Bryen Dean Schlecht
It is with deep sorrow and a heavy heart that the family of Bryen Dean Schlecht wish to announce his sudden passing. Bryen was born December 11th 1966 in Salem, Oregon USA to parents Dennis and Diane Schlecht. He was a baby brother for his older sister Rita and the baby of the family. He arrived into the world a month before his due date, and to the best of my knowledge, the only time in his life that he wasn’t late. Growing up Bryen was boy through and through. When I think of Bryen the old saying “snakes, snails and puppy dog tails” comes to mind. Today I am terrified of snakes, as young children living in Oregon, we had a vacant lot across from our house, and he took great sport in tormenting me with the garter snakes he caught just for the purpose of chasing me around with them. In October 1972, his mother Diane moved to Edmonton, Alberta with her 2 young children, Bryen was just short of 6 years old. We were excited then for the snow, couldn’t wait! Kept asking, “when’s the snow gonna come”? Finally, the snow came, “oh” the excitement of the snow. That year ended up being one of the longest winters on record in Edmonton. All that excitement gone, we started asking “when’s it gonna go”? Snow got old, real fast! During these younger years in Edmonton Bryen enjoyed fishing, ice fishing, & soccer. It was also during these years that Bryen developed the ability to “jew” a Chinaman. I am not prejudiced but it’s a true fact. We had a little store a couple of blocks from where we lived and it was owned by a Chinese husband and wife, Bryen would go in wanting to buy a gift for his mom, they had a shelf with a variety of nick knack’s and gift items, Bryen wouldn’t have enough money, so he’d put it back, and he’d be saving all his money, every week Bryen would get his allowance, he would go into the store and ask the wife if he had enough yet for his purchase, and she’d tell him no not yet. He would always try and get her to sell it to him for whatever amount he had saved. In the end she would always sell it to him for less than the sticker price, because it melted her heart that this little boy wanted to spend his money on a gift for his mom. In later elementary years Bryen learned to play chess at home and participated in school tournaments. He enjoyed the game for many years and after many years of commitment to his chess game, his mom and step father bought Bryen a marble chess board, and he treasured it always.
Except for a period of about a year and a half in 1977/1978 the remainder of Bryen’s years were spent residing in Canada. Upon return to Canada in 1978 Bryen’s family moved to Victoria, these were Bryens Jr. high years. He spent them enjoying the Pacific Ocean, the beaches and family activities that involved Ocean fishing, and catching crab’s & shrimp. Bryen moved to Calgary with his mom about 1981, and for the most part resided in and around the Calgary area including Okotoks. In 1986 Bryen was working at the Calgary racetrack in the barns looking after horses when he met Diane Sakundiak. They were married in April 1988, and son Devon joined them in September. After Devon was born Bryen and Diane resided in Carmongay and Bryen was working Seismic work in the oilpatch. Bryen moved his family to Black Diamond so they were closer to his mom and my family so Diane had more help and support with Devon, while he was away working. He spent many years working in the patch. About 1994 after spending a few summers at the Riverbend Campground near Okotoks, Bryen took employment at the campground where he was employed for approximately 10 years. Devon enjoyed many carefree summers with his cousins at this campground. Working at the campground afforded Bryen to be able to spend more time with his family member’s and the kids have fond memories of their Uncle during these years which include Slurpee’s, wiener roasts, Ice skating and teaching them to operate just about every kind of ATV there was. In 1998 my husband and I moved to Northern Alberta bringing my mom up with us. Bryen relocated to the Silver Valley area in the spring of 2005 and took work at the Silver Valley Mat shop as the loader operator where my husband Larry worked, he also worked in a sawmill in the area. It was while living up north that his son Devon blessed him with his grandson Byron, born in Jan of 2006. Bryen was proud to become a grandfather. In July of 2010 Bryen returned to Calgary, although his mom returned to Sothern Alberta at the same time, she chose to reside in High River. It was after his return to Calgary that he met Linsey Warner and Bryen had confided in his mom that he felt she was his soul mate. Unfortunately their time together has been cut short. Bryen was free spirited (I think he gets that from my mom), and had a big heart. When he loved, he loved hard. Bryen leaves to mourn his passing his mother of 46 years, Diane Gibson of High River, Alberta. Devon Schlecht his only child of Calgary, Alberta and his only grandchild, Byron Schlecht also of Calgary. Rita Morrison (Larry), his sister of Rycroft, Alberta. Bryen has also left his best friend and life partner Linsey Warner of Carstairs, Alberta to deeply mourn his passing .
Bryen will also be sadly missed by his nephew, Dallas Holmes (Sasha) and niece Chelsea Buchan (Daniel) all of Dawson Creek, British Columbia, niece Shelby Morrison of Grande Prairie, Alberta and nephew Lincoln Morrison of Spirit River, Alberta. Great niece Ashlyn Buchan, and great nephew’s Ayeden Holmes & Rowan Buchan.
A Celebration of Bryen's Life will be held on Wednesday, September 18th at 2:00 p.m. at the Highwood Golf & Country Club in High River, Alberta.