Isobelle Wright

Peacefully on Thursday, July 27 at the MacGregor Care Home, Isobelle Wright of MacGregor, MB passed away at the age of 88 years.

She was born in Winnipeg on January 18, 1935, to Daisy (Longstreet) and Arthur Kalberg, a precious blessing after the loss of an infant brother.

Isobelle received her schooling in the Image Hill District, graduating from MacGregor.  She was very active in 4-H, receiving a number of awards.  The one that had special meaning for her was the Eaton's Gold Watch, awarded in 1952.

She married Harvey Donaldson "Donnie" Wright on April 2, 1955, and settled on his parents’ farm on the Beaver Road, where they lived and farmed until moving into MacGregor in 1994.  Together Donnie and Isobelle raised their four children and passed on to them their family values and love of the land.  They always welcomed and included nieces and nephews, and later the grandchildren, who have many fond memories of life on the farm.  They were married for 56 years before Donnie’s passing in 2011.

Children Ken, Wilma and Brent were all born approximately 1.5 years apart, with Brenda following 4 years later.  Isobelle often commented how hectic things were as a busy young mother and farm wife, raising their children, preparing meals, and helping where needed. She loved to cook and in the era of ‘from scratch’ farm cooking, had specialities that her children enjoy to this day and are now family traditions, Christmas pudding, jelly pie, mincemeat pie, Swedish Tea Ring, and many more favourites.

Isobelle enjoyed music.  She played both organ and piano and gave piano lessons to children in the area.  She was the church organist at MacGregor United Church for many years.

Her faith and church life were important to her. Activities she delighted in included: church organist, singing in the choir, serving on Presbytery, and membership in the Bagot and later MacGregor UCW.

Her creative outlets were many, needlework, ceramics, crocheting, sewing, quilting and trying out any new craft that came along.  In her later years, one of her goals was to make a quilt for each of her children and grandchildren and she achieved it!  She also made many other lovely quilts and quilt pieces. 

Among her many community activities were curling, teaching 4-H, Women’s Institute membership and the MacGregor Fair Board.

Isobelle and Donnie enjoyed traveling in their later years. They traveled across Canada, also visiting Alaska and California, and across the ocean to Europe.  Her highlight was a trip with Brent, following her 80th birthday to Germany and to her grandmother's home in Sweden.

Isobelle is survived by Son: Kenneth (Diana), grandchildren Emily, Davis (Amber) and Bradley; Daughter: Wilma (Bob) Letkeman, grandson Trevor Bennett with great grandchildren Blake, Tatum, and Colt, grandson Dustin Bennett with great grandchildren Easton and Hayes; Son: Brent (Luanne); and Daughter: Brenda (Troy) Enga, grandson Kelly (Becca) Langan with great grandchildren Jayden, Zoey, twins Xander and Xavier; granddaughter Alexandria (Julius) Escobedo;  grandson Taylor(Morgan) Langan with great grandchildren Branson, Louis and Lyla;  and grandson Brandin (Britney) Langan with great grandchildren Baker and Dempsey; sisters-in-law Mary Kalberg, Dorothy Birkett and numerous nieces and nephews.

Isobelle was predeceased by her loving husband, Donnie; parents, Daisy and Arthur Kalberg; her brother Ronald and infant brother Stephen; twin great grandchildren Palmer and Keagan Langan; in-laws Olive and Art Palmer, Norman Birkett and Fred and Dorothy Wright.

Thank you to the Portage and Winnipeg doctors and the MacGregor Care Home staff for their assistance as she battled her Parkinson's with determination and grace.

Friends may call at Clarke’s Funeral Chapel, MacGregor for a time of visitation on Monday, July 31, 2023, from 6:00 to 8:00pm.

The funeral service will be held at the MacGregor United Church on Tuesday, August 1 at 2:00pm with Rev. Sandra Rex officiating. Interment will be at the Beaver Cemetery following lunch at the MacGregor Multi-plex.

Should friends so desire, memorial donations may be made to:

Parkinson Canada
7-414 Westmount Drive, Winnipeg, MB R2J 1P2,

MacGregor United Church
Box 56, MacGregor, Manitoba R0H 0R0,

MacGregor Health Foundation
Box 250, MacGregor, Manitoba R0H 0R0, MB

Heart & Stroke Foundation of Manitoba
Unit 3-2430 Victoria Ave. Brandon, Manitoba R7B 0M5

Condolences may be sent to the family c/o Clarke Funeral Home, 196 Hampton St, MacGregor, MB R0H 0R0 or friends may leave a message of sympathy on our web site https://www.clarkesfuneralhome.com/.

This service will be video recorded and be viewable on Wednesday, August 2, 2023.