Obituary of Ernest Burgess

In Memory of Ernest Burgess Ernie Burgess was born in 1911 in Rhode Island and came to Canada in 1912 with his parents and brother. They settled on a quarter section near Cavalier. In 1919 his dad passed away and life was different for them. Ernie had four years of schooling and then had to work wherever he could to help his mother. They had to sell their farm and move to many places - Turtleford, Spruce Lake and Paradise Hill. Ernie would ride horse back to Butte St. Pierre for mail and supplies. At 15 years old he came to Dulwich to work for Armand Audoom's threshing outfit. During the winter he would cut wood to sell and would receive $1.50 a cord after cutting and hauling 16 cords to a railroad car at Dulwich. In 1930 Ernie was able to own land of his own. In 1932 he married Liela Hansen; they built a house and settled south of Daysville School. Their daughters Dorothy, Irene and Helen were born there. Liela and Ernie worked hard together, at one time having a market garden at Cochin - hard work and little pay Ernie said. Everyone remembers Ernie's ingenious ideas of creating tractors and snow blowing equipment from old vehicles. He cleared lots of land and received the crop in payment. One time he rode a tractor to Saskatoon, traded it for a small caterpillar and from North Battleford home he rode the Cat cross country. In 1949 they moved into Mervin and lived in the Ed Stewart house near the old hall. He kept his machines in the old Millar blacksmith shop and later moved that building to where he now lives. In 1954 he went up north to bring out logs and rented a mill to prepare lumber for their new home. He built a steel shed to work in and has made a name for himself doing custom welding for people near and far. Leila passed away in 1971 after a long bout with cancer. In his 88th years Ernie was still very active in his shop, had a big vegetable garden plus raspberries and strawberries and in his kitchen he has a table full of beautiful African violets of all colors. In his later years he enjoyed driving his truck or getting a ride with kindly friends for coffee twice a day. He also expressed appreciation for the visits of family members and friends. In the spring of 2008 when he was 97 years old, he moved into the lodge in Turtleford and gave up driving his truck in favor of a fancy scooter to go for coffee and drive around Turtleford. He was predeceased by his wife Liela; daughter and son-in-law - Irene and Alex McCullough Jr.; brother and sister-in-law Bert and Cora Burgess, brother Lester and brother in law Ruben Martinsen. He leaves to mourn: Two daughters Dorothy (Alex) Gory, Helen (Jim) Bowbyes, one sister Millie Martinsen, plus numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.