Educator, administrator.
Born at Winnipeg on 22 July 1942, one of three children of Jaring “Jack” Timmerman (1909-2014) and Bessie West Swain (1903-1980), from a young age he was an active member of the Salvation Army brass band. This developed a lifelong interest in music.
In the early 1960s, he began a teaching career in the St. James Assiniboia School Division. He started the division’s first school band program at Golden Gate Junior High while also teaching mathematics. He spent several years at Silver Heights Collegiate before becoming the Music Coordinator for the Division. He was involved for over 40 years with the International Music Camp. He was eventually a Vice Principal at Spring Valley School (1981-1982) and Sansome School (1982-1985) then Principal at Spring Valley School (1989-1990), Brooklands School (1990-1993), and Sturgeon Creek Regional Secondary School (1994-1999).
On 28 June 1969, he married Ruth Becklund (1941-2020) at St. Paul, Minnesota and they subsequently had two children. After retirement in 1999, he was involved in emergency disaster management through the Salvation Army. In recognition of his community service, he received a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (2022).
He died at the Seven Oaks Hospital on 3 August 2025.
Birth registration [Bessie West Swain], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Obituary [Bessie West Timmerman], Winnipeg Free Press, 1 February 1980, page 47.
Obituary [Jaring Timmerman], Winnipeg Free Press, 8 November 2014.
Obituary [Ruth Timmerman], Winnipeg Free Press, 9 May 2020.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 16 August 2025.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 16 August 2025
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