William “ROY” Sidebottom passed away on June 26, 2016 at the Lloydminster Hospital after a lengthy illness. He was 88. Roy was born on the farm, east of North Battleford on Easter Sunday, April 8, 1928. Remarkably, he was 79 years old before his birthday was on Easter Sunday again. Roy attended a rural school, Mount Hope, until Grade 10. As a teenager he played softball and hockey with the local teams. He had a thoroughbred horse called Thunder, that he, with difficulty trained to ride and he even had Thunder pulling a cutter in the winter. After the war, when machinery was hard to get, some Mount Hope farmers formed a Machinery Co-op buying one combine, one tractor one seeder etc. They hired Roy and his cousin Ken to operate the machines, working 24 hours a day so that every farmer had a chance to get his crop in or off on time. About 1948 Roy applied for a job, driving a truck for MacKay’s Transport (now Kindersley Transport). He worked for MacKay’s for 23 years hauling freight mostly in Saskatchewan. A strike forced him to look for other employment so he worked at Domtar for about a year. Truck driving was still his love so he got a job hauling mostly gas, for Westcan in Saskatchewan and Alberta. He worked for Westcan for 19 years until he retired. On August 18, 1953, Roy married a Mount Hope girl, Marguerite Keall who was then teaching in Lloydminster. They lived and raised their family in Lloydminster until 1993 when they both retired and moved to Bright Sand Lake where the family had built a large retirement home. Roy loved people and he loved helping people in any way he could. He helped at a Lumber Mill, he helped farmers haul cattle or helped with crops. He helped drive a septic truck. Eventually Roy bought Doug McGowan’s Septic business. He then bought a Mack truck and serviced the area around Bright Sand Lake with “Roy’s Vacuum Service” for many years. Roy was Chairman of the Hamlet of Mowery Beach but was jokingly referred to as “The Mayor”; holding that position for many years. Roy was also a big game hunter. He hunted with his sons and his hunting buddies in the same area in Northern Alberta for over 40 years. Of course when we moved to Bright Sand, Roy was now a non-resident hunter so had to pay dearly for his license and he now needed a “guide”. Roy was scheduled for knee replacement surgery but he cancelled because he had a moose tag to fill! Roy liked to water ski and did so until he was 75. He liked to snowmobile, even going to the mountains a couple of times. He spent many hours driving the boat while family and friends, water skied, knee boarded or tubed. After Roy’s heart surgery we bought a Condo in Lloydminster with the intentions of spending the winters in town and summers at the lake. We managed to get to the lake twice before Roy’s health deteriorated and he spent most of the time in and out of the hospital. Roy was predeceased by his parents, George and Ada Sidebottom, his in laws, Allan and Dot Keall, 2 brothers, Joe and Ernest, 2 sisters, Louise Mino and Bernice Howdle, 1 sister in law Gladys Sidebottom, 3 brothers in law, Gus Mino, Frank Howdle and Buck Chenoweth and 1 son in law Bob Jack Jr.. Roy leaves to mourn his loving wife of 62 years, Marguerite; 3 daughters, Gloria Jack, Rhonda (Eric) Davidson, Sharlene (Blain) Waldorf. 2 sons Brad Sidebottom (Lana Malka) and Jeff (Shauna) Sidebottom. 15 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren; 1 brother Ron Sidebottom and his wife Margaret, 3 sister in laws; Mildred Sidebottom, Arlene Chenoweth, Sharon Bradburn (Art LaRiviere) and numerous nieces and nephews. We want to thank Dr. Kostic, Dr. Antonio and Dr. Sayeed for their care and concern. Also thanks to the nurses and continuing care staff on the third floor. Their teasing and smiles brightened our days. Also thanks to all who visited, sent cards, flowers, food or donations. It was all appreciated. Thanks to McCaw’s Staff who helped us wade through all the “must dos.” It made our life a little easier at a difficult time.
THANK YOU!!
Marguerite and Family