Wayne slipped away peacefully July 28, 2015 after enjoying his morning coffee and watching a little TV. His hard-fought battles with health challenges were always met head-on with determination, a smile and considered just another bump in the road. Wayne loved to laugh and was most proud of his family and their achievements. He was born in Davidson, SK and grew up in Kenaston where he attended school until Grade 11 and then enjoyed attending Grades 11 and 12 at St. Peter’s College in Muenster, SK. Wayne farmed for over 23 years at Davidson where he lived with his wife Lorie and raised three children. Wayne is survived by his wife of 41 years, Lorie (nee Bohrson); their three children, Tera (Harley) Berndt, Sharleen (Owen) Waddington, Scott (Ang) Kerpan; grandchildren, Drew and Janae Berndt, and Keagan, Nicholas and Haylan Waddington; parents, Doreen and Martin Kerpan; sisters, Andrea (Steve) Gerich, Pam (Craig) Wilson, Marla (Lyle) Frusen; sisters-in-law Cecelia (George) Eikel, Linda Ewen, Van Mostowchuk, and many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. A Memorial Service was held at Acadia-McKague’s Funeral Centre on Saturday, August 1, 2015 at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation or a charity of donor’s choice.
Gerard Anthony Zdunich, Gary, was a family man, a farmer, a man of faith and a good friend to many. He was known to dance on chairs with his loved ones at weddings, for sharing bottles of sljivovica — having a drink with as many people as he could, and for easily making friends everywhere he went. He was a warm person who made everyone feel like family. He was a rare, great man.
Recently, Dad learned that he had cancer. No one in the world was ready to lose him, but he was invited away from this life and died peacefully with his wife, his kids, and many loved ones by his side on July 30, 2015 at Saint Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon.
Dad was born on Sept. 6, 1945 at St. Paul’s Hospital. Along with his seven siblings, he was raised on a farm near Kenaston by Tony and Marie Zdunich. Just down the road, Gerard and Regina, his wife of 42 years, raised their four kids on a farm of their own.
Faith, family, farming, and fun were important to Dad throughout his life. He was involved in his church and in the local community donating his time and efforts in many ways. He was kind and generous. He went out of his way for anyone who needed a hand, even for people he had just met. He loved farming and working with his father, brothers, and sons. In recent years he and Gina travelled extensively, but by the end of each and every trip Dad was always anxious to get back to the farm and the quiet days he shared with Mom, days he always started by making coffee for her. He had many good friends, and always took the time to visit and share with them. More than anything else he took great joy in being a grandfather, dancing and playing with and caring for his grandkids. He was Grandpa to four and was looking forward to meeting his fifth grandchild in September.
Dad is predeceased by his father Tony, his brother Louis, his sister Laverne and his niece Elly. He is survived by his wife Regina, his kids Stephen (Sonia), Sandra (Chris), Jonathan (Elizabeth), and Katie (Corey), and by his beloved grandchildren Naomi, Isabelle, Jane, and Jacob.
Prayers were held at St. Andrew’s Parish in Kenaston on Sunday, August 2, at 7 p.m. The funeral was held the following day at St. Andrew’s at 2 p.m. Hanson’s Funeral Home of Davidson was in care of arrangements.
SASKATOON — Lynne Yelich’s 15-year career in federal politics appears set to draw to a close this fall.
Last Monday, broadcaster Kevin Waugh defeated the longtime MP and cabinet minister in the race to be the Conservatives’ candidate for the newly-created Saskatoon Grasswood riding.
Once the writ is dropped for the next federal election — expected to fall on Oct. 19 — Yelich will lose her seat in the House of Commons after representing the Blackstrap riding since 2000.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Yelich said simply that she was “disappointed in this result,” but added that she had been honoured to support the work of the Conservative government.
“It has been a privilege to represent the constituents of Blackstrap for nearly 15 years,” she stated, thanking residents for their “support and trust in my leadership, and for this opportunity to serve a strong and free Canada.”
She did not offer any details regarding her future plans, political or otherwise, nor any further comments on Waugh’s win.
Yelich, 62, a native of Kenaston, was first elected to represent Blackstrap in 2000 as a member of the Canadian Alliance.
She remained on board in 2003 when the Alliance and the Progressive Conservatives merged to form the new federal Conservative Party of Canada.
Yelich was re-elected in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2011, receiving 54.4 per cent of the vote in the most recent federal election.
Having served as a critic for multiple portfolios as a member of the Opposition, Yelich became parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development after the Conservatives formed a minority government in 2006.
Two years later, she joined the federal cabinet as Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification. In 2013, she was appointed to her current portfolio as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Consular.
In 2012, the province’s federal electoral districts were reconfigured, based on the population statistics provided by the previous year’s census.
The current riding of Blackstrap covers both urban and rural territory, combining the southeast quadrant of the City of Saskatoon with the surrounding area, extending south to Elbow, southeast to Bladworth and east to Jensen.
It will be replaced in the upcoming federal election with its area divided into two new ridings. Southeast Saskatoon will become part of the Saskatoon Grasswood riding, while the rural area will be incorporated into Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan.
Kevin Waugh, a sports director and anchor for Saskatoon’s CTV affiliate, announced in June that he would challenge Yelich for the nomination.
He offered some pointed comments to the StarPhoenix last month, saying that with a new, strictly urban riding, a change in leadership was needed.
“We only have three ridings now, so you’d better come from Saskatoon, in my estimation,” he was quoted. “You better understand what the city needs.”
The end of Yelich’s term will also mark the end of a 22-year span in which Kenaston natives represented the village and surrounding area in the House of Commons.
Allan Kerpan was elected to represent Moose Jaw-Lake Centre as a Reform MP in 1993. After new ridings were established, he was re-elected to represent Blackstrap in 1997.
He remained with the Reform Party as it dissolved to form the Canadian Alliance in 2000, but did not stand for re-election that year, paving the way for Yelich to run in the riding.
According to her online biography, Yelich has a background in administration. She and her husband Matt have two daughters and three grandchildren.
Yelich was unavailable for further comment last week.
Seen here is the Watrous Royals bantam girls softball team.
By Joel van der Veen
WATROUS — The Watrous Royals bantam girls softball team overcame multiple injuries to win silver at provincials last weekend.
The Royals hosted seven visiting teams in the 16U “C” event, which ran from July 10 to 12 at the sports grounds in Watrous. The team played four round-robin games on Friday and Saturday, defeating Muenster, Kindersley and Moosomin, and losing to Kerrobert.
In the semi-final on Sunday, the Royals defeated Muenster and went on to face Langenburg in the finals, in which they lost 7-2.
Coach Jason Shaw said the team did well over the weekend despite both of its main pitchers, Alexa Koupantsis and Breanna Shaw, coping with injuries.
Koupantsis was injured by a returned ball that bounced off her glove and struck her in the face during the semi-final against Muenster. Shaw had injured her wrist but filled in for the remainder of that game and the final.
“It took us a little bit to regroup and keep going,” said the coach, noting that the team had aimed to reach the playoffs. “We tried to get everybody in (for) a bit to get ready for Sunday.”
Shaw estimated that between 300 and 400 people attended the weekend tournament, which featured teams from Muenster, Kindersley, Moosomin, Kerrobert, Macklin and Langenburg.
He said many of the team parents assisted the town staff with tending the grounds, as well as scorekeeping, announcing, and running the 50/50 draw, the gate and the concession stand.
The provincial tournament marked the end of the season for the Royals. Shaw said the team got along well, and that the season was an educational experience for the players as well as the coaches.
Local players on the team included Jocelyn Millham, Sarah Allan, Caroline Seidlik and Breanna Shaw from Davidson, and Kylee Evans from Kenaston.
Pictured are the Kenaston School graduates of 2015. From left are Shelby Evans, Samantha Guy, Bethany Finnie, Andrew Taylor, Kaitlynne Roberts, Kaitlyn Taylor and Eve Ulmer.
By Joel van der Veen
KENASTON — For their graduation ceremony, Kenaston School’s class of 2015 took a page from the book of Dr. Seuss.
Kenaston Place was decorated for the occasion on June 26 with blue, red and grey balloons, signs pointing here and there, and truffula trees from The Lorax.
The theme from the event was inspired by a quote often attributed to the man born Theodor Geisel: “Why blend in when you were born to stand out?”
The hall was filled Friday night as family, friends, classmates and other guests gathered to celebrate and bid farewell to the seven graduates leaving Kenaston School this summer.
Principal Ryan Johnson and vice-principal Aaron Biberdorf welcomed those in attendance before the processional. The graduates entered, most of them with their escorts, and accepted their diplomas.
Retired teacher Linda Purves, who taught most of the graduating class in Kindergarten and grades 1 and 2, was the guest speaker, giving a colourful address that borrowed from Dr. Seuss and Robert Fulghum.
“Of course, I never really blended in,” said Purves, “because I often wore runners with dresses, tank tops in the winter and usually most school days, I either went koo-koo-ka-choo, or told you I was off to Jamaica.”
Purves said her speech was designed to remind the students that the lessons they learned in their early years can all be applied to the situations they face as they embark on their careers or higher education.
She expanded upon the list given in Fulghum’s All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, with such as axioms as “Share everything,” “Play fair” and “Don’t hit people.”
Before she began, Purves offered the graduates paper and markers in case they wanted to take notes, adding that she’d considered buying each of them a copy, “but my pension cheque only stretches so far.”
The class also heard from two of last year’s graduates, Maria Matovich and Samantha Chomyshen, who offered words of wisdom, while Grade 11 students Austin Evans and Tessa Tomlenovich gave their predictions for each grad’s future, along with their actual plans for next year.
Shelby Evans and Eve Ulmer gave the valedictory address. Evans said the school community had been “like a family,” while Ulmer reflected on their reluctance to leave, even as they had anticipated this day for many years.
“They’re always there to lend a hand when you need it,” she said of the school’s staff. “This atmosphere will never leave us.”
They also shared some of the lessons acquired over the years, one of which was the value of a “stretch break” — which they then offered to their classmates, who happily accepted.
The class began Kindergarten with 10 girls and one boy, later dwindling to just five girls, and ends its academic career in Kenaston with six girls and one boy — a different one, Andrew Taylor, who joined the class three years ago.
“It’s going to be weird not coming back after summer and seeing you all again,” observed Evans. “We love you all and we’re really going to miss you . . . but don’t worry, we’ll be back.”
For the complete story, including the list of awards presented, please pick up a copy of the July 6 edition of The Davidson Leader.
Jordan Matheson of the Davidson peewee girls team safely slides into third base during a game against the Lasers on June 21.
By Joel van der Veen
SASKATOON — Two local minor softball teams competed in city playoffs in Saskatoon last weekend, facing tough challengers and coping with game cancellations on account of rain.
In addition to the local teams, several players from Davidson and district competed with other teams, including the Conquest Coyotes, who won gold in the Bantam B division, and the Twin City Angels, who took silver in the Bantam A division.
The Saskatoon Minor Softball League held its championship from Friday, June 19 to Sunday, June 21, but Saturday’s games were cancelled due to rain.
This complicated matters for the Davidson peewee girls team, who played in the B division and defeated the Twin City Angels 13-12 on Friday night.
Saturday’s games were cancelled, said coach Kendall Wightman, and “Sunday morning, they had scaled it down to a single knockout format.”
The team faced the Electric Lasers that morning; that game began as a tight match, with neither team scoring in the first two innings, but ended with a 10-3 loss for Davidson.
“They held them off for the first couple of innings,” said Wightman. “They battled hard, but they couldn’t quite hold out long enough.”
That single loss was the end of the line for the team; they finished third in their division, but with only 11 players they won’t be competing in provincials.
Wightman said he was pleased with the progress made this season. He said the girls learned lots and played well as a team.
The Davidson squirt girls team also competed in Saskatoon over the weekend. Like the peewees, they only played two games due to rain.
Coach Richelle Palmer reported that the team lost one game and won one game, both against Hustlers teams.
Conquest Coyotes
Emily Read of Davidson and Jenna Sincennes of Kenaston were part of the roster on the Conquest Coyotes bantam girls team, which took gold in the Bantam B playoffs.
Their schedule was also affected by the rain, which forced officials to move from a double knockout format to a single knockout format.
On Sunday the team played the Raiders black team, defeating the fourth-place team 7-5.
Later that day they played the Lasers. Both teams were held scoreless for the first two innings, after which they played several tight innings with the lead going back and forth.
The Coyotes were down by one run at the bottom of the sixth. Both teams failed to score in the sixth; Conquest then scored two runs in the seventh inning to take the lead and the victory at 6-5.
Read’s mother, Leanne, described the match as “a very exciting and tense game.”
The Conquest team also includes players from Delisle, Dinsmore, Outlook and Beechy.
Twin City Angels
The Twin City Angels, part of the Warman Minor Softball Association, took silver in the Bantam A playoffs in Saskatoon.
The team also featured some local talent — namely, Miranda Farrell of Davidson and Ann Ulmer of Kenaston.
