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10 The Western Canadian, Manitou, Manitoba - Tuesday, September 8, 2015Mueller’sHardware(Continued from Page 9) now there are places in the RM you could walk five or six miles [before coming to a home] /’ Walter noted.“Saturday afternoon or night at times it was hard to find a parking place/' Lewis remarks on the crowds that came to town on the weekend for shopping. He also noted on Saturdays the store was open as late as 10 or 11 o'clock before closing for all the business in town.Otto and Florence actively participated in the business well into the 1970s when the two sons purchased the store. Otto continued to be involved in the daily running of the store well into the late 1980s. He passed away in 1993, two years after his wife's death.RENTAL EQUIPMENTfrom Chainsaws to Skid SteersA.R.K.NEW TECH LTD.304 Hwy. #3 Manitou Ph. 204-242-2424The brothers were able to weave their love of family, music, sports, community involvement, and work throughout their lives to this day.Walter Mueller married Bette Boote in 1964. Bette was a teacher who spent most of her career in the Manitou schools teaching high school and spending five years as a principal. “I'm not sure if she is retired7', chuckled Walter when asked what year she retired. He notes she has continued a long time involvement with the provincial education system doing workshops and working with the university to place students in the classroom for their practicum. The couple have two grown children, Terry and Jim.Lewis Mueller married Ella Brown in 1962. Ella was also a teacher in the area, spending most of her career teaching in fifth and sixth grades. The couple have three grown daughters Christine, Jennifer and Linda.From their earliest days the brothers7 athleticism was noted by others. It wasn't long before offers to play hockey elsewhere began to come in for the young Lewis. After high school was completed, Lewis played four years of junior hockey in Winnipeg. He was also withthe Winnipeg Braves when they won the Memorial Cup in 1959 (which Manitoba has not won since).In 1960 he was selected first team all star defenseman in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The same year he was team captain of the team that played against the Moscow Selects in Winnipeg. In1961 Lewis played with the Winnipeg Maroons in Allan Cup Playoffs.Playing a great game of defence with hockey greats and against them such as Gordie Howe, he was sought out by scouts coaxing him to continue on in his hockey career. In1962 he received an invitation to training camp with the Detroit Red Wings, but he never replied and opted to rejoin the family business.In an interview conducted with Brooke Clayton in 2010, he summarized, “I was never a person to take risks . .. even on the ice7’. He continued stating his teammates thought he could make it, “but I wasn't so sure7'.“I’m not so sure I would have liked the life . . . the hockejr part would have been okay,” he states with brightened eyes and a smile. Also in a prior interview with Dorothy Shewf’elt, The money paid toplayers in those da^ys was not much of an incentive to continue.7'In 1997 Lew reunited with former teammates as the Winnipeg Braves 1959 Hockey Club was inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. The team was honored a second time in 2003 as they were also inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.In the late 1970s, together with brother Walter, they helped form the Pembina Valley Old Timers hockey team which played from as far as Halifax to Vancouver. To this day Lew regularly enjoys time on the ice.A sampling of his community involvement includes serving on the Manitou Consolidated School Board, on the Pembina-Manitou Hospital Board, 30 years on the Manitou Cemetery Committee (20 years as chairman). He was catcher for the Manitou Senior Baseball Team, on the executive of the Manitou Golf Club and a member for over 60 years. He has also been a volunteer fireman, a member of the Manitou Community Band from 1955 until it disbanded in the 1980s and has served on the Vestry of St. John's Anglican Church for 50years.Walter Mueller was not one to shy away from a game himself, an honored member of the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame, inducted in 2002. He has been deeply involved in baseball beginning in his teen years. He spent 40 years with the Manitou Braves both as a player and in coaching roles.Not content with just one sport, Walter grew up playing hockey and helping to hone his brother's defensive game by playing forward against him. He played hockey with the Old Timers until a surgery forced his retirement from the sport in the late 1990s.Walter has also been a Border League all star, coordinated minor hockey locally and regionally for at least 30 years and has acted as the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame Board Director for 14 years.He has utilized his administrative talents as a member of town Council for 39 years (15 years as mayor and 15 years as deputy mayor), Chamber of Commerce, Kinsmen Club, Manitou Merchants Association, the Fifty-Five Plus, Community Futures Heartland Regional Economic Board, Pembina Valley Tourism, Manitou Log House, volunteer fireman, Pembina Hills Recreation Commission, Manitou Opera House Management Committee, Manitou Opera House Foundation, Manitou and Community Golf Club, and he has also served on the vestry at St. John the Baptist Anglican Church for 50 years.Lewis notes the highlight of owning their business, “being able to meet all the people . . . not just from town, [but] a lot of [the] population in the rural areas.7'Longstanding in our community, the Mueller family has been part of the backbone of Manitou for longer than 70 years. Thankfully, retirement for the brothers doesn't mean they are leaving Manitou. It simply means more time for their grandchildren, families and hobbies. They will continue their community involvement and perhaps take some time to finally sort through all the sports memorabilia.In the meantime, community residents will have to find somewhere else to get their skates sharpened, keys cut, watch batteries replaced and their Christmas trees. We will have to learn to live our lives without the comfortable presence of the hardware store nestled on Main Street. It is bittersweet as there is no place that will be as special and unique as Mueller's Hardware store.DEXTER’S a. • 4kRenovations p]jINDEPENDENT CONTRACTORy\^ ALL TYPES OF NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS \|/ \ ■» including Shops, Garages, and HomesUNFINISHED PROJECTS? We can help with that / 7e,ehandler★ DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME ★Call Chris or Steph Nadin at 204-242-0117GADGCT UKIDINGGENERAL REPAIR MANUFACTURINGWE BUY ALL TYPES OF SCRAP METAL TOP PRICE PAID FOR ALL TYPESAdrien GrenierALTAMONT, MBWELDING SERVICES ON HOLD until further noticeCell 1-204-825-4175VDK PLUMBING HEATINGBradVan De Kerckhove (204) 242-4277Manitou, MBWe flush your worries away!★ Licensed Gas Fitter★ Lifetime Warranty Hot Water Tanks★ Water Treatment★ Air Conditioning★ Heatingand Much MoreVendors will be at the Honey Garlic Maple Syrup Festival on SaturdayAre you paying too much for your Laser Cheques?
Newspaper Details
Manitou Western Canadian
Manitou, Manitoba, CA
Tue, Sep 08, 2015
Page 10
Full Page
Clipped by
Stan M.
CA 13 Apr 2018
Other Publications Near Manitou, Manitoba
Manitou Advance
Manitou Western Canadian
