Wilbert Genoves was killed in a car crash on January 23, 2025, while holidaying in El Salvador.
Wilbert came to Swift Current in 1983 as a refugee, with a diploma in agriculture. He worked hard to learn English and received his Canadian citizenship in 1986. He studied to become a nurse and was employed at Palliser Regional Care Centre for many years.
Wilbert’s sister, Gilma, came to Swift Current in 1999 and also studied nursing. Their mother reunited with the family a few years later, and was welcomed by their circle of friends.
Wilbert was a very capable cook and the Genoves family often invited friends from the Swift Current multi-cultural community to backyard barbeques. He was also skilled at designing and constructing large pinatas. Many children enjoyed his creations at their parties over the years.
Wilbert and Gilma moved to Regina in 2005 to further their nursing careers. Wilbert was employed in the neurology department at Regina General Hospital until he retired in 2020.
Retirement gave Wilbert time to re-engage with another of his interests, painting and drawing. He and Gilma also loved to travel, visiting many places in Canada, the Americas, and southeast Asia.
The Genoves home and yard in Regina were lush with plants and flowers, including a banana tree and other tropical flora. They were a testament to Wilbert’s green thumb. In recent years he was a valued volunteer at the Regina Floral Conservatory.
Wilbert was a caring and generous friend and colleague. He will be deeply missed by everyone that knew him, as well as his only sibling, Gilma. Wilbert was buried in Santa Ana, El Salvador, beside his mother.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 17, 1:30 p.m., at Westminster United Church, 3025 13th Ave., Regina. It will be live-streamed; the link will be posted on the church web-site.