Feb. 19, 1924 to July 28, 2026
It is with deep sadness that the family announces the passing of Ivan F. Drimmie, a long-time farmer and respected community member of Liberty, Sask. Ivan passed away peacefully at 102 years old, leaving behind a profound legacy of hard work, devotion to family, and a deep-rooted love for the farm life he cherished.
Born in 1924, Ivan was the son of Daniel and Florence Drimmie and raised on the farm west of Liberty, NE3-26-26-W2 and attended Davenport School. He often joked that it was “uphill both ways” to the one room school house just a mile north of their farm. He was eager to share history and recalled the 1930’s, the dust, grasshoppers and Russian thistle. How the thistle would blow against the fence, the dirt would pile up and he could walk across the top. He remembered spreading poisoned sawdust from the back of a wagon to try to control the grasshoppers. He recalled welcoming relief from other provinces with apples from Ontario and salted codfish and canned herring from the Maritimes. He shared how one winter the snow was so deep and so hard that he rode is horse, Darkie, on the banks that were over the treetops. And, he shared how difficult it must have been for his parents and grandparents.
In 1945, with the help of his Dad, he purchased 160 acres of sod and rocks and bush to break up! And in 1946, he and Donald MacFarland purchased another 320 acres of prairie and broke it with an old 2 speed Model D John Deere and a 2 furrow plow. He said, “it was fun – but we were young and enjoyed it!” They lived in an old granary while breaking with lots of mosquitoes and no OFF! They ate home canned chicken which they kept cool in a hole in the ground – but not the cake or the ants would get it!
In the winter, he tried his hand at quite a variety of jobs. His parents came from Ontario so he would migrate back there to find work. He delivered bread with a horse and wagon and joked how that horse made a deposit in the middle of the same intersection at the same time each day! He also became a licensed mechanic and worked in a garage. He enjoyed automotive work and shared these skills with his sons. In Regina, he got his chauffer’s license and drove taxi. He also joked about the time he worked “over” Premier Tommy Douglas. He was employed repairing the roof of the Legislative Building.
Ivan was a very accomplished problem solver and could manufacture just about anything he needed with his welder or woodworking tools. He told us about how he saved up money from skunk hides and gopher tails at 5 cents each to buy his cutting torch. He made his own cross country skis and soaked the wood in water to curl the toe ends. He skied with his neighbour, Bob Hedwigway who lived at the farm to the west. He made kitchen cupboards for the farm house and many other projects throughout his life. In his nineties he still made a couple of wheeled side tables with drawers for his printer and for his record player.
Feb. of 1946, Ivan experienced firsthand the introduction of the Saskatchewan Air Ambulance as he was at the first 2 flights which were both to locations west of Liberty. The first flight, Ivan assisted with getting the plane free as it had frozen to the ground while loading the patient. These historic journeys established the world’s first formally organized non-military, government operated air medical transport service.
In 1953, he married the love of his life, Olive Jean Wheeler of Holstein, Ontario and together they expanded their farm to 960 acres. They first lived on the “Kennedy” place and then moved to the SE3-26-26-W2. During this time they welcomed their three children: Randy, Terry and Kelvin. In 1972 they moved into Liberty to the “Pool” house, then in 1985 into the house Ivan lived in until 2021. Together, they spent 56 beautiful years building a life, working the land, and cultivating deep ties within their community until Olive’s passing in 2010.
Ivan was the Reeve of the R.M. of Big Arm from 1969 – 1982 for 12 consecutive years. At the time, that was a record number of consecutive years to be a Reeve. He considered it an honour and enjoyed the work, the council members he worked with and the farmers in the R.M. he worked on behalf of.
Ivan loved growing crops of grains and oilseeds and tending the land. He also had a passion for gardening crops of tomatoes, potatoes, horseradish, asparagus, raspberries, hascaps and cherry trees. He was known to share the bounty of his garden with many, including the hospital/facility.
His family at the Long Lake Valley Integrated Facility in Imperial where he resided for the past few years were truly appreciated and special to him.
Ivan was a dedicated family man who took immense pride in his children’s achievements and loved spending time with his granddaughters and great grandchildren. He will be remembered for his quiet strength, his sense of fun and humor, his enduring commitment to the land, and the warmth he extended to neighbors and friends in the Liberty district.
He loved and supported his children: Randy William Drimmie (Arlene); Terry Lynn Drimmie; Kelvin Marshall Drimmie (Connie)
He adored his granddaughters and added to their musical education by providing Sarah a violin and Amber a piano which they learned to play and entertain Olive and Ivan: Sarah Ann Victoria Drimmie; Amber Noel Koza-Drimmie Vibert (Scott)
His great grandchildren brought him great joy. He loved to hold his great grandbabies and interact with them as they grew. He always had a handmade item that he would tease them with or give them to play with: Holly Marilyn Olive Vibert; Brooke Barbara Noel Vibert; Ryker Kelvin Vibert
He is lovingly remembered by numerous extended family members, nieces, nephews and friends. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Olive and his parents Daniel and Florence Drimmie, his sisters, Inez (Glen) Allen, Mabel Alice Drimmie (died at 8 yrs) and brother, Ken (Myrna) Drimmie.
A funeral service and celebration of Ivan’s life will be held at the Liberty Memorial Hall, Interment will follow alongside his wife and the Liberty Cemetery on August 15th at 2 p.m.
