STOUGHTON - Wayne Kendall is a sweet, soft-spoken man who has lived in Stoughton for over 60 years.
He was born and raised on a farm south of Benson, where he went to the Bryant Country School. This was a one-room schoolhouse that he attended until Grade 9. Then he shifted to high school in Benson, where he graduated Grade 12.
From there, Kendall went to the University of Saskatchewan to get his geological engineering degree.
During this time, he also met the love of his life, Myrna.
They married in 1960, and because Kendall did not want to leave his wife to go north and work, he changed his mind, entered the teachers' program, and got his degree in education.
Kendall was hired by the Arcola School Division and began teaching in Stoughton in 1962.
They moved to the town and lived in the houses that was supplied by the school for the teachers. He first lived in a small house across from Stoughton Central School, moved once more, and then a house was built for him and he moved there. He remains in that home to this day.
After a while the school no longer supplied houses for the teachers, so Kendall and his wife bought the house.
Kendall became the principal at the school for 25 years and while doing his principal duties, he taught high school students math and science. Once he was finished as principal, he taught high school for another five years.
He coached volleyball and hardball while playing hardball in the summer and enjoying curling in the winter, entering many bonspiels throughout the years.
Myrna was a typist for the local newspaper, but when her daughter Dawn and son David were born, she became a stay-at-home mom.
The couple had a love for gardening and a greenhouse is still located in the their backyard. Each year it is filled with tomato plants. Myrna planted pumpkins by a trellis to have them grow up the sides, so the large orange balls would hang down like huge lights.
The family encountered challenging times when their son David was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which causes uncontrollable tremors, making walking a task. He's only able to take small, short steps. At times it will cause a person to shuffle their feet, having the inability to pick up their feet. It can also affect speech, making it difficult for others to understand what they are saying.
Although Dawn now lives in Indian Head, David lives in Toronto, close to major hospitals.
Kendall and Myrna were married nearly 60 years. Myrna passed away from a fall but had also battled leukemia a few years prior.
Today Kendall passes his time watching the Edmonton Oiler games and riding his stationary bike to keep his legs mobile. He rides for three miles each day.
In the summer, he will once again plant his tomatoes so he can make his homemade tomato juice and stewed tomatoes. His pumpkins will go where Myrna always planted them.
He will sit and watch the neighbours come and go, but they often stop in to say hi.
He admits life is lonelier now without his wife, but he will enjoy the life that he is given. He is grateful for wonderful and caring neighbours that make his days better.
