The family of Gail Maureen Ehman (O’Hara) sadly announces her passing on March 28, 2016.

Gail was born Nov. 10, 1939, to William (Bill) and Josephine (McNulty) O’Hara of Saskatoon. She studied at Sion Academy and the University of Saskatchewan, where she met her sweetheart, Dennis Ehman. They married on July 9, 1960, and settled on the family farm at Craik.

Gail loved life on the farm. She tended large gardens, picked berries and walked on the country road in all seasons. The pantry was always full of Gail’s pickles, jams, jellies and other preserves. She was a master at making buns and saskatoon berry pie, which were served at every special family dinner.

She served her community as a member of Willing Workers, the Catholic Women’s Club, Donors’ Choice and numerous school and social functions. When their son Tom and his family moved to the farm, Gail and Dennis took up residence in Craik. In retirement, Gail enjoyed her “winter” friends and community in Mesa, Arizona. Above all she was devoted to her children, grandchildren and best friend, Dennis, her husband of 56 years.

Gail and Dennis raised four children on the farm who, along with their spouses and children, will miss her dearly: Jim and Sherrie (Megan and Amanda), Tom and Tallie (Evan and Emily), Maureen and Tony, and Amy Jo and John. She is also survived by her sister, Peggy (Charles) Salmon of Port Colborne, Ont. Gail is predeceased by her parents and her eldest child, Michael.

A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Craik at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 5, followed by a social in the community hall. At Gail’s request, her ashes will be spread on the farm at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in support of Alzheimer’s care and research are appreciated.

Bligh, Lyle Kenneth
1927 — 2016

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.