Memorable Manitobans: Syze Wilto “Bill” Schortinghuis (1905-1968)

Forester, civil servant.

Born at Winschoten, The Netherlands on 5 December 1905, son of Hugo Schortinghuis (1874-1940) and Lupkea Schortinghuis (1872-1960), he came to Winnipeg with his parents in 1918 and attended Kelvin High School. He received a BSc degree in Forestry from Colorado College in 1928. In 1930, he joined the Manitoba government and served as a forester at Dauphin until 1932 when he was appointed forester in charge of the Whiteshell Forest Reserve. During the Second World War, he received a leave of absence to join the Canadian Army, serving with the Royal Canadian Engineers from 1940 to 1945, rising to the rank of Major. In 1946, he was promoted to Department Engineer and was Assistant Deputy Minister of Mines and Natural Resources (1956-1968). He played a major role in establishment of the Whiteshell Provincial Park. Since 1960, he was responsible for rehabilitating the forebay area around the Grand Rapids Hydroelectric Generating Station. On 3 September 1932, he married Elizabeth Helen Simpson (1909-1994) at Charleswood and they had a son, Frank Schortinghuis (1935-2021). He died at his Winnipeg residence, 654 Roberta Avenue, on 5 April 1968 and was buried in the Elmwood Cemetery.

Sources:

Marriage registration [Syze Wilto Schortinghuis, Elizabeth Helen Simpson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“S. Schortinghuis, mines aide, dies,” Winnipeg Tribune, 6 April 1968.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 8 April 1968.

Obituary [Frank Schortinghuis], Winnipeg Free Press, 26 June 2021.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 24 March 2023

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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