Obituary of Barry Lee Bogner
Barry Lee Bogner was born on January 8, 1953 in Saskatoon, SK to parents, Leroy and Gladys Bogner. He was the eldest of five for Leroy and Gladys. Barry was followed by his younger brothers, Daryl, Terry, Cornel and his sister Vicki.
They grew up splitting their time between their house in Dinsmore, SK, and on their nearby family farm. Barry had a natural curiosity about how things worked, and farm life allowed him to explore that curiosity. When he was young, he built a go-kart from parts he found around the farm. He had a bit too much fun on the local roads with that kart, drawing some unwanted attention and a visit from the authorities. The go-kart had to be retired, but he had already caught the motorsports bug. When he was 15 he bought his first motorcycle before he even knew how to ride one. He quickly taught himself how to ride, and in the process planted the seed of a lifelong passion.
Barry discovered the world of motocross, and excelled in it for over 20 years. He earned many trophies throughout his racing days, but those achievements also came with the occasional broken bone or other injury. When his competitive days were over, he continued to ride on trails with friends.
Barry also enjoyed riding street bikes, especially if it was with friends or family. He went on many long distance trips around the province, around the country, south of the border and even a riding tour in Germany.
During the winter months, Barry kept his motorsports passion alive with snowmobiles. He starting riding at a young age, and his siblings will surely remember the ol' Snow Prince ripping around the yard. It wasn't long before they were all enjoying snowmobiles.
Barry's working life included a wide range of jobs. He worked on a nearby farm, on the family farm, in a grain elevator, as a painter, in a bakery, in a motorcycle shop in Biggar, at Hub City Honda and for many years at Custom Cycle. After retirement, he stayed busy with part-time positions at Sears, then vehicle transport and finally property management.
Barry married his wife of 32 years, Karen in 1991. At the same time he welcomed Jennifer and Jonathon into his life, and they became an instant family of four. Barry was a loving husband and father.
He was also very dedicated to his parents and siblings. Whenever someone needed a hand, he would step up without question. His big brother instincts stayed with him all his life.
Over the years, Barry always enjoyed family gatherings. Whether it was at the kitchen table or travelling hundreds of kilometers to a reunion, time spent with family always brought him joy.
Barry has also had many dear friends, some of whom were in his life for over 40 years. He loved to ride bicycles and motorcycles with them, and even went on a long motorcycle ride only a month before he passed. In his retirement, sharing coffee and breakfast with his friends was something that brought him joy. Barry also spent a lot of time in the garage, and one of his passion projects was restoring vintage motorcycles.
Barry had a heart for Jesus. He wasn't afraid of telling others how he came to know the Lord. He felt that everyone could experience that same love and salvation that he experienced through Jesus.
Barry was pre-deceased by his parents, Gladys and Leroy Bogner.
Barry is survived by his wife, Karen; daughter, Jennifer; son, Jonathon; brothers, Daryl (with wife Diane), Terry and Cornel; his brother-in-law, Doug (with wife Pat); his sister, Vicki (with husband Don); his nieces, Cassandra, Kristen and nephew Noah.
A Celebration of Barry's Life will be held on September 30, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. at Christ the Healer Church: 136 Ave F South, Saskatoon, SK.
Barry attended Christ the Healer Church, so in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to TORO Ministries Inc.