Callaway, Norman

Norman Callaway formerly of Davidson passed away May 13, 2018, in Saskatoon.

Norman Franklin Callaway was the eldest son of James and Bertha (Vandegrift) Callaway. He was born July 31, 1933, at Simpson, SK. Norm attended Maple Valley School located only one mile from the farm. He started farming in 1951 and also attended the University of Saskatchewan taking Vocational Agriculture.

Norman was a member of the Oddfellows Lodge in 1957, a charter member of the Kinsmen and K40, a volunteer firefighter, and served on a group committee of the Cubs and Scouts. Norm also earned his Private Pilot license in 1974.

Norman also enjoyed restoring old tractors of which he had numerous. Throughout many of his farming years, every July was his annual trek to Crosby, ND, home of the Divide County Threshing Bee. In earlier years, he attended with his brother Bud and friends, and later years with his grandsons Josh and Matt.

Norman met Velma Palmer in March 1957 and by November 1957 they were married in Davidson, SK.  They farmed from Davidson from 1958 to 1966.  In 1967 when Norm’s parents retired to town, Norm and Velma moved to the farm for the summers and back to town for the winter in a house that they had built in 1963. They continued to do this until 1978 when they built a new home on the original Callaway farm.

Along the way, Norm and Velma raised four children.  Debra in 1958, Allan in 1960, Duane in 1962 and Michael in 1967.  In 1980 they received the Family Farm Heritage Award for being the third generation of Callaway’s to continuously operate the family farm since 1907. 

In 1999 Norm retired from active farming and in 2000 rented out the land but continued to live on the farm until August 2017 when he and Velma moved to Saskatoon.

Norm also enjoyed travelling with Velma. In January 1983 to celebrate 25 years of marriage, they travelled to Hawaii.  They travelled twice to Australia in 1992 and 1997, staying in a farming area around Walgett, NSW.

In 1997 they travelled to Florida, touring around Cape Canaveral, Epcot and Disney World, (they may even have gotten Mickey Mouse’s autograph).

Norm will be greatly missed by his wife Velma of over 60 years and his children, Debra (Stuart), Allan (Lillian), Duane (Cindy) and Michael.  

Grandchildren: Brandi (Chris) LaPointe, Nicole MacVicar (Sean), Kim MacVicar, Joshua, Matthew, MacKenzie (Jody) and Chantelle.

Great Grandchildren:  Braydon, Austyn and Kaylie LaPointe.

He is also survived by his remaining siblings, Dorothy Hillestad and Morris “Bud” (Debby).  He is predeceased by his sister, Myra McFie (Jim) and Dorothy’s husband Harold.  He also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews.

Hanson’s Funeral Home in care of arrangements.