The peaceful passing of a devoted father, Paul Nicholas Rupcich of Kenaston, Sask., occurred on March 8, 2016 at the age of 92 years. Paul is survived by his sons Gregory (Brittany), Michael Scott, and Timothy; granddaughters Jasey and Lydia; sisters Ellen Schmeiser and Peggy Ludlow; also numerous nieces and nephews. Paul was predeceased by his parents Peter and Kata Rupcich; sisters Ann Drage and Mary Sarich; and brothers Dan and Steven. The Funeral Mass of Resurrection will be held on Friday, March 18, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Roman Catholic Church, Kenaston, Sask. For friends so wishing, memorials in memory of Paul may be directed to the St. Andrew’s Church or Cemetery Fund. Hanson’s Funeral Home, Davidson, in care of arrangements.
It is with shattered hearts our family announces the passing of Marlow Pederson, at his home on Feb. 4, 2016 in Coquitlam, B.C. Surrounded by his family, he left this physical world to join the family that waited for him on the side of Heaven.
He was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer just a short year ago and fought a valiant, courageous battle to the end. Never complaining or wanting anyone to fuss or worry about him, he always made sure everyone else was okay. Marlow was only 53 years young.
He was born the sixth of seven children to Raymond and Joyce Pederson. He arrived at St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon, Sask., on Nov. 20, 1962. He entered this world with a huge impact, weighing in at 9 lb., 15 oz.
For the rest of his life he continued to make this same kind of impact with his presence with family, friends and all those he met along the way. He was loved, adored, respected and admired by all those who knew him.
Marlow took his elementary schooling at Estey School in Saskatoon. He played baseball, playing on a provincial team and was a great buddy and brother to his siblings. The million memories and good times we shared with this guy will give us comfort for the rest of our days.
In 1976, the family moved to Kenaston, Sask., to a farm just north of town. Here he continued his education at Kenaston High School.
He quickly learned to drive a tractor, do field work and look after a few farm animals. Quite a change from the city life! He also worked beside his brothers and dad doing water well drilling for his dad’s business, Pederson Drilling.
It never mattered what job he tackled, he always gave it his all. He had an awesome sense of humour with a strong loyalty to family and friends. If you needed him for anything, he was always there for you. He’d do anything to help anyone in an instant. Their home was always open and he took a special interest in each one of our lives, making all feel loved and welcomed.
He met his wife Lynn Trumble in Calgary while working there doing gas testing. They were married on June 30, 1990. After the birth of their daughter Amy, they moved to Anmore, B.C., where their son Tyler was born. The following year they settled and remained in Coquitlam.
In 1991, Marlow started working in the movie industry with his brother Bryan for the IATSE Movie Union. He was very talented as a carpenter, metal fabricator, welder or whatever skill needed for the film and television productions. He also started his own company, Talym Services, Ltd.
He worked for 24 years in the movie industry until his health started to fail. Along life’s journey he made many close lifelong friends.
Together Marlow and Lynn were blessed to have two beautiful kids. As a dad, he was loving, protective, and very proud of the adults they had become.
He was honoured to have walked his little girl Amy down the aisle at her wedding in Las Vegas on May 7, 2013 and thankful he was able to see her become a mother.
His son Tyler was the apple of his eye. They spent countless hours on rebuilding, restoring and fixing vehicles, hanging out and working together in the movie industry.
His love for his wife never shone so strong as when she stood by him caring for him at home until his last breath. He was so grateful for all she did for him and their kids throughout the years. Last year, they celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in Kenaston, Sask., with over 70 of his siblings and their families, as well as a few cousins in attendance. To Marlow, family always came first and was the most important thing to him in the world.
Marlow will be sorely missed by his wife Lynn; daughter Amy (Kyle) Banman; and son Tyler Pederson, all of Coquitlam. He also leaves behind his very cherished little grandson, Kieran Marlow Banman. Grandpa fought with fierce determination and an unbelievable strength to stay around long enough to meet his first grandchild, born Jan. 2, 2016. This little guy brought him such tremendous pride and joy in his final days. They spent each and every day together.
Also sharing in his family’s grief are his brothers, Tom (Pat) Pederson of Oshawa, Ont.; Bryan Pederson of Port Moody, B.C.; his sisters Patsy (Jake) Wiebe of Calgary, Alta.; Sherry (Clinton) Haduik of Kenaston, Sask.; and Kathy (Dan) Mailer of Calgary, Alta; sister-in-law Julie Tenning of Saskatoon, Sask.; extended brother Dan (Kim) Guskjolen of Tofield, Alta.; Lynn’s parents Richard and Norma Trumble of Calgary, Alta.; siblings Sharon Row (Dr. John Row Jr.) of Madera, Calif., and Ken (Shelly) Trumble of Calgary, Alta.; plus numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Marlow has now joined his parents Raymond and Joyce, brother Carlos, nephew Jim Wiebe, along with his grandparents, Hans and Borghild Pederson, and August and Della Lenz, as well as all those special ones who had gone on before him.
At Marlow’s request a wake will be held in their home and then a family gathering to celebrate his life will be held in Kenaston, Sask., at a later date.
Although we will no longer see his smiling face or hear the laughter in his voice, he will remain close in our hearts throughout the years until we are all together again.
In the words he’d always tell us, “It’s all good!”
My Brother, Our souls were joined before you were born Together we laughed and we played. The years flew by, faster than we could count but it didn’t change us anyways. No matter where this journey has taken us through the places we dared not go My love for you my dear, sweet brother with you will always go. There are no words to tell you how much you’ve always been so very close in my heart, from a beginning with no end. I’ll always be forever with you, as your sister loving you and pray you’ve now found the strength to see your journey through. So day by day, our family bond will continue to grow with you. For it’s a love that can never be broken cause its power has always been with you! We’ll miss you forever, your sis, Sherry.
DAVIDSON — In the words of Clayton Schneider, it was like gathering the cities, towns and villages from across the province, and putting them together in one place.
Davidson’s mayor was describing the annual Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association convention, held Jan. 31 to Feb. 3 in Regina at the Queensbury Convention Centre.
“It’s always nice to be in a room with every community that makes up Saskatchewan,” said Schneider. “It’s a great, collaborative three days.”
Schneider represented the town at the convention, along with Coun. Mandy Tichit and assistant administrator Donna Bessey.
He said he would encourage all councillors to attend the event, calling it an excellent opportunity to network and learn about new ideas that can benefit the town and its residents.
The convention featured education sessions on a variety of topics, from fire service and public procurement practices to rail safety and property assessment.
The sessions are designed to be timely and topical; one on Monday afternoon focused on “Lessons Learned Through the 2015 Wildfires.”
The Municipal Marketplace trade show featured more than 180 booths advertising various products and services, while Toronto Star columnist and CBC panelist Chantal Hébert was the keynote speaker on Tuesday.
Social activities were also part of the schedule, including a welcome reception on Sunday night and a banquet and awards ceremony on Tuesday.
Attendees had the opportunity to enter dialogue with provincial cabinet ministers on various matters, along with the traditional “Bear Pit” with members of the Saskatchewan Party caucus on Wednesday morning.
Schneider said he appreciated the format of those sessions, at which delegates could ask questions, and “they basically answer you right on the spot.”
Most municipalities across the province are encountering the same challenges with basic infrastructure, including water and sewer systems, he reported.
Schneider said he was encouraged to hear confirmation that municipal revenue sharing will continue in Saskatchewan, despite projections of deficit budgets this year and next.
For 2015-16, the province had committed to distributing nearly $265.3 million to municipalities — equivalent to one full point of the provincial sales tax.
“Municipalities like ours really need that,” said Schneider, who added that he most appreciated having the chance to network with other delegates.
“There’s a lot of opportunities to collaborate,” he said. “To me, that’s the highlight.”
Kenaston Mayor ML Whittles attended on behalf of her village, along with administrator Carman Fowler, and said she also found it a beneficial experience.
One sesson in particular offered a look at “Keeping Council Out of Conflict,” looking at new legislation introduced in response to the provincial inquiry on the Rural Municipality of Sherwood.
The RM’s former reeve, Kevin Eberle, was removed from office in February 2015 after a report from the inquiry indicated significant conflicts of interest and violations of the public trust.
Whittles said some have found the new disclosure requirements for municipal leaders “invasive,” but she believes they are important for the sake of accountability.
“I think it’s necessary,” she said. “You’re a public figure . . . People need to know.”
Like Schneider, she said she appreciated the networking opportunities and being able to meet with other mayors.
“We all have the same problems, not matter what your size,” said Whittles, adding that the issues differ largely by “degrees.”
Craik Mayor Rick Rogers said his town usually sends a couple of councillors and the administrator to the SUMA convention, but opted not to this year for a couple of reasons.
With municipal elections coming up on Oct. 26, Rogers said several council members have already decided they would not seek re-election and believed the benefit of attending the convention would be limited.
Factoring in the cost involved and the busy schedules of councillors, Rogers said, “We all just decided none of us would go.”
Mary Sagen, aged 101 years, passed away peacefully at Oliver Lodge in Saskatoon, Sask. Monday, January 25, 2016.
Mary was born December 12, 1914 to Sam and Anna Horbach in the little village of Ochrimovitz in western Ukraine. She immigrated with her family to Canada in 1928 and settled in Redfield, Saskatchewan.
On November 23, 1939 she married Mike Sagen. They lived and farmed in the Kenaston area. They were a devoted couple and enjoyed over 58 years of marriage. Mary loved farming and was always interested in it, even the many years she was no longer on the farm. She was no stranger to hard work and could always be counted on to help Mike whenever he needed. Her big, well cared for garden was always one of her pleasures and she continued to garden well into her 90s. But nothing gave Mary more pleasure than people. Her hospitality was well known and no one ever left her home without being well fed and having coffee. Mary’s perogies were the best!
With Mike’s help, Mary taught herself to read. This was an accomplishment she was very proud of. She often spoke of how happy she was that she learned to read. Her Bible was certainly a well read book and you could see that just by looking at it. Her reading of the Scriptures and her long time association with Jehovah’s Witnesses helped her gain a knowledge of her Creator and faith in his promises for a better world.
Mary was predeceased by her husband Mike, her sister Dora, her brothers Bill, Ray and Pete. Mary is survived by her sister Jean Pidwerbesky, sister-in-law Mary (Jim) Maynard and numerous nieces and nephews.
Mary was loved and will be missed by many. She will be remembered by all who knew her as a generous, loving and wonderful lady.
A funeral service will be held for Mary at Kenaston Place, Kenaston, Saskatchewan on Feb. 8, 2016 at 2 p.m.
Hanson’s Funeral Home of Davidson in care of arrangements.
Sinnett, Reginald October 24, 1948 — January 5, 2016
It is with great sadness, we announce the sudden passing of our father, grandfather, brother and friend. He will be lovingly remembered and missed by his daughters Nicole Davis (Mike), Leanne Sinnett and grandchildren Mackenzie and Danica Davis along with his brothers and sisters. A family celebration will be held in the summer.
SASKATOON — One after the other, their statements told the story.
Her parents, partner, siblings, other relatives and friends — 15 in total — took the stand in a Saskatoon courtroom on Tuesday to share their memories of Danille Kerpan, and the void left in their lives by her sudden death.
Kerpan, 25, was killed instantly in a collision on Highway 11 on Oct. 10, 2014, when her vehicle was struck by a northbound truck in the wrong lane near Bladworth.
The man driving that truck — John Koch, 50 — was later found to have a blood alcohol level almost three times the legal limit.
Koch, who had entered a guilty plea on Jan. 7, was sentenced Tuesday to a four-year prison term, followed by a seven-year prohibition from driving.
In his victim impact statement, Danille’s father Allan — a former MP and MLA — said his past public speaking had not prepared him for the speech he had to make in court that day.
He said his words were not sufficient to illustrate the pain he has felt since he and his wife were awakened by a police officer, delivering the news of their daughter’s death.
Despite being complimented for his strength, Allan said, “The truth is I am not strong at all. I have to almost clinically remove myself from the situation in order to function.”
He spoke of the harsh reality of having to write a cheque for his daughter’s memorial service instead of her wedding, or of knowing he would never walk her down the aisle or hold her babies.
Melanie Kerpan spoke of the guilt she has felt in recalling the night her daughter died. Earlier that day, she had travelled to Saskatoon, had supper with her daughters and then went shopping for paint with Danille.
“If she hadn’t stayed with me in Saskatoon, she might still be here,” said Melanie, also describing the pain of having to tell her other children about the collision.
“Being a mom to Danille and her siblings is the best gift I’ve ever been given,” she said in her conclusion, “and even death can’t take that away.”
A statement read on behalf of Danille’s partner, Rylan Dezotell, described the future the two had planned together, and the devastating impact her death has had on him. He wrote about how they had purchased, renovated and furnished their home.
“Together we had picked out an engagement ring,” he wrote. “That was by far the happiest day of my life — and returning it was the worst . . . especially when they asked why I was returning it.”
Koch also read an apology letter to the family, in which he spoke of his enduring guilt: “Because of me, your daughter was taken from you. I wish it was me instead.”
While the Crown and defence agreed on a four-year prison sentence, the Crown argued for a 10-year driving prohibition. Judge Sanjeev Anand agreed on an extended prohibition, imposing a seven-year ban.
Allan Kerpan said the experience of the sentencing had brought back the level of grief he had experienced in the aftermath of Danille’s death. In the words of his son Josh, he said, he felt as though he had “regressed.”
He also said he was proud of Danille’s relatives and friends for agreeing to make their statements. The day was an exhausting experience for himself and his family, he said, but they were encouraged by the results.
Kerpan said he and Melanie are continuing discussions with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) about potential projects, including a large-scale provincial memorial or smaller roadside memorials at accident sites.
He also said the extended driving prohibition — which was twice the average penalty — was a positive sign that attitudes are changing.
“It looks like they’re going to start to take it a little more seriously,” said Allan. “I think people are starting to say ‘enough’s enough’.”
