Category Archives: Bladworth

Obituary: Anton, Melodie

Melodie (Thomas) Anton
May 14, 1954 — Nov. 20, 2017

With heavy hearts, the family of Melodie announces her passing at the age of 63 following a courageous battle with cancer.

Mom was born in Watrous, Sask., to Nina (Quathammer) and Charles Thomas. The youngest of six children, her childhood was filled with adventure and excitement. Mom attended school at both Simpson and Watrous.

In 1973 she married her true love, Nick Anton of Bladworth, Sask., and this is where she would spend the next 44 years. Mom was blessed with two daughters, Laney in 1974 and Anjie in 1976. Alongside of being a mother, she was also involved hands-on on the farm. From milking cows to combining, she did it all.

Mom was actively involved with her church, as a member of the CWL and a catechism teacher. She was a member of the Midlakes Pro-Life Association and a member of the Bladworth TOPS.

The greatest gifts mom received were her grandchildren. She was a natural. She opened her heart and her home to them and was rarely seen without at least one of them tagging along behind her.

Family was mom’s life: nieces and nephews coming and going throughout summers and school breaks, and still at Thanksgiving this year when it was standing room only. She made sure we all knew there was a place for us in her home.

Predeceased by her parents, her brothers James and Maynard, mom passed away Nov. 20, 2017 at St. Paul’s Hospital, Saskatoon, Sask., with her family by her side.

She leaves to cherish her memory her husband Nick; daughters Laney and Anjie; grandchildren Shelby, Regan, Sabastian, Jody and Dallylah; sisters Ollie and Doris; brother George; sister-in-law Jenny; 12 nieces and nephews; and 17 great-nieces and great-nephews.

The Mass of Christian Burial took place Nov. 25, 2017 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Davidson, Sask. Interment took place in St. Andrew’s Cemetery, Kenaston, Sask. Hanson’s Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

For those wishing, donations can be given to the Canadian Cancer Society or Midlakes Pro-Life.

Obituary: Holder, Pearl

Pearl (Aikins) Holder
Her life from 1916 — Nov. 13, 2017
101 years and 11 days

The remarkable life of Pearl (Aikins) Holder began on Nov. 2, 1916 on the family farm NE24 T29 R2 W3, five miles east of Kenaston, Sask. She attended Aikins School and wrote her Grade 8 entrance exam at Zid School.

Pearl worked for families in Kenaston, Regina and Saskatoon, helping maintain family life for those who employed her. She would often say, “Many people talk about the Dirty Thirties and all the hard times, I would say, those were some of the best years of my life. You can’t miss what you never had.”

Pearl married her sweetheart, Bladworth farmer Harold Holder, on Oct. 4, 1939 in a double ceremony with her sister Alice and Bill Hartman at the United Church Manse in Davidson, Sask. The couples returned to the family farm for a simple wedding supper with family and the threshing crew as wedding guests.

Pearl and Harold farmed the Holder and Aikins land for many years, living on 24-29-2 W3 where they raised their four sons Bill, Tom, and twins Ron and Don.

It was a necessity of farm life to perform a variety of daily chores. A large garden and hard work provided produce to preserve for the winter and share with other families. It was not unusual to preserve 100 quarts of corn, 20-gallon crocks of pickles, a barrel of sauerkraut as well as many quarts of beef, chicken and wild meat.

Pearl would never consider herself a seamstress or tailor, but she was gifted at both. Her skill at mending and darning was like viewing fine art. She would downplay her skill saying, “I don’t do anything finer than darning socks and shovelling sh–!”

Pearl was active in the Evangelical Ladies Aid church group; she curled with her family, boarded school teachers and was a member of the Kenaston Seniors. Visiting and enjoying the company of friends was a highlight in her life. Coming to town on a Saturday, friends were ensured a good story and a hearty laugh.

When her grandchildren came along, they were the light of her life. She taught them to be resourceful, kind, generous and to walk on the sunny side of the street. Pearl taught her grandchildren to live by her example that included independence, positive attitude and most of all humour. She took great interest and pride in the accomplishments of all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She enjoyed watching all of them grow into kind, independent men and women. When the newest member of the family, two-and-a-half year old great-great-grandson Emmett would come and visit, Grandma loved to watch him explore.

After the death of her husband Harold she left her family home and moved to Wainwright, Alta., in 1973 where three of her sons were living. She became a caregiver and companion to Roy Oliphant. Over 44 years in Wainwright she bowled, loved to dance, played cards, went for coffee, walked miles and enjoyed the company of many, many friends.

She travelled with family and friends to China, England, Scotland, California, Hawaii, Alaska, Florida, Arizona and numerous parts of Canada. From Bladworth to Beijing, Pearl enjoyed all her travels.

She frequently returned home to Kenaston to visit family and friends. She was especially pleased and proud to attend the celebration of 100 years of continuous family farm award in 2007. Even though Pearl lost her husband Harold (1970), companion Roy (1984), son Tom (1990), grandson Ambrose (2007) and eldest son Bill (2014), she was at peace knowing that death was a part of life.

She was pre-deceased by parents Andrew Aikins (1941) and Georgia Anna (Burgess) Aikins Moore (1962), siblings Albert (1993), Alice (2000) and husband Bill Hartman (2000), Margaret (1920), Gordon (1987) and wife Vera, sister- and brother-in-law Mabel (Holder) (1977) and Harold Ames (1985).

Pearl had a natural way with people. She loved the company of people. Her quick wit was a feature of her personality that could not be missed. She enjoyed telling stories of people and events from the past with precise detail.

Pearl leaves her family with all the best memories: son Ron and Diane, son Don, daughter-in-law Jeanette; grandchildren Rob and Cathy, Johanna and Jamie Branigan, Tim and Vickie, Jason and Amber, Jenny, Josh, and Liza Pearl; great-grandchildren Amanda, Brett and Kristin, Shayne Branigan, Holly Branigan, Logan and Taylor, Jorden (Sarah), Brandon (Destiny) and great-great-grandson Emmett Allan; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Pearl was admired and will undoubtedly be remembered by all who knew her.

By Pearl’s request there will be no service in Wainwright. A celebration of her life will be held in Kenaston in the summer. Memorial donations may be made to the Kenaston Seniors Inc., Box 361, Kenaston, Sask., S0G 2N0.

A safe arrival on Highway 11

EMS co-ordinator Adrian Schmiedge poses with Owen Tannahill and his mom Lacey, days after he helped deliver the child in the back of an ambulance.

By Joel van der Veen

BLADWORTH — It was a special delivery Lacey and Chase Tannahill won’t soon forget.

The couple welcomed their newborn son Owen around 5 p.m. on Sept. 5, weighing 7 lbs. 8 oz., measuring 20.5 inches long.

He arrived while his mother was laying on a stretcher in the back of an ambulance, stopped on the side of Highway 11 just north of Bladworth.

The Tannahills were en route from Liberty to Saskatoon to deliver their child, but pulled over once they realized the birth was imminent.

A 9-1-1 call summoned the ambulance from Davidson, and within a minute of climbing aboard, Lacey had given birth.

“It came fast, very, very fast,” said Lacey. “Once the ambulance got there, I settled down quite a bit . . . I was a lot calmer once I got in there.”

“We knew it’d be fairly quick,” said Chase. “We didn’t know it’d be as quick as it was.” Continue reading A safe arrival on Highway 11

Stubble fire followed by combine fire

A combine caught fire on a section of land northwest of Davidson on Aug. 19.

By Joel van der Veen

BLADWORTH — Two fires on the same section of land made for a busy Saturday for local firefighters and nearby farmers.

The Davidson Volunteer Fire Department was called around noon on Aug. 19 to a stubble fire on a field northwest of Davidson along the Allan Road.

After that fire was extinguished, they returned to the same section six hours later to respond to a combine fire, about a mile west.

“This was actually two completely separate fires,” deputy fire chief Don Willner told the Leader.

In both cases, he said, area farmers responded with their tractors, discers and water trucks, helping to keep the fires from spreading.

“The discers did most of the work,” said Willner. “They knocked it down faster than we did.”

Given the dry, windy conditions, Willner said their help was crucial in preventing the fire from crossing the Allan Road into the adjacent pasture land, “which would have been extremely difficult to contain.”

The first call came in at 12:10 p.m., with Rescue 481, Engine 482 and Tanker 481 responding.

Willner said the smoke was visible from town as the firefighters headed out.

Upon arrival, they found the farmer using a 4WD tractor with a discer around the perimeter to limit the spread.

Neighbours brought two or three additional tractors and discers, while water trucks were also brought to the site, including a truck from the Clear Spring colony.

Willner said firefighters were on the scene for roughly two hours.

The second call came in around 6:30 p.m., reporting a combine fire located about a mile west of the first blaze.

After realizing the machine was on fire, Willner said, the combine operator began driving back towards the direction of the first fire, hoping to limit the damage and spread.

With the combine, a Case IH Model 7120, already believed to be a total loss, the firefighters focused on extinguishing the fire on the ground.

“We concentrated on the fire itself,” said Willner. “We didn’t want it to reach around where it had already burned.”

Again, firefighters were on the scene for around two hours.

The affected barley field had already been harvested, so no crops were lost in either blaze.

Willner said the cause of both fires was undetermined, though it may have been as simple as a blade making a spark after striking a rock.

The Hodgins family, who own the affected land, later expressed their thanks to firefighters and their neighbours in a Facebook post.

Obituary: Seifert, Albert

Seifert, Albert Bruno
April 22, 1950 — July 15, 2017

Albert Seifert, much loved son, brother, uncle and great-uncle, was called away to be with his mother Luise on July 15 at the age of 67 years. He was born in Germany in 1950, family moving to Canada to a farm near Bladworth, Sask., in 1953.

Albert, usually always called Abe, graduated school in 1968. He lived on the farm with mom, who passed away in 2005, and dad till he passed. In winter he worked in the north country on seismic for 16 years. He never quit working.

He is survived by his dad, Bruno, sister Heimke (Dan) Campbell, brother George (Melody) and their respective families.

He was predeceased by his mother Anna Luise.

A celebration of his life was held at the Bladworth Elks Hall on August 11, 2017 at 2 p.m., with interment at Bladworth Cemetery. Lunch and fellowship followed at the Bladworth Hall.

For those so wishing, memorial donations in memory of Albert may be directed to the Bladworth Elks, Bladworth Cemetery Fund, Davidson Health Trust Fund or a charity of choice.

Arrangements were in care of Hanson’s Funeral Home of Davidson.

Bladworth girl, 14, on road to recovery

Jessica Townsend, 14, is recovering in Saskatoon’s Royal University Hospital after suffering seizures caused by an arteriovenuous malformation (AVM) on the left side of her brain.

By Joel van der Veen

BLADWORTH — With days left till the end of school, Brenda Townsend and her girls were making their summer plans.

For Canada Day, they were going to ride together in the parade in Elbow, having already helped Anne Willner construct her float.

After that, the Townsends had some Saskatchewan road trips in mind.

“The girls and I were going to see more of the province,” Brenda said last week.

But those plans shifted to the back burner in late June after her oldest daughter, Jessica, suffered a brain aneurysm.

As of last week, Jessica remained in the pediatric unit at Royal University Hospital (RUH) in Saskatoon, where she is recovering from surgery and undergoing treatment and therapy.

Though recovery remains a long way off, Brenda said her daughter is making progress and showing daily improvement.

“Her spirit is there,” she said Thursday. “It’s long days, but it’s still good.”

Jessica, 14, is going into Grade 10 this fall at Davidson School, along with her twin sister Breanne.

They have two younger twin sisters, Marissa and Topanga, going into Grade 7. (Brenda also has two older sons — Alek Howell, 24, and Nicolas, 27.)

On the morning of Wednesday, June 21, Brenda went to wake Jessica up for school at their home in Bladworth. Though her eyes were open, Jessica couldn’t speak, move or get out of bed. She had suffered a seizure in her sleep.

“At first we didn’t really know what happened,” said Brenda. “I called her dad and he came over right away.”

After Jessica’s father Craig arrived, they called 9-1-1. Davidson EMS quickly arrived to transport her to Davidson Health Centre, where she was stabilized but remained unresponsive.

Paramedics rushed Jessica to RUH, where a CT scan revealed an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) on the left side of her brain. The abnormality, present from birth, was causing internal bleeding.

After she suffered another seizure, the doctors prepared her for immediate surgery to relieve the pressure in her brain.

They placed Jessica in an induced coma, leaving her under for nine days. (The process also included removing Jessica’s skullcap, which is being kept in cold storage.)

Further surgery will be required to treat the AVM, and right now doctors are monitoring her response to treatment and therapy.

Jessica slowly woke from the coma at the start of the month, and on July 2 she was moved to the pediatric unit.

When she awoke, she could smile and hold items in her left hand, but spoke very little. There was no movement whatsoever on her right side.

Since then, she has made steady progress, with the help of a team of specialists that includes two physiotherapists and an occupational therapist.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to solicit donations for the Townsends. To contribute, visit gofundme.com/jessica-townsend.

For the full story, please see the July 17 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.