Obituary of Neil Lamb

Neil is survived by his wife Doreen; seven children: Denise and Ron Sawtell, Angie and Brian Gardiner, Carol and Jerry Petovello, Susan and Allan Thomson, Ian and Debbie Lamb, Jim and Linda Lamb, Lisa and Dan Polkinghorne; fifteen grandchildren; eleven great grandchildren and two brothers: Smyrle and Jean Lamb and Millan and Shirley Lamb. Eulogy as given by Jerry Petovello On behalf of the family, I want to thank everyone for coming today to pay your respects and to help us celebrate Neil's life. I have been working on this Eulogy since Jim came to our door on Friday and asked me to do this. I starting jotting down notes of things I know and remembered about Neil's life. I wrote about the time he spent in the air force, community, family, farming. I was burning up a lot of paper and ink and found that I couldn't seem to get to the end of Neil's accomplishments over the years. While lying awake in bed and reading a piece about Neil that Brian Gardiner had wrote, I realized that there was no way I could get down all that Neil has done and do it justice. Because the more I wrote down, and the more I head from people I realized that I didn't need to tell you all of the things Neil did because that is why you are all here. I feel that everyone knew what he did for this community and others. So I am going to try and tell Neil's story without listing everything that he accomplished in his life, but try to tell you of his life as I and his family and friends remember it. If you want to know more about Neil, just turn and ask the person beside you and they probably have a story to tell. Neil was born April 4, 1924 to Allan and Muriel Lamb in Lashburn, SK. He grew up on the family farm NW-28-46-25 with his older sister Netanys and his two brothers Allan known as (Smeryl) to his friends and Millan. He took his schooling at Battle Hills School for grades 1-9 and in Lashburn for 10, 11 and 12. After final exams, Neil joined the air force and trained all around Canada. Taking his flight training in P.A., he flew tiger moth trainers and told of one day while training he and his instructor were returning to the airport on a windy day and because the tiger moth flew so slow it took them half an hour just to get over the P.A. Penitentiary and upon landing he had to use full power to get back to the hanger. Graduating to larger planes Neil had trouble landing the plane without bouncing and was transferred to being a bomb aimer. He always told me that he was sure he would have caught on with time, but they didn't waste time if you didn't catch on right away . . . I'm sure he would have got it. As most of you well know it is hard to get military men to talk about what happened to them during the war, but we did get Neil to tell us what happened to him and his crew. Neil flew with a Lancaster bomber crew from England and on April twenty-eighth 1944 when returning from a run one night dropping supplies to the French under ground their plane was shot down. Their Captain, Ian Hart, gave the order to bail out. Neil told us that before jumping he had shoved his survival kit, which carried food, money and maps, in a zipper pocket. But in his rush, he forgot to close it and somewhere between the plane and the ground he lost his kit. I couldn't even begin to imagine what a young man list in a strange country with a strange language could be thinking and feeling . . . His pilot was killed in the crash. So he hid out for three days until he got so hungry that he finally approached a Frenchman for help. Neither of them spoke each others language and the Frenchman thought that Neil wanted to surrender so he led him back to the crash site where Neil, upon seeing that there was German soldiers every where, turned tail and in his own words"I just ran like hell and didn't look back." Neil was hiding out with some men in the basement of a house in France, when one night they overheard the owners talking. Neil understood some of what they were saying. The owners were going to turn them into the Germans; they got out of there as soon as they could. Neil hooked up with the French Underground and spent his time doing reconnaissance work. Eventually Neil got word back via a message with a returning plane that he was ok. After three and a half months it was time for Neil to try and get back to England. So off he went with about fifty miles to go, through enemy lines. At one point he was being chased by the Germans with dogs. He escaped by jumping over a bank, landing in some brambles, cutting his leg. He got to a safe house and was cleaned up and given shelter. While there Neil tells of them giving him, some home brew. He said the first shot really burnt, but the second one took away the pain in his leg. He eventually got picked up by a patrol and returned to a British camp. From there he returned to England where he worked with intelligence for a while. He later returned to flying, dropping food to the Dutch. The original missing in action telegram is on display down in front. When we were moving Neil and Doreen to Marsden we were having a drink and Allan Thomson asked Neil how many times he jumped with a parachute, Neil looked up with a slight grin and said . . . "just once" After getting back from France, Neil married Doreen Sindell on Sept. 2, 1944 in England. Denise was born in 1945, and that summer Peace was declared and Neil returned to Canada with his crew. Doreen and Denise came by boat later. Angela was also born in England, and later in Canada they were blessed with Carol, Susan, Ian, Jim and Lisa. Neil grew up in tough times. Things were hard, and you had to work harder. Neil was a bit of a hard ass in his younger years, when he had the kids work, he expected it to be done right the first time, or do it again. His children soon learned to do it right the first time. Neil's seven children sitting down in the front row have all been successful at what they have done. We in-laws would like to take credit for how well they've done, but I think we all know that it's them and their upbringing that have helped us in the things we have done. Thanks Neil. Neil worked at the Lashburn co-op before he and Doreen moved to the farm in 1950. I thank Brian for these words "Some people farm the land and love it, Neil loved the land and he farmed it." He respected the land and farmed it with pride. He seeded his crops every spring, and in the fall I saw him many times with his arm resting on the back of the truck in the dust watching the grain flow in the auger. A days work done. Even at eighty-two years old Neil still seeded and harvested a crop. Neil loved horses and always had them on the farm until three years ago. His favorite horse of all was "Jimmy". Neil told us that you could ride him from the farm into Lashburn to the dairy Neil's dad owned, release him and he would return to the farm on his own and vice versa. Neil the sportsman, where do you start? Neil always hunted and brought home deer meat. He would tell the kids at the table. It was beef. Raising no dummies, they soon figured out that if Neil wasn't eating it, it was wild. (He really didn't care for deer meat) I hate to own up to this, but I used to go deer hunting, and one evening I went out with Neil. I knew it was too dark, but we went anyway. All of a sudden Neil said there's one. You get it. Buck fever set in, and I took a few shot's with my gun with no luck. Neil said "here use mine, it has a scope "Bang, Bang . . . and I turned around and here's Neil hanging on the side of the truck laughing his ass off. You bugger I said, realizing it was a plywood deer, I'm the one standing here with a loaded gun and you're over there laughing . . . God did he laugh. Neil's involvement in hockey started on open air rinks where you shoveled the snow for an hour and then played hockey for two. He played for the Lashburn Flyers, and his time with them was CUL-MIN-ATED in winning the Saskatchewan Senior Men's championships. He also played with the Neilburg Monarchs for a number of years. Jim told me Sunday morning about how he used to go with his Dad to hockey games and be allowed into the dressing room, and how he was so in awe of these rugged hockey players, he said "man those guys were tough." Jim said the rink was always packed, so this little eight-year-old would wander over to stand in the corner and the fans would always prop him up so he could watch his Dad play hockey. When Neil stopped playing hockey, he took up refereeing and coaching, and for many years was on the executive of minor and senior hockey boards. Golf, what can I say about Neil and golfing . . . He loved it! In 1974 some of the family went to Prince George for a holiday, and they talked Neil and Doreen into coming. "Well maybe for the day," Neil said. He hardly ever stayed away from the farm overnight; he had done this trip before, and returned home the same day, 24 hours of driving. Anyway, the girls talked him into staying the night to go golfing in the morning. We thought we'll finally show the old boy how to golf. Well, with his now Trademark half baseball swing he promptly got the hang of it and surprised everyone. Upon returning home after his day off, Neil went back to the farm. A Short time later Ralph Watson and Don Graham talked him into going for a round of golf, and the rest is history. At fifty years old, Neil had found a new sport to excel in. Neil accumulated many trophies, and even went to the Legion Provincials many times. Neil the volunteer. Can anyone here think of someone who did more? We all thank you Neil. He was asked to go on boards, council and committees he gave of his time and his equipment to any project that needed it, whether it was for Lashburn or Neilburg I'm sure everyone remembers the time Neilburg had a Skate-a-Thon, everyone was busy gathering their pledges, so much a lap. Well Neil cleaned up in the fundraising and at fifty some years old, skated one hundred laps, backwards . . . repeat, backwards. I talked about tough, there you go. Neil never told his children to volunteer, but through his example, everyone of them is involved with their communities. Neil had a knack for fundraising. He'd go door to door, or to a mall and sit for hours selling tickets. But he was most famous for selling his "dollar" tickets. Across the coffee shop he'd say, hey Joe, you owe me a dollar (no I don't) Neil would say well, yes, I see your name on this ticket here. It wasn't very often the ticket was refused. It got to the point that when Neil would walk into the coffee shop people would pull out their loonies, even if he didn't have any tickets with him. "Just put my name on it when you get some they'd say." Neil used to tease the Lashburn guys but he would throw their tickets in the river on the way home, it never happened, but it sure gave him a laugh. In 1990 Neil was given the Volunteer recognition award, along with Bill Hinch. He took humble pride in knowing that people had noticed, and were grateful, for his community spirit. Neil was a member of the Neilburg Legion for fifty-three years and took many positions in the organization. He always took part in Remembrance Day. Most often he would recite In Flanders Fields from memory. When I was president of the Legion and I'd ask for volunteers to get something done, Neil, in his unique way would raise his hand and say "Ill take care of that." He was also a Mason, in Lashburn and Marsden and went on to be Grand Master. Neil was a friend; he enjoyed working with people, and being around them. As time went on and Neil's family grew, he enjoyed the times we had a Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving. For many years, Neil and his brothers would get together every August long weekend and play golf for the Grandview Farms Cup, named after their dad's farm. Late one night Carol and I were awakened by a knock at the door. It was Neil, Smeryl, Millan, and Stewart Carruthers coming to visit at three a..m. As the night progressed, they insisted any of the family that wanted to come on August long weekend to golf with them were welcome. And that was the beginning of the Lamb Family Reunion Tradition. We have been gathering in Lashburn ever since to play for the Grandview Farms cup. The tournament cup even has Neil's Great Grand kids names on it. As Neil's grand children grew he would always take them golfing whether it was riding, driving or actually golfing with them, he loved every minute. In 2007 Neil wasn't feeling that well but at the reunion he wanted to golf with his daughters so a challenge was made to sons-in-law to take them on in a Texas scramble, so Allan made a deal to spot Neil and the girls a few points and away we went. The girls and Neil won. The part that really hurt was they didn't even need the extra points. Neil was proud of his girls . . . On Saturday, the family was sitting around reminiscing and I would like to share some of their stories with you. Angie talked of the time her and Denise were stacking bales, Neil was throwing the bales to them when a board on the wagon deck broke, and Neil fell through. The girls found that quite funny until Dad recovered and threw the bale up and knocked them both on their asses. Carol tells of the time when she and her Dad were cleaning the bar. She was leading the horse pulling the Freznal her Dad was handling, and when the edge caught it pulled Neil over face first into the cow shit. Well Carol thought this was very funny, and all her Dad said was "You can go to the house now" . . . she went. Neil had a real sense of humor no matter what he was involved in with the boys. At the golf course, his favorite gag was to release the straps holding his friends golf bags to their carts. It was funny when it fell off right away, but Neil thought it was hilarious when they'd be going down the fairway and the clubs and balls ended up scattered everywhere. We all dated the girls in the sixties when the roads weren't so great. I asked the brothers-in-law did Neil ever push your car out of the yard? Well, yes they said. Did he ever pull any of you in? No . . . we all laughed. Even though Neil hasn't been feeling very well this past year he enjoyed going for coffee with the boys in Neilburg and at the Lashburn Golf Course. He even went for a few holes of golf, just to get out with the guys. The family would like to thank all of Neils coffee and golfing buddies for all of the good times, Dad loved you and we thank you. Neil was a husband, a father, a farmer, a volunteer a neighbor, and most of all a friend. He did so much in the communities he cared about and everyone being here today is a testament to his life, and again we thank you for coming. Neil we love you and know that you are up in heaven playing golf, and if there's no golf course, we know you're raising the funds to build one. Good - bye Friend. Donations may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes or the Heart & Stroke Foundation.