KLAUS HEINZ WERNER LAWRENZ

It is with deep love and sadness that we announce the passing of a devoted father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend in Selkirk on January 15, 2026. Klaus will be dearly missed by his daughter Brook (Chris) Charles of Toronto, his two sons Mackenzie (Mack) Lawrenz of Bradford, ON and Andrew Molloy of Victoria, BC and granddaughters Avery, Emma and Janie. He is also mourned by his former wife and good friend Nancy Mackenzie, his brother Dieter (Janis) Lawrenz, niece Dodi (Rick) Groff and nephew Ian Lawrenz.

Klaus was born January 3, 1946 in Oxbol, Denmark, and immigrated to Canada from Germany with his family in 1952. Granddaughter Avery is thrilled to have recorded grandpa’s immigration story in his own words last year for a school project. Klaus was a man of remarkable dedication and quiet strength. He built a life defined by both family and an extraordinary career in aviation. Klaus’s family has often said that his flying adventures would make a wonderful movie. As one of Canada’s oldest commercial pilots, he spent decades in the skies, logging more than 37,000 flying hours. Flying was never just a profession to him: it was a lifelong passion. His commitment, skill, and calm presence in the cockpit earned him the respect of colleagues and the admiration of all who knew his story. He continued doing what he loved until the age of 77, a testament to his resilience and enduring spirit.

Klaus loved aviation and had a fascination with aircraft from a very early age, starting with building model airplanes, then eventually sending them to a fiery and dramatic end filled with firecrackers with his brother and constant playmate, Dieter. In fact, the Matchbox company visited Klaus at Northway Aviation to make a model airplane of Canada’s famous Noordyn Norseman, and he was the tiny plastic figure installed in the pilot’s seat, the model airplane bearing the registration of the plane he flew each day.

Klaus’s journey in aviation began when he joined the Air Cadets around 1958, where he was awarded a scholarship to earn his private pilot’s license at the age of 16, before returning to school as an adult and graduating at the top of his class. At 16, he also met Nancy Mackenzie at St. John’s High School who he swept off her feet with a one hour flight over Winnipeg, using the final hour of his scholarship. They married in 1966 and were together for 20 years, raising their family in River Heights and at the family cottage in the Whiteshell, where Mack was very excited to see his Dad land an Otter on the lake. The flipside was that Klaus would end up giving rides in the airplane to neighbours all weekend!

Klaus and Nancy purchased a WWII Harvard Trainer after several years flying up north in Red Lake, Lynn Lake and Sioux Lookout. Klaus loved the Harvard and enjoyed participating in airshows when time allowed, both static and flying, doing his own maintenance on the aircraft. Brook’s first flight was in the back of the Harvard in a Moses basket at the age of 6 weeks, landing in a farmer friend’s field. The Harvard now lives in the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum in Brandon, MB.

Klaus flew commercially for 56 years, both in Canada and Africa. For the flying folk reading, in addition to stints fire-bombing in Alberta and flying the Beech-18 on floats in Pickle Lake, this included: Brotherston Enterprises in Red Lake, ON flying a Cessna 185 (1967-68), Canadian Fish Producers in Lynn Lake, MB flying a Norseman (1968-70), Orin McRae in Little Grand Rapids, MB flying a Cessna 185 (1970-73), Silver Pine Air Service in Silver Falls, MB flying a DHC-3 Otter (1974-77), Whiteshell Air Service in Nutimik and Lac du Bonnet flying a DHC-3 Otter (1977-80), Northway Aviation in St. Andrews, Arnes and Winnipeg flying a BN-2 Islander (1980-90), Willbros Group Inc in Lagos, Nigeria (1990-2006), Selkirk Air Service in St. Andrews and Riverside, MB flying a Cessna 185 and DHC-2 Beaver (2007-10), Amik Aviation in St. Andrews, MB flying a Cessna Caravan 208 (2010-21), Elk Island Lodge in God’s Lake, MB flying a Dehavilland Beaver (2021-23). Klaus remained close with lifelong friend, fellow aviator and proprietor of Amik Aviation, Oliver Owen and his family until his passing.

Klaus built a lot of trust and friendships in many Indigenous communities throughout northern Manitoba and Ontario, including flying trappers, fishermen, hunters, doctors, nurses and teachers in and out of remote lakes and communities. He was often the beneficiary of wonderful gifts of wild game, wild blueberries and fresh pickerel from friends up north.

Klaus’s daughter Brook often described her Dad as “Indiana Jones”, especially during his many years bush flying in Africa. He wore Ray-Ban aviators, his belt always held the largest Swiss Army knife in a holster (and he used it all!), a huge Leatherman tool and sometimes a flare gun, too. Amid the social strife in Nigeria, Klaus’s kids often only heard stories of narrowly escaping from airplane thieves in a hail of bullets only months after he was safely home. Klaus enjoyed his many years in Africa, including wonderful celebrations and diving trips with friends and colleagues, where he was often the designated photographer.

In 1992, Klaus and fellow pilot, John Goulet, flew a de Havilland DHC-2 Turbo Beaver, on floats, from Lagos, Nigeria across the Atlantic ocean (with a giant fuel tank in the fuselage to make the trip!) to Victoria, BC, for a re-fit of new floats that could only be done by Canada’s Viking Air. The epic journey included stops in Tammanrasset, Alicante, Southampton, Aberdeen, Reykjavik, Narsarsuaq, Goose Bay, Timmins, Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, and Calgary, before finally arriving safely in Victoria 12 days later. Klaus recounted that the tower at the Toronto Island airport asked for a repeat of the Nigerian aircraft registration as they passed through the Toronto airspace in a bush plane, as they had never encountered it before!

We have so few pictures of Klaus because he was always behind the camera. His love of photography means we have thousands of photos of aircraft, but family members managed to appear here and there, too. Klaus brought a deep love of music into the family home, from ABBA and the Village People to Tchaikovsky and 50’s swing. He enjoyed attempting to play the guitar and banjo throughout his life.

Klaus’s family remembers him as unfailingly patient and no drive was too long or too much trouble. His family doesn’t recall him losing his temper even once, for better or for worse. He was a wonderful storyteller, had an exceptional memory for people, places, dates and names - and especially aircraft.

Though he has taken his final flight, his journey, his stories, and his love will remain with us always.

He will be deeply missed and forever remembered. A private family celebration of life will follow this summer. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Winnipeg Air Cadets, 177 Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron (RCACS).

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

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204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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