听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 Merle George Chapman passed away at the age of 84 years in Carlyle, Saskatchewan, on Saturday, November 7, 2015.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Merle is survived by his wife, Joan; children, Clay (Colleen), Connie (Robert) Matity, Leanne (Robert) Collins; siblings, Marj (Bud) Askin, Gary (Diane) Chapman, Rick (Marvin) Rolufs, Sandra (Mike) Evans; grandchildren, Kyle, Karla, Deanna (Taylor), Ryan (Kelsey), Leysa (Ian), Jonathan, Aimee-Lyn, Dana, Adam, Sherri, Jennifer; great-grandchildren, Elaina, Barrett; daughter-in-law, Bonnie. Predeceased by his son, David.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Merle completed grade 9 in Arcola School before deciding to go farming with his dad. He knew a time to dance as he fell in love and, on October 26, 1955 in the United Church Manse, married Joan Olive Askin. They lived in Arcola at first and Merle drove a tractor back and forth to the farm. They moved to the Floyd Marsh farm in the fall of 1957. Merle rented this farm for 14 years before purchasing it.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Merle and Joan had a family of four 鈥� Clay Anthony, Constance Louise, David Merle and Leanne Joan. In 1971 an addition was built to his father鈥檚 house and Merle, Joan and family moved to the George Chapman farm.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Merle was a successful mixed farmer who turned his hand to everything from cattle and sheep to chickens and pigs. He always milked a cow and the family enjoyed fresh milk and cream as well as eggs. They were pretty much self-sufficient growing or raising their own meat and produce. One year he calved out between 50 and 60 head without losing a single calf! In addition to farming, he worked as a sheep sheerer and hail insurance adjustor.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Merle鈥檚 green thumb wasn鈥檛 just limited to his farming operation. He was an avid gardener and was notorious for his insistence that, no matter how long they might be, rows must be STRAIGHT. If you didn鈥檛 do it right the first time, you might find yourself doing it over again. In addition to eggs, he sold corn and other garden vegetables locally. He also enjoyed growing flowers and exhibited grain, vegetables and flowers at the local agricultural fair. Even this year he grew his own garden with Clay鈥檚 help. As an accomplished farmer and gardener, he knew many times to plant as well as many times to reap.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Merle was a dedicated community servant. He was on the Wheatpool Board, the Arcola Town Council, the Agricultural Fair Board 鈥� he worked the gates for many years, member of the Oddfellows, active in the local seniors鈥� center. He was a generous community supporter. As his children grew up, he supported their activities, coaching and umping ball. A dedicated family man, Merle was always present for graduations, convocations, baptisms, weddings, sporting events. When the grandchildren were little, he told them stories, making them up as he went along. Although he just had a grade 9 education, his math skills were the envy of those who had to reach for a pen and paper or calculator.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Merle especially enjoyed holidays when all the family got together. He took his role as meat carver very seriously and woe betide anyone who tried to usurp the position!
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Merle enjoyed a variety of sports. He loved fishing and made several trips north to Jan Lake with friends and family. In his younger days he curled and worked as maintenance man for the local rink. He was an ardent supporter of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Arcola-Kisbey Combines and the Saskatchewan Roughriders, not necessarily in that order. Clearly he was no fair weather fan and remained loyal no matter what. He held Roughrider season tickets for many years. He travelled many miles to watch the Arcola-Kisbey Combines play hockey.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 In the fall of 1995, Merle and Joan bought a home in Arcola. After retiring they enjoyed travelling. They took some cruises, made some bus trips and thoroughly enjoyed meeting and making new friends wherever they went. He especially enjoyed the Panama Canal cruise and going through the locks.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Merle loved going to auctions, proudly bringing home many bargains that were just too good to resist, often to Joan鈥檚 dismay. He loved dogs and Clay鈥檚 dog Rudy recognized Grandpa鈥檚 truck and was always waiting for the dog treats that Merle carried just for him.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Throughout his life, Merle experienced many 鈥渢imes to laugh.鈥� Merle was a dedicated coffee row member and went at least twice a day to keep up with local news. They visited many different casinos and even after Merle鈥檚 license was restricted, managed to get up to the Bear Claw occasionally.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Despite failing health this past year, Merle enjoyed three high points 鈥� his 84th birthday party on April 5th, Lisa鈥檚 wedding in Regina, and his and Joan鈥檚 Diamond anniversary in October 鈥� 60 years of marriage.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 In addition to the cancer that he fought successfully for many years, Merle was afflicted with Parkinson鈥檚 and this affected his balance. In June, Merle nearly died with a heart attack, but he returned home and resumed his role as Joan鈥檚 caregiver which he considered to be his responsibility and privilege. He and Joan moved into Moose Mountain Lodge in Carlyle and he continued to care for her as long as possible. As his own health declined, his frustration was not just with his own failing strength, but with his inability to look after Joan. The prospect of death did not worry him, but not being here to take care of Joan agitated and worried him greatly. His last days were shadowed because of this, but in the end, Merle left us peacefully. It鈥檚 particularly hard for us to leave this world when we feel that we have unfinished business. There is no doubt that life will be even more difficult for Joan without her life-long companion and closest friend. But cancer is a relentless opponent and it makes no concessions.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Merle lived a long, very full life. As a farmer and gardener he knew all about planting and nurturing seeds so that they mature, produce and died. Only then can the crop be harvested. Plants must die to bring forth seed for next year鈥檚 crop. He has achieved that final 鈥渢ime for peace.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 A special thanks to the Allan Blair Cancer Clinic, Arcola Home Care, Moose Mountain Lodge, Orsted Funeral Home in Carlyle, Reverend David Koshy and Reverend Michelle Moore, the United Church Ladies for the lunch at Prairie Place Hall, and all of our family and friends.
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