Robert (Bert) Cockerill

COCKERILL, Robert “Bert” Newell Born September 17, 1930 – July 6, 2025. Aged 94 years.

Robert Newell Cockerill (known as Bert) saddened family and friends with his passing at the age 94 in the Roblin Personal Care Home on July 6, 2025 with family by his side. His zest for life and his love for family, friends, and nature was what gave him his greatest joy.

The love of his life, soulmate and wife Joyce Velma Cockerill (Nastrom) was by his side to comfort and soothe him during his last moments.

Bert was also survived by daughters Penny McKinnon (Don), Crystal Cockerill (Randy Reierson), Dean Cockerill (Dianna), Lori Cockerill (Frank Pilz). Grandchildren Jennifer, Jarret (Selista), Torrey and great grandchildren Kynlee and Kailor.

Bert was born on September 17th, 1930 in Merridale, Manitoba as the middle son of Nora and Charles Cockerill. He attended Merridale school and passed 8th grade. Helping on the farm, logging with horses and assisting in the building of roads around the area is a testament to his boundless energy and strength.

Bert and Joyce were married June 28th, 1958 in Roblin, Manitoba.  They moved to Lynn Lake where Bert worked for Sherritt Gordon Mines for 33 years. Starting off as a laborer with a wheelbarrow and shovel then onto a loader which was his favorite job. He worked underground, on the surface and as a hoist operator. Not only working his regular job, he worked many other jobs also. He could build anything, fix everything and if he didn't have it, he would make it. Snowmobile sleighs and quad trailers were his expertise. He painstakingly refinished old furniture and made artwork out of odd shaped pieces of wood.

He worked security at Agassiz for about 4 years then security at Fox Lake Mine for about the same amount of time in the Lynn Lake area.

Bert and Joyce enjoyed making memories with family and friends at their remote cabin at Border Lake aka Dean Lake. They also prospected the area.  He loved the outdoors, quadding, snowmobiling, and trapping with his companion Trapper Dog.

After retirement Bert and Joyce travelled to Mexico, British Virgin Islands, and Costa Rica.

He was affectionately given the nickname of No-Shirt Bert as in the summer we rarely saw him with a shirt on. Bert had curly red hair, fair skin and freckles. In a pair of shorts, he was so white he was almost opaque.

In 1998 Bert and Joyce moved from Lynn Lake to Pine River, MB. where his enviable gardening skills shone through. From there they moved to Roblin, MB. in 2019 where again he proved himself to be a great gardener by starting one from scratch. Truly amazing is the garden achieved way up North at Fox Lake. His strength and energy put most people half his age to shame. The many walks around Roblin Bert and Joyce enjoyed in winter, spring, summer and fall is how the community got to know them.

The songs he would sing, the stories and jokes he loved to tell and the laughter he shared with a twinkle in his eyes are and will be forever missed by his family and everyone who knew him.

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