A golden heart stopped beating and hard working hands were laid to rest as the Captain of our Veert Team said his final goodnight.
We are devastated and heartbroken to say that on the evening of Wednesday, November 23, 2022, Lawrence (Lawry) Veert passed away. He was our beacon, guiding light, mentor, and the person who always helped us find our way back to the right path. The strongest link in our family chain is broken. He was the glue that held us all so close.
Lawry was born on Dec. 12, 1933, to John and Pauline Veert. He grew up in Winnipeg and moved to Emo where he owned Emo Motors with his Dad. On a warm August night in 1958, he met the love of his life, Catherine (Kay), while going to the Emo Fair. They married in Feb. 1959, and had four children: Paul (Joyce), Patty, Nancy (Colin), and Tom (Chris). He taught his children so much and was that “ever present” parent — instilling the family values of being humble, driven, and having a huge zest for living a full life.
His presence is what everyone remembers — kind, generous (with his time and money), his smile, laughter, genuine care for others, great stories, and a life so well lived. He had so much life he still wanted to live. Right up until the end, he was sharp, mentally strong, constantly thinking of solutions to a problem, always putting others before himself, and loved to reminisce about great times and memories of the past.
Life is meant for living and Lawry certainly did just that. He loved life! He exposed his family to a vast array of activities from dirt biking, to our own huge skating rink with family hockey nights, great times in Florida, Christmas memories of traditions, hard work, pride of ownership, snowmobiling, cottage life, and so much more. His life was filled with adventures from owning a garage, to being top car salesman, owner of Veert’s Cottages, family cottage, obtaining his pilot’s license and owing his own plane, driving his Goldwing motorcycle with his wife across four provinces and back through four states, to finding a way to retire at 60 and spend 19 winters in Florida.
His wife was his pride and joy. They were definitely a yin and yang couple. She was easy to go along with the plans and he was the ideas person with the decisive mind. Together, they shared 63 years of love and adventures. From convincing his wife to be the first passenger when he became a pilot, to winters in Florida, trips to the casinos, and everything in between, they had so much fun together. When they danced together, it was a true “dance” — they loved to polka and square dance.
Lawry and Kay moved to Winnipeg three years ago to be closer to family. Although, Lawry would always say that Fort Frances was home!
Lawry will forever be loved and dearly missed by his beloved wife, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. His world was our family and he was our world.
“Anyone can be a Father but it takes a very special man to be a Dad.”
A Celebration of Life will be held in Fort Frances in the spring.
