Lyle Kenneth Bligh was born in Gerald, Sask., on May 20, 1927. He was the third of four children of Clarence and Stephania Bligh who farmed in the Gerald area. Lyle grew up in the era of horses and steel-wheel tractors and developed a love for farming that would bring him back to his roots later in life.
An adventurer at heart, first he was off to Winnipeg as a new recruit in the Winnipeg police force. During this time, the wedding of his sister Maline introduced him to the love of his life, Gertrude Law (Gertie). Quickly inseparable, they were married on Oct. 6, 1950.
However, Lyle decided that law enforcement was not his calling and soon moved back to Saskatchewan. There, Gertie and Lyle had five children between the years of 1954 and 1962: Sharon, Russell, Roderick, Gordon and Linda. During this time, the family resided in the Hazel Cliffe and Spy Hill area. In the early 1960s, Lyle would be presented the opportunity of training to be a meteorology technician.
In 1962, Lyle, having completed his training, took his family on a grand adventure to Norman Wells, N.W.T. There, Lyle shared his love for the outdoors with all his family — hiking, hunting and fishing. Lyle also became an accomplished photographer during his time in the North. He developed black-and-white photos in his darkroom and took spectacular photos of the Norman Wells landscape; a highlight included one of the midnight sun.
At last, in 1968, Lyle and family returned to his first love, farming. He bought the Leo Bessel farm in the Langenburg area and worked hard to provide for his family. In Langenburg, Lyle joined the local barbershop quartet to entertain many with his singing. He also encouraged his family to develop interests in music.
Another change in the early 1990s, and circumstance took Lyle and Gertrude from the farm. In the ensuing years they lived in numerous communities in Saskatchewan including Fleming, Neudorf and Cabri. They settled in Craik in 1994. There, in their later years, with Gertie’s love of cooking and Lyle’s entrepreneurial spirit, they created a business to sell baked goods at the Moose Jaw farmer’s market.
Lyle was also a lover of books and had a huge library to satisfy that love. In addition he had a keen interest in his family history and helped create the Bligh family tree dating back to the 1700s. He facilitated this with a membership in the Craik Genealogy Society. Lyle and Gertie’s unwavering Christian faith guided them and their family through the illness of a son and the death of a daughter (Sharon) and grandchild (Kaitlin).
Lyle fell ill in 2012, residing in Moose Jaw for a few months before being placed closer to home in the Craik Health Centre. But while his health declined, his spirit never did and Lyle maintained an everlasting love for Gertie, his family, and baked goods. He passed away at the Craik Health Centre on Feb. 2, 2016 at the age of 88 years. A wonderful life well-lived.
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Viola Greene, aged 95 of Davidson, Sask.
Vi leaves to mourn her son Byron (Iris), Lance and Kayla; son David (Amber), Devin (Renee) Jorja and Finley and Derek (Meaghan) and Kaleb; son-in-law Dennis (Julie) Demeester and family Darla (Scott) Dillon, Riley, Zach and Samantha; and Dwayne (Lisa) Demeester.
Viola was predeceased by her husband Keith and daughter Donna.
An Anglican service was held Thursday, Feb. 4 at 2:00 p.m. at the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Davidson. Rev. Susan Anholt officiated. Interment was at the family plot in the Davidson Cemetery. Hanson’s Funeral Home was entrusted to arrangements.
The following tribute to Viola was given by her grandson, Devin Greene.
Viola May Reding was born on May 10, 1920 in Wakaw to parents George and Juditha Reding of Cudworth, Sask. Vi was the third of four children: there was older brother Alvin, older sister Myrtle, and younger brother Edwin. A fifth child, Lillian, died as an infant. They grew up on the family farm near Cudworth.
After finishing school in the late ‘30s, like many other young women at the time, Vi attended Normal School in Saskatoon to train to be a teacher.
Grandma mentioned this “normal school” many times, and it was something I always struggled with. Why was it called “normal” school? Could anyone go there? It seemed special or different, was it really? Was there an “abnormal” school? Eventually, I found out it was just the name of the school people went to in order to become a teacher.
By the early ‘40s, Vi was teaching in one-room schools in the Davidson area. She taught at Bengough, Lothian and Rosemae. A neighbouring farmer at Rosemae must have caught her eye, and in 1944 she married Keith Greene.
Vi and Keith lived on the Greene family farm, near Rosemae school. For those of you not familiar with all of the names of the rural school districts of 70 years ago, this is 20 miles west of Davidson, where my parents Dave and Amber still live.
I’ve seen some pictures of the farm from that time. The words sparse, barren, isolated quickly come to mind. It was flat bald prairie, with only a tiny house and barn. There were no trees. The entire house is the size of my parent’s current kitchen.
In 1948, they had their first child Donna. The next year they thought it would be a good idea to plant a couple thousand trees. Then after Byron was born in 1951, they planted a few thousand more. Since I’m sure the first round of planting thousands of trees by hand with a baby in tow went so well, a second child must have helped out lots. David was born in 1955. They didn’t plant any more trees.
Life in rural Saskatchewan could at times be lonely. There was always so much work to be done on the farm, it often seemed like there was little time for socializing. But Vi made time for it. She was a member of the Woodmere Sunshine Club (a social group of local farm women). She’d often visit and have coffee with the Dahls, Carrolls, Hewitts or other nearby neighbours. Together with Keith, they enjoyed regular square dancing, and were members of clubs in both Loreburn and Davidson. They also were heavily involved in the Saskatchewan Archaeological Society.
On the farm, Vi loved animals. She loved the cows and gave names to them. Blondie was her favourite milking cow. She loved to garden, and always had a big one. Even when they had moved into town, she still had a patch in the back yard that was always very bountiful. She had a green thumb and a knack for getting anything to grow. One of her favourite indoor plants was an amaryllis that had been given to her mother for a wedding present. It has been grown and split many times since. Some of us have bulbs from it now. For her, it would flower beautifully. The rest of us are struggling to achieve the same level of success as she did.
In 1978, they moved into town and retired from farming. They travelled in the winter months to Europe, South America, Hawaii and other places. But she always loved the farm, and enjoyed coming out to see it. She made a point to always come out at least once during harvest, so she could see the crops and maybe get a ride in the combine.
Most of my own memories of Grandma come from when I was going to school in Davidson and my brother Derek and I would stay at Grandma’s. Sometimes it was just after school for a couple of hours; sometimes it was overnight, because the buses couldn’t run due to a winter storm. We’d often play games: Grandma taught me how to play cribbage, whist and hearts. Or we’d play Rack-O (a card game) or Scrabble. She was particularly good at Scrabble, and difficult to beat. There was often a card table set up in the living room with some kind of giant puzzle on it that we would sit at for a bit and put in a few pieces.
Like most grandparents, she had a candy cupboard, and we were always quick to check it out. Usually there were peppermints or hard candy, but if you were lucky there were macaroons or rosebuds. These didn’t last long, however, because they were also some of Grandma’s favourites.
Grandma was very social and always enjoyed having tea or coffee with someone to visit. In the morning, she’d often walk down the street to Winnie Scott’s house for a coffee. Other days she would go with Nettie Dahl to the A&W. She loved her time at the senior’s centre and was a regular there. As a kid, I loved going there too, always with the hope of being able to play shuffleboard.
Grandma always had this quiet sort of confidence around her. She was this sweet old lady, but if she wanted to go somewhere, or do something, she did it. You did NOT make her doctor or dentist appointments on Tuesdays or Thursdays, because that was senior’s day. You didn’t interrupt her when Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy! were on.
Donna and Dennis were building a new house on the farm and she wanted to see it. So, she grabbed some of her friends, and drove out there and checked out the construction.
If you took her somewhere (like a family supper) and she was ready to leave, you knew. She wouldn’t say anything, but would simply go get her coat and shoes on and wait by the door. That was the sign she was ready to go home.
Not that many years ago, my mom caught Grandma and Nettie Dahl using a ladder in her backyard to pick apples off her apple tree. Mom asked what they were doing. “We want to make apple pie and the best apples are at the top of the tree. Don’t worry, the neighbours can’t see us.” Which is just the thing you’re most worried about when a couple of 90-year-old ladies are climbing ladders to pick apples.
Another example of her “matter-of-factness” was told to me by Grandma just last year. It was the story of when my Dad was born. It was March of 1955. It had just snowed and Grandma knew it was time to have the baby. So did they head straight to the hospital in Davidson? No. They hitched the tractor to the front of the car and took it through the snow to Loreburn. Then they caught the train down to Moose Jaw, so they could leave Byron and Donna with Grandpa’s parents. Then they took a bus back up to Davidson to the hospital to have David. I like to think it was Grandma’s own will power that prevented my dad from being born in the middle of a field or the back of a bus.
Grandma had a habit of “collecting things” from auctions or garage sales and over time, these started to accumulate. Eventually her kids gradually started trying to remove things from the house. While she didn’t like this, she would put up with it to a point. Inevitably, someone would go too far, and attempt to get rid of something Grandma did not want to get rid of, and she basically kicked them out of her house. Donna once got a “Haven’t you got somewhere else to be?” Dave got a flat out “I think you should go now.”
Grandma was one of the sweetest people I ever knew. She was always happy, cheerful, and laughing. I’m sure she must have gotten mad some of the time, but I never saw it. The maddest I saw her get was when a contestant on Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy! got an easy answer wrong. Thank you Grandma for all you did for your family and friends. We love you, and we miss you.
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.
On Thursday, January 28, 2016, Kathleen Elizabeth Loseth (nee Russell) of Saskatoon, peacefully passed away with her children at her side, at St. Paul’s Hospital. Born on July 24, 1930, in the Bladworth area, she was raised on a farm with her parents, Alexander and Jean Russell and older brothers, Grant and Calvin. At the age of 16 months, Kathleen (Kitty) contracted polio which throughout her life never slowed her down. In fact, it gave her strength and tremendous will power to accomplish anything she put her mind to. She ventured out to the big city of Saskatoon to attend Robertson Secretarial School in the early 50’s followed by work at Fish and Wildlife, Medical Services, Western Development Museum and for years helped with Vic’s business. She met Victor Loseth in Saskatoon and was married on May 24, 1955, where they resided all their lives. Blessed with two children, Richard and Lori, Kathleen was a very active participant and supporter of their various activities and lives. This support extended to her children’s spouses Janet Park (Richard) and Richard Frank (Lori) and her nieces Marilyn and Cheryl and their families. She was widowed in 1987 yet maintained the family home for over 20 years on her own until she moved to the Primrose Chateau where she lived until her passing. She thoroughly embraced the role of “Nannie” to Richard and Lori’s children beginning in 1991 with the birth of her only grandson, Christopher, and then in 1995 with the birth of her twin granddaughters, Brooklyn and Alexandra. She carried on the role of supporter, cheerleader and mentor in their lives and did so until the day of her death. Many of Kathleen’s friends are people that she met from all aspects of her life. She proudly cherished those lifelong friendships. Kathleen loved to laugh, play cards, shop, garden, cook and was a great listener. She was strong willed, a quality that served her well with her many health challenges over the years. She always held her family members and others in her life accountable and made us all better for it. Anyone that encountered mom over the years will recall a strong spirit, her twinkling eyes and big smile. Because of her physical disabilities, she excelled at being resourceful and a problem solver. She was predeceased by her parents, Alex and Jean; father-in-law Halvor; husband Victor; brother Calvin and sister-in-law Eileen. She will be remembered as cheerful, remarkably strong and a loving daughter, sister, wife, mom, grandmother, and friend. If you were lucky enough to meet her, you will know what we mean. She will always be loved and never forgotten. A Funeral Service to celebrate all the good memories and her life will be held on Thursday, February 4, 2016, at 11 a.m. at Saskatoon Funeral Home. Interment will take place at Woodlawn Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to mail@saskatoonfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Saskatoon Funeral Home (244-5577).
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.
Schmit, Gwendolyn Berne February 12, 1928 — January 28, 2016
Berne Schmit passed away in the Davidson Health Centre in the late afternoon of Jan. 28. Born in Young, Sask., Berne was the second oldest child born to Maitland and Muriel (Easson) Blachford of the Colonsay/Zelma district.
Mom took her early schooling at Colonsay and Ardath schools. Upon graduation she went on to take nurse’s training at the St. Paul’s Hospital School of Nursing, Saskatoon, graduating in 1949. From there she attended the St. Paul’s Hospital School of Nursing, Vancouver, receiving a post-graduate certificate in surgery in 1950.
Her nursing career took her to many locations including the Vancouver General Hospital, Weyburn General Hospital, Davidson Union Hospital and then to the Saskatoon City Hospital before again returning to Davidson.
Back at Davidson, she met Bob Schmit and they were married April 7, 1953 at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Saskatoon. She and Bob had three children — Laurie, Jim and Denise.
There were many high points in her nursing career, which included being employed as a nurse specialist with Dr. Crosby, a Regina cardiologist flying to various points in Canada and the U.S. to perform surgeries. She was also involved in the planning and layout of the surgical suites in the original 1954 portion of the Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon. She later made an application to work in the U.S., but stayed in Canada to look after her mother’s health. Most of all, she enjoyed working in the Saskatoon Public Health Region as a public health nurse covering various rural municipalities and points along Highways 2, 11 and 19.
Berne continued to work on and off at the Davidson Hospital as she and Bob raised their family. In the summer of 1967, she began working full-time as a public health nurse, retiring in May of 1985.
Mom was involved in the community as a member of the Davidson Library Board and the Davidson Prairie View Lodge Board, but most of all she was a compassionate person helping who she could at any time when needed.
Berne was sports-minded, known to play hockey at a young age to playing ball, tennis, bowling, curling and golfing. The love of golf brought home many prizes and many stories. In later years she closely followed sports on television.
Mom also liked to travel – both driving and flying. She visited many points in Canada, the U.S. and beyond, including trips to places like Hawaii, Las Vegas, Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, Barbados and Jamaica.
Berne enjoyed working on the farm, but most of all enjoyed being outside in the yard and fresh air. The trees, lawns and flowers at the old farm north of Davidson certainly attested to this.
In December of 2003, Bob and Berne moved off the farm and into town. Here she continued to enjoy golf and yard work. As time went on she found herself dedicating more time to caring for Bob and then eventually to her diminishing health. She was able to actively golf into her 87th year. Up until the end she cherished her time with friends, family and enjoyed the occasional outing to the casino.
Berne is survived by her children Laurie, Jim (Allison) and Denise (Lonnie); grandchildren Kelly (Kenny), Rob (Sharmayne) and Kiel; extended family Josh, Melissa and Mykaila; great-grandchildren Blake, Nolan, Evhan, Kacie and Rylyn; Rhyder and Braylee as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews; her sister Pat (Keith); her brothers Laurie (Irene), Cam (Donyan), Ian (Barbara), and Bruce (Marline); brother-in-law Doug (Inez) and sister-in-law Betty.
She was predeceased by her husband Bob in 2012, her sister Joan in 2004, her parents, and various in-laws.
At Berne’s request there will be no funeral or memorial service. A celebration of life is tentatively planned for the May 7 weekend. An announcement outlining details will be placed into The Davidson Leader prior to that date.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Berne may be directed to the Davidson Golf and Country Club or the Davidson EMS Equipment Fund with cheques made payable to the Town of Davidson.
