Obituary of Leslie Foote

B I O G R A P H Y FOOTE: Leslie Foote passed away in the Jubilee Home, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan on Wednesday, April 6, 2005 at the age of 88 years. The funeral service for Leslie was conducted from the Grace United Church, Lloydminster, Alberta on Monday, April 11, 2005 at 2:00 P.M. with Pastor Anne Laird officiating. A eulogy was given by Kari Bryson and Michael Berry. The hymns sung were "The Church In The Wildwood," and "Amazing Grace," accompanied on the organ by Irene Knowlson. The Grace United Church Choir sang "In The Bulb There Is A Flower." Honorary pallbearers were: Michael Berry and Jana, Kari Bryson, Pam Otfinowski, Jill Cooper, Kristy Reiber and Shannon Roberge. Active pallbearers were: Dave Bryson, Darryl Ranger, Rob Cooper, Darrik Reiber, Olaf Otfinowski and Eugene Roberge. Interment followed in the Lloydminster City Cemetery. McCaw Funeral Service Ltd., of Lloydminster administered the funeral arrangements. Eulogy by Kari Bryson Les Foote was born May 20, 1916 to Barr Colonist parents. He passed away peacefully at the Jubilee Home on April 6, 2005. He was predeceased by his wife Muriel, daughters Shirley and Arlene, sister Hilda and brother Fred.. He leaves to mourn his wife Fran and family, sister Nancy Fuller and husband Loren and family, sister Elsie Mayovsky and family, his son Lorne and wife Beverly, son-in-law Fred Berry, six grandchildren, Shannon Roberge, Michael Berry, Kristy Reiber, Pam Otfinowski, Jill Cooper and Kari Bryson and their families including 10 great grandchildren. I am Kari Bryson, Les’s youngest grandchild and I feel honored to be here today. Les grew up on a farm in the Southminster district. His sister Nancy described him as a wonderful brother who was “just so kind”. Although he was ten years older, Nancy and Les spent many hours singing and playing on the machinery, having a great time in the outdoors. Music was an interest he shared with his older siblings. Hilda would play the piano, Fred on the violin and Les on the banjo. As a little family band they would play at school dances to earn a little extra money during the 30's. They would travel as far as the Big Gully by horse and caboose. After a night of playing, they would stoke up the fire in the stove on the caboose and head home for the long trip. On more than one occasion the three of them would fall asleep yet arrived home safely thanks to the team of horses who would stop at their own barn door. As children we liked listening to Grandpa’s banjo music as we danced to it at the Southminster Hall dances. His enjoyment of music was shared with Muriel as they were active square dancers with the “Chain and Circle” dance group. Les liked music but his real love was machinery. From an early age he was the engine man on his dad’s threshing crew because he was skilled at keeping it running smoothly. He preferred to be operating the combine over driving the grain truck. Just a couple years ago, while reminiscing over farm photos from many years past, Grandpa could name each piece of equipment and its special features. Yet he wasn’t satisfied with just operating the equipment. He had to know how and why it worked. And once he knew that, there must be a way to improve it! Les used his ingenuity to provide power to his home when most rural residents didn’t have it. His young bride Muriel enjoyed the luxury of running water because he rigged up a tank and pump arrangement. A car generator was used to provide lights in the barn. After many hours spent in the shop together, he inspired the same traits in Lorne and nephew Murray. Darryl recalls that every new gadget had to be studied before use. Even at Jubilee Home you would come across him puttering with his nebulizer trying to get it working better. In the 1940's the government was buying scrap iron for the war effort. Les loaded his up and hauled it. Yet instead of money, he returned home with a different load of scrap iron. I’m sure it was a “much better” or “more interesting” load that he had big plans for. He was an original recycler-never buying new if you could tear down and re-use. Les was a self taught butcher who cut and wrapped the families meat supply. After a day of butchering pigs, Les presented his new daughter-in-law Beverly with a pig’s head, in hopes she would make him head cheese, even though his own wife wouldn’t. The pigs head was in the trash before anything could be made from it. Not only was Les trying to make his home and farm a better place, he put that same effort into his community. He was a Credit Union member from its inception-his account was #5. Les was president of the Lloydminster Co-op from 1950 - 1954 and a board member for 27 years. He was part of the Elks, the Foresters, the Southminster Telephone Company, and the Southminster Snowplow Club. He held various positions, which included president, director and member, of the Lloydminster Fish and Game Association. Les was also a Southminster School trustee- although sometimes his trustworthiness was a little questionable. The community wanted to have a mocassin dance on the curling rink ice and thought a piano would make the event a success. Les, being a trustee, offered the school’s piano much to the chagrin of Mrs. Reid the school teacher. As they loaded the piano in the back of the pick-up truck, Les promised that he and Eric Laws would ride in the box of the truck to protect the piano. It was awfully cold, so when they were clearly out of Mrs. Reid’s sight they jumped in the cab. That is when the piano slid out into a full ditch of snow. The piano lay on its side for the trip there and back after providing a night of entertainment. That same piano is at Southminster Hall today and has provided entertainment to many kids including Les’s great grandchildren. Les wasn’t about all work and no play. While working in the field, he would stop to have his coffee next to a neighbor in the adjoining field. He stated many times that “visiting with neighbors was never a waste of time”. Family holidays were great memories. The early family camping trips encouraged Arlene’s loved of the outdoors. In later years, Les and Fran enjoyed many trips up to Arlene and Fred’s cabin at Pierce Lake, which included fishing and berry picking. He was an avid sportsman. Because of his love of curling, Les was instrumental in starting the Southminster Curling Club. It was also an activity he enjoyed doing with his daughter Shirley and Muriel, as they attended many bonspiels together. Most Sundays would find Les trap shooting at the Gun Club, of which he was a founding member. He also hunted ducks, geese, elk, deer, antelope, and moose. Many memories were made on the father-son hunting trips with Helmer and Ken Anderson and Les and Lorne. Many of Grandpa’s hunting buddies were also card-playing and golfing friends. Seeking a warmer climate, Les and Fran spent many winters in Mesa, Arizona as “snowbirds”. The days were filled with tennis, horseshoes, cards and of course, gold with the Cactus Club members. More recently golf was a sport Lorne and Les enjoyed together, along with his grandsons, who were envious of Grandpa always being “straight down the middle and never in trouble.” Les was very proud of all his children. Shirley impressed him with her work ethic. She always knew the way to his heart by baking him her special lemon loaf. Les respected Lorne as a business partner on the farm. With so many shared interests, they became good friends. Les knew he could trust Lorne to care for him when needed. Arlene was the apple of her father’s eye. He was so proud of her scholastic accomplishments, such as completing university to become a pharmacist. Grandpa Les was a real English gentleman who lived his life with a definite structure, especially mealtimes. Grandma Muriel had a trick to quickly have the kettle boiling and onions frying if mealtime was a little behind schedule. He rarely raised his voice. He always held the door open and would walk you out to your car after visiting him. One nurse at the Jubilee Home told me, “We just love him - he is always such a gentleman.” The best way to teach something is to live it. Grandpa Les was a very good teacher. He taught us how to work hard. He taught us the ability to adapt. He taught us how to respect others and give back to the community. Thank yo for showing us how to live Grandpa. A tribute to Grandpa by Michael Berry Today we fondly remember our Grandpa Les with this collection of memories of the Foote girls. A memory that was consistent with all of his grandchildren was his work ethic and sense of order. His day was structured in a manner that included an early start to his work day, a coffee break that was not too long, 40 winks after lunch, and in his retirement years, a happy hour at 5:00. The workshop at the farm and in the basement of his house were so neat and functional with everything in it place. His beliefs on the importance of hard work, productivity and early mornings were not talked about they were simply understood. Mom used this trait in Grandpa as a means to get her girls out of their pajamas and off the couch by simply stating that Grandpa and Dad were coming in for morning coffee. We jumped to our feet, got dressed and started looking busy by the time the door opened. Grandpa believed that time was valuable and should be well spent. Shannon remembers that Grandpa asked her every day as she got off the school bus what she had learned that day and when she replied nothing, he would always reply well then what are they teaching you at that school. Grandpa was always making something or making something work better. One Christmas he gave his children and grandchildren a handy Jar opener. This handy tool attached to the underside of our cabinets and still makes this daily job much easier. We will always cherish the wooden family signs he made to hang in our yards. Kristy could always count on Grandpa to fix her riding equipment with his leather sewing machine. We remember that Grandpa enjoyed playing sports and games as well as teaching them to his grandchildren. He showed his patience in demonstrating how to hold a golf club or to hit a tennis ball, how to play shuffleboard and how to count correctly over many hours of crib. He seemed to have an understated ability to be efficient and knowledgeable about such a broad range of activities from curling to horses to horseshoes. It was evident to us that he was an avid fisherman by the trophy fish that was mounted above the bed that we slept in when we stayed overnight at Grandpa and Fran’s. It was either the imagination of a child or the fierce looking expression of the fish that made we girls giggle nervously and avoid sleep claiming fear of this scary looking creature. We remember Grandpa for being both healthy and moderate in the way he lived his life. As well as being active in sports he ate a healthy diet and sweets were always eaten in moderation. Kristy and Kari remembers Grandpa shaking his head in disbelief that one person was going to eat the heaping soup bowls of ice cream that we had dished up for ourselves. Shannon, Kristy and Kari made frequent trips to Grandpa’s house as little girls always fighting over who would have to ask him for the bowl of Neapolitan ice cream that would always be in the freezer even though he always said yes. He is remembered for his subtle sense of humor. Shannon remembers as a little girl digging potatoes (or in the garden) with Grandpa. She was intrigued with the discovery of a nest of baby mice. She and Grandpa came up with the idea of showing them to Mom. The door was locked shut as Grandpa and Shannon arrived on Mom’s doorstep with a shovel full of baby mice. What we treasure about our Grandpa Les are characteristics that we hope can be cultivated in ourselves and our children: integrity, dignity, graciousness, honesty, pride in a day well spent, a strong sense of family, and the ability to always be a gentleman. It has been a privilege to be a part of your life Grandpa. Card of Thanks A heartfelt thank you to Dr. Kerlis for the excellent care, the Jubilee Home Nurses and staff for kindness and compassion given to Les and the family; Pastor Anne Laird for her comforting words and prayers; Irene Knowlson and the Grace United Church Choir for their musical tributes. Thanks to the Southminster ladies club for serving a delicious lunch and to McCaw Funeral Home for the compassionate care and service. Special thanks to all our friends and relatives for your attendance and expressions of sympathy in our loss. Frances Foote and Family Lorne and Beverly Foote and Family Fred Berry and Family Donations in memory of Les may be made to the Jubilee Home Comfort Fund.