchildren. Tom and Bernadette taught their children the importance of spending quality time together, whether it was playing cards all night or board games every holiday.

Tom was predeceased by his father Ralph and mother Eileen, and his brothers Chris and Bert. Left to miss him are his wife Bernadette, daughters Vivian (Vaughn) and Rose, his son Dwayne, his grandchildren Jennifer, Lisa, Kiefer, Sydnee, and Leah, and his brothers Len and Dennis.

The family would like to thank the staff at Portage District General Hospital for the kindness and compassion shown to Tom and his family during his stay.