BRANT (JOBA) KARL ZECHEL

On July 17th, 2022 at 5:37am, Brant (Joba) Karl Zechel, loving husband, step-father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend passed away peacefully with his family at his side.

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Brant is survived by his loving wife Denise, his step children Desiree (Shimon) and Justin (Jessica), his grandchildren Aden, Lei-Lah, Alexander and Sebastian and his siblings Margy (Terry) & family, Ricky & family, Rocky (Sandy) & family, Charlene & family, George & family as well as many nieces and nephews.

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Brant loved the simple things in life. He got so much joy from loving his grandchildren and loved watching them play  or having them for sleepovers. He had a special bond with each one of them and they all knew they could run to Grampa when they needed anything. He would play the role of “the tough one” and say Gramma spoiled them but was just as much a teddy bear with them which they all knew and loved.

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He enjoyed taking in the company of his friends and family and never needed much to just enjoy the moment.

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He was a soft spoken man but one who still got his point across when needed. He had a silly sense of humour and an infatuation with skulls (and collecting any skull decor he could get his hands on).

You could always catch him enjoying a beer on a Friday or riding his bike to find garage sales on a summer weekend. In fact, riding his bike was something he was also known for, as he would ride it to and from work everyday (sometimes even when there was snow on the ground). And he was still riding that bike all the way up until two weeks before he passed!

He was known as a generous person who would always be the first at your side if you needed help with a new build or some Mr. fix-it project. He always seemed to know how to fix something up and was known for his handy and creative skills that he had picked up and nurtured throughout his life.

He was very compassionate and always wanting to help people where and and how he could.

He spoke of how as a kid, he was part of a Scouts program where he learned many skills and got to have experiences that helped shape his love of nature and the outdoors.

Camping was one way he enjoyed those things. As a young adult he continued to enjoy camping and fishing trips with friends and then as a family, he and Denise would take the kids in the summer to camp out and go fishing as well, allowing him to enjoy and pass down some of those skills and favourite pastimes. A lot of love and bonding went into those camping trips.

He also enjoyed being active and partook in competitive sports. Growing up he spoke of taking part in many sports and in his adulthood he was part of bowling and baseball leagues that he enjoyed for many years with friends.

He developed a knack for woodworking while attending St. Johns High School in the 80’s. He took pride in his ability to create beautiful handmade pieces of work and eventually found his career as an upholsterer where he enjoyed applying many of his skills into creating custom furniture for clients. He made close friendships with those he worked with and enjoyed going into work each day.

He was a hardworking man who had such a big heart.

He met Denise when they were in their 20s and hit it off. Denise decided one evening after seeing Brant at the bar they both frequented that she was going to shoot her shot and go give him her phone number. When she approached him, he handed her his phone number already written on a piece of paper because he was planning the same thing. That’s where it all started for them.

They soon became inseparable and Brant took on the role of step-dad to Desiree and Justin. From teaching them how to bait and cast while fishing, set up camp and make sand castle villages, to helping build volcanoes and paper mache projects for school, or just tucking them in at night and dealing with bad dreams and tantrums, he was hands on and helped nurture them into who they are today.

He also gained more family when joining Denise’s. He was very close with her parents and loved her siblings and families as his own.

In September of 2021 he received his cancer diagnosis and the following months were a painful rollercoaster to endure. Throughout those months, Joba was a fighter and truly showed the extent of his tender heart and brute strength and persistence.
No amount of time would have been enough, but we made the most of the time we had by spending it together and surrounding him with love.

He will be greatly missed by his loving family and always remembered in their hearts. His name and legacy will live on through us.

We are sincerely grateful to the many friends and family who have given us love, support and comfort during this time of loss.

We are also honoured to note that there have been donations made to both Cancer Care Society Manitoba as well as towards saving the Transcona Scouts Hall (Scouts Canada) in Brant’s name and memory.”

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St. Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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