STUART: Douglas Robson. Born December 19, 1924. Passed away August 22, 2012. A celebration of Doug's life was held on August 25, 2012 at Edam Community Hall, with interment at Edam Municipal Cemetery. Doug will be sadly missed by children: Bob & Pat; David & Alice, Janice & Cliff Jamieson; Pat; and Pauline; grandchildren: Leigh & Louise Stuart, April & Darren Wouters; Robyn & Sheldon Hunter; Boyd & Kristen Stuart; Mitchell & Melissa Stuart; Roberta & Jeremy Moriarty; Jeff & Heidi Jamieson; Stuart Jamieson & fiancé Jamie Ginther; Bethany & Denis Cadrain; Graham Stuart & Lisa Rogers; Michael Stuart & Jill Froehlich. Great-grandchildren: Nikki Stuart & Mike Kostiew; Katelyn Wouters & Bart Archdekin; Kelsey Wouters & Will Budzinski; Jordan Wouters; Natalie, Hillary & Marshall Hunter; Islie Stuart; Amy & Haley Stuart; Olivia Moriarty; Jack Ginther & Weston Jamieson; Aiden & Mason Cadrain. He is also survived by sister Marion Hayman; sister-in-law Mazie Truss, numerous nieces & nephews, and cousin George Stuart, and the MacGowan family. Doug was predeceased by: his loving wife, Edna; son, Kelly; parents, Stuart & Dora Stuart; and friend Isabel MacGowan. Memorial donations - Lady Minto Health Care Centre, Edam Trinity United/Anglican Church or a charity of the donor's choice. Doug's eulogy: "We are here to honour the life of our Grandpa Douglas Robson Stuart. As Grandpa liked to tell it "I was born on December 19, 1924 in Edmonton. Once I opened my eyes for the first time, I left Alberta - never to return". Grandpa was the middle child and youngest son of S.W. and Dora Stuart. He was a younger brother to Stuart and "much older" brother to Marion. Grandpa attended Lake Russell School until he was 14. He was sent to the Saskatoon Technical School and learned machinery repair and how to operate a lathe. They were valuable skills in the years to come. He later spent about six months or so living with his Uncle and Aunt in Edmonton - working at Canada Packers. He spoke fondly of that time with his Uncle Bill Batty, who seemed to be as much of a non-conformist as Grandpa. After his return to the farm, Marion decided to play matchmaker with the new Lake Russell teacher and conveniently forgot her lunch. Grandpa was recruited to deliver the lunch! He met Grandma that day and the matchmaker was delighted! Apple pies even played a role in their courtship. Grandma often said that her first attempts at making an apple pie for Grandpa lasted for four hours to produce one pie! She became very proficient during their married years though. If he wanted apple pie, Grandpa went to town, bought lard and cinnamon and brought home "the hint". Apple pies soon appeared on the table. Grandpa signed up into the Royal Canadian Air Force and was shipped to Ontario and Quebec. His stories of that time were always of some mischief that he managed to find on base. He was in the process of filling out transfer papers to go overseas with the Army, when he was called home. His Dad was dying of pneumonia and succumbed in August 1944. Grandpa became a full time farmer at 19. He and Grandma were married September 25th, 1945. Grandpa joked that they married that day, so they would both be the same age. Grandma "became the boss the next day - her birthday- and for the next three months". They spent their honeymoon stooking oats on section "2". The first winter they lived on turkey eggs, and farm produce. Before the days of rural electrification and refrigerators, people used ice to keep their food cool. Grandpa was invited to join Orland Brydges and Werner Mosimann to cut and haul ice off Picnic Lake. It was cold, wet and backbreaking work. Grandma milked cows and shipped cream, while Grandpa focused on the other livestock and the crops. He was one of the first in the community to put up silage. Grandpa and Grandma had 5 children, 3 of which Grandpa said "were normal". He never did say which three were normal! Bob was born in 1947, David in 51, Janice in 54, Pat in 56 and Kelly in 60. As Uncle Kelly said Uncle Bob's baby pictures were like a live video if you flipped the pages quick enough. As the family grew and Grandpa and Grandma got busier, pictures got less frequent with each child.Grandpa and Grandma instilled a strong work ethic in all of their children by insisting on everyone's involvement in all household and farming activities.Grandpa was involved in a very serious farm accident on September 17th, 1962. Here are his words from the Northern Reflections History book: "I was badly injured when a tractor I was driving rolled over and pinned me underneath. I was saved from certain death by a large rock in the ditch. Along with other injuries, my leg was badly broken. The telephone operator initiated a general ring regarding the emergency. People came quickly to get me out from under the tractor and I was taken to Edam Hospital in David Day's station wagon. From there I went to Saskatoon by ambulance, accompanied by the newly arrived physician Dr. Ian Smith. Within a short time thereafter 17 combines arrived in our fields to take off our harvest. While the men left their own unharvested fields to take off our crops, the women of the community banded together to prepare meals for them. For the next four months as I lay in traction at Saskatoon City Hospital, neighbours, friends, and acquaintances offered Edna rides to Saskatoon so she could visit me. The Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Agent, Grant Glessing, sold all my grain as Number 1 dry that winter. My family and I shall never forget those magnificent kindnesses shown to us all in our time of need."Most of the kids remember Grandpa saying at the breakfast table "It's raining, let's go to Sedgewick". So within half an hour the kids, Grandma Boyd, Grandma and Grandpa would be loaded in the car and off to Sedgewick, Alberta to visit cousins. Of course, you couldn't travel those four hours without a huge lunch of Klik sandwiches, freshee and cake!Grandpa was never one to like picnics. He said growing up that when he would work the land near Picnic Lake, he would bring the horses to the lake for water and a rest. He then would say with disgust "I would sit on an ANT HILL and eat my lunch!". Many of the kids remember an afternoon wiener roast at Picnic Lake. Grandpa was working in his shop and decided to come over later for the food. He arrived with steam coming out of his ears and wearing his good suit pants, braces, no socks and dress shoes because he couldn't find clean pants, belts, socks or shoes! Before the roads were maintained in the winter, people often had to travel through the fields to get to town. Grandpa and Denny Greening built a snowblower using mostly Mogul tractor parts, to fit on the front of the John Deere G. Grandpa spent many cold hours plowing roads. He would come home frozen and put his feet in the oven to thaw them out. Grandpa had a special love for his horses and could always be relied on to tell another story about their personalities. One of his favourites involved an inexperienced team of horses which refused to climb the ramp into the elevator in town. With the aid of a borrowed stock prod, they quickly changed their minds. The downside being that it was the third trip through the elevator before he was able to stop them on the scale. There was no doubt that Grandpa loved his children, and heaped a double portion on the grandchildren. He loved each one of those new babies and spent time holding them and coaxing a smile from them. When they were much older, he could bring the same smiles out by reacting to a good exam result by teasing, "98%? What happened to the other 2?" Grandma had a heart attack in December 1990. Within two weeks, the family and friends had built on an addition onto the house to enable Grandma to live at home. Although Grandma only enjoyed it for a few months, the addition enabled Grandpa to live at home for many years to come. Grandma had heart surgery and ended up with a brain injury, after which Grandpa spent many long hours at Lady Minto caring for her. He read, sat, talked, and continued to be her loving companion. Grandpa started making pies as a way to fill his time alone. It provided a purpose for him. This also became a way of thanking the Lady Minto staff for their tender loving care. By the time Grandma passed away in January 1993, Doug the pie man was born. His pie making hobby expanded well beyond the fortunate few who first received a pie. Soon, Grandpa was a fulltime baker and delivery person. There were years when he would use over 500 lbs. of apples in pies. After donating pies to charity auctions, he was honoured when they went for way more than he expected. Had I known what his pies were worth, I would have taken much smaller bites.Grandpa spent his 'retirement' years providing operating, transportation and repair services to his farming children. His car contained more tools than are found on some farms. If you had troubles, you could be sure that he would be there to fix it. He was always creating something new - an electric motor for the pump at the well, a wood splitter, machined parts from the lathe or a bread hook for the electric drill. He also liked to tease - the dining room was called the 'blushing room' as each child brought home their prospective spouse for inspection. He loved to drive fast over the hills coming from Picnic Lake so the kids would "lose their stomach", he gave the Samide cousins a ride on the bucket of the Cockshutt tractor that they will likely never forget! Auntie Pat remembers him just about rolling his half ton while laughing so hard at her dog biting at the wipers going back and forth across the windshield (you need to know that it wasn't raining - just that it was fun to watch her try to bite the windshield wipers).We grandchildren remember Grandpa twisting his nose and having his teeth fall out. Each grandchild got to squeal at the sight of his false teeth! Marshall Hunter was the only one who would climb on his lap and twist his nose to MAKE them fall out! Both kids and horses would come running toward him if his hand reached for his peppermint pocket. If you went to give Grandpa a hug or a kiss, he would give this little growl and scare you half to death. He did it to Katelyn the last time he was in ICU. She screamed and the nurses came running! He laughed his head off! Grandpa's sense of humor never diminished even through his recent illness.Grandpa met his friend Isabel in 1996 and they spent many happy times together visiting friends and going out for lunch at Fuddruckers! They were friends and companions for over 14 years. Even when they didn't see each other in person, they kept in touch by phone. He enjoyed spending most winters during those years living with Pat in Saskatoon. Over the last year, Grandpa stayed at Janice and Cliff's who provided loving care until his health dictated a move to Lady Minto Health Care Centre, where he was surrounded by kindhearted staff and both Grandpa and his family appreciated it a great deal.Grandpa was never happier than when he could help others. He would help his friends by wheeling to the dining room and back. He loved helping with seeding, silaging, and harvest. Last Sunday morning, Cliff came to see Grandpa and told him they were finishing silaging. Grandpa perked up to hear about the progress. You can take the farmer off the farm, but you can't take the farm out of the farmer! Grandpa was willing to help no matter what machine he was asked to drive. Over the years, he went from farming with horses to running today's modern equipment with GPS in his 80's. Grandpa both gave and received ongoing support within his community with close friends and neighbours. He loved the idea that youngsters and adults alike from the neighbourhood felt inclined to call him Grandpa. (You know who you are!) Grandpa had strong principles and often said to his sons, "I only have my good name to pass on to you. If you lose that, you can never get it back."Grandpa, you have shown us how to provide a living for your family from the land, live by your principles, find humour in everyday events and stay loyal to your family and friends. All of our lives are richer, having known you. We love you Grandpa." The family of Doug Stuart, late of Edam, would like to thank all those who generously supported Doug & his family during Doug's recent illnesses. Thanks also to those who supported our family after his passing. Special thanks to: McCaw's Funeral Services, Rev. Kun Kim; Rev. Canon Don Skinner, Music Ministry - Bill & Bev Meikle; Edam Community Choir; Edam Legion Branch No. 106; the Handivan & driver Maurille Corbeil; and Edam AUCW for the lovely lunch. Special thanks to dear friends Frank & Maisie Poole and Dora Greening. Finally a huge thank you to all the staff at Lady Minto Health Care Centre, Edam for their tender, loving care. The Stuart and Jamieson families _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
