Shaun Newman Podcast - SNP Archives #24 - Don Whiting

Episode Date: July 7, 2021

Born & raised in Lloydminster we walk through Don's life. We discuss local history, growing up on a small farm,  his passion for photography & working with the McCaw's Funeral Home.    Let me know what you think Text me 587-217-8500

This is Glenn Healing. Hi, this is Braden Holby. This is Daryl Sutterin. Hi, this is Brian Burke. This is Jordan Tutu. This is Keith Morrison. This is Kelly Rudy. Hi, this is Scott Hartnell.

Hey, everybody. My name is Steele-Fer. This is Tim McAuliffe of Sportsnet, and you're listening to the Sean Newman podcast. Welcome to the podcast, folks. Happy Wednesday, Hump Day. Hope everybody's having a great week, man. Is summer starting to blow by already? I hate to even put that thought in your head, but geez, it's getting to be the midpoint in July.

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I've seen it firsthand through the sports teams I've played on. The recent initiative we did with the Bike for Breakfast Group, raising money for the breakfast programs in Lloyd and surrounding communities. Crude Master always steps up, and that's a huge hat off to Heath and Tracy and family over at Crude Master. They always do what is right for our community and put their best foot forward at all times. I'm looking forward to seeing what Crudmaster

does next. HSI group, they are the local oil field burners and combustion experts that can help make sure you have a compliant system working for you. The team also offers security, surveillance, and automation products for residential, commercial, livestock, and agricultural applications. They use technology to give you peace of mind so you can focus on the things that truly matter. Stopping at 8902.502.2nd Street or give Broder-eer-Chemicall at 306, 825-603-10. Chris Weeb and Kiva Concrete, open for business, specializing in commercial, agricultural, and residential, and they do, well, I mean, they do pretty much everything.

Basement floors, driveways, sidewalks, patios, garage pads, shops, barns, and countertops. Have you been on the Spiro's patio? They're a brand new one? Yeah, I guess who did the cement work on that one? Essentially, if you can dream it, they can do it. Give the boys a call at 780-871-1083. If you're looking for outdoor signage, head no further than read and write advertising. they've done an excellent job with the SMP billboard, of course.

They did my wall quote and the SMP logo in the office, and they frosted my window. So they've done me a lot of great work over the course of a couple years, and, well, they're top-notch. So if you're looking for any work, stop in and see, read them right. They'll get you hooked up. Gartner Management is a Lloydminster-based company specializing all types of rental properties to meet your needs, whether you're looking for a small office or a 6,000 square-foot commercial space, give Wade Gartner a call at A 780808, 5025,

and if you're heading into any of these businesses, let them know the podcast, sent you that way. And let's get on to that T-Barr-1 tale of the tape. Born and raised in Loimminster, history enthusiast, photographer, volunteer, family man, and community pillar,

talking about Don Whiting. So buckle up. Here we go. Okay, so November 22nd, 2020, sitting with Don Whiting. So first off, thanks for coming in and sitting down with me. Pleasure. I heard good things about your podcast and recording local history.

So thank you. Yeah, well, I'm glad you haven't listened to any because I don't mean that as a slight. What I mean that is, is I feel like you're in for an experience. I hope I provide a good experience for you because you honestly have no idea what's coming for you. And I search out, though, like when you have the opportunity to do something, for the first time and have really no idea what you're getting yourself in and then be pleasantly surprised. How many times does that happen in your life? Well, it's probably the, it's probably the Coke and the meal afterwards that I'm looking forward to here. Thank you for that.

Now, the way we start this all out is I want to know where you, uh, where you grew up and maybe some things from your childhood that are kind of like first memories, uh, whether it was growing up on the farm or in town or, you know, what you did for work, play. It is going to be a test, isn't it? Yes, it is. Yeah, we're going to dig into that mind ears. I want to get in between the ears, so to speak. No, we're just raised on the farm, four miles north, only child, and dad had bought that

place in the 40s from Mrs. Wetton. Actually, the lady that wrote the book, The Promise Land, about Lloyd history. and so he bought that. His former home was just up at the 6th Mount Corner where my grandparents came in 06. Grandma came in 08. And so that's where I was raised, Warren in 45,

and still in the same place. What do you remember about those earlier? Like, obviously 45, the war ends. You obviously don't have any members of 45, but, you know, in those early years, call it 1950 when you're five or between five and eight,

what was life like? What were you doing? At that age, no worries. You know, things were good, had everything we needed. Looking back, you know, things weren't as easy as they are now, that's for sure. How so? Well, Dad would have to go harness the horse

to feed the cattle, that type of thing. Not me, but that, type of thing. And, you know, then worked up to and got a tractor and could be the cattle that way. Did you have power on the old farm when you first? Not till, I don't know the year for sure, but not until mid 50. Mid 50. 5.

Do you remember that day? Kind of. I certainly remember the Coil of lamps, you know, on the table. That I certainly do. I remember the, you know, having to get wood for the cookstone. and then it was really neat when Dad came home one day with a diesel stove for the living room. And then the job after that was to bring fuel up for probably once a day to put in the tank on hit. You had to bring up fuel to put in the tank?

From the tank down at the bottom of the hill, yeah. And the well, we had a well. It was no such thing as water flowing freely like it does now. I had to bring it in from outside. Just seeing Roger here earlier reminded me of the days when, well, it would be late 60s, I think, when the city wanted to, we own the land and still do own the land on the Alberta side of the highway. And the city wanted to bring water from the north of Saskatchewan into town. but they needed to cross farmers land all the way from the river right up to Lloyd. And so we were able to, it wasn't an easy job, but the city finally relented and let the farmers along the way attached to the line.

So that made life really easy. And they had a pipe across the road underneath. So you're at, on the farm, you guys are tapped into the water main that brings all the water from the river. Right. That was one of the things that farmers kind of got together and the city said no to start with and then farmers got together and that was granted. Had to get together to get that concession. So some didn't want it on the way up, but some did. We still have it. Now, we don't use it now, but for drinking, built a new house and it's further away. The old house still has pike water in. You know, when you, I get to do a lot of these,

so I get to reminisce about these old days. Good. And the no running water to me is always fascinating because it's just something that, well, you just went and, you know. Went outside. Had an outhouse. Right. And which sounds all lovely and dandy.

When we built the new house, we even moved that old, hadn't been used for many, many years, even moved that old outhouse over by the garden just for old time's sake. Yeah, just for a nice keepsake. Not sure how many more years it's going to last. The old shitter, so to speak. Too hoar. What did you do for fun back then?

What was it? What was like? Fun. Yeah. Fun. Fun. I don't know. It just kind of took care of itself.

Didn't have any neighbors. Not until. school time, school, went to West Dean School, which was just... A one-room school house? Yeah. How far away from that? Right at the four-mile corner. Half a mile so, two miles west, and right on the corner.

It's an acreage now for somebody. I always love hearing. Did you walk? Did you ride a horse? I do remember walking, but mostly it was bicycle. Oh, rode your bike? Yeah. Now, was it two miles uphill and two miles uphill on the way back as well?

Not quite like that story goes, but one year of the snow, grade three, teacher stayed at our place, Ms. Tyler, and the snow got so bad that in the winter it, dad always drove me and the teacher. But it was so bad that one time, the only way to get to the school was to hitch the tractor to the old manure spreader, and we rode in the back. sure much to her to Smey. Well, it was. But got there anyway. Where did the teacher live compared to you? Well, for that, for that winter, she stayed at our place. Oh, so you guys boarded a teacher? Yeah. You know, I don't know where other teachers lived, to tell you the truth, over the years. I was only there for grade one to five.

grade six came to Lloyd, Queenie School, my boss then. What did you think of having a teacher live with you? She was, no problem. Just outgoing. Yeah, she was kind of fun. I always think. I'm not sure about the day according to the manure spreader, but. When you're at the one-room school host,

Did you have obviously no electricity, I assume? No, right. So everything was by lamp? Yeah, I guess so. If it was in, like the old schools, you'll notice when you see them around the country, most of them had a wall of windows on the south side, and that was for both light and allowing a little more sun heat in. So I don't read, of course, it was a stove at the back.

that usually it was always some student that lived close. It was his job to probably, and you read that. When you see this old senior magazine that comes out of Saskatchewan, when you see the school stories, there was probably one family or a kid close that had to be there early to stoke up the fire. And bringing the water? Yep.

That wasn't you? The water, no, never had to do that. You know, like the typical. barrel-shaped water cooler that would be at the back of the room with a little push-button chrome thing on it to get water for drinking. Were you always fascinated? Two out-hoses, we're back, of course. Two out-houses?

Yeah, it has to be one for boy and one for girls. I think in modern times, they actually had them connected. I think boy and girl were in the same one with a wall. What were you going to say, Sean? I was going to ask you, you're a... all over the books I read now of Lloyd as a photographer and you've taken tons of pictures. Was that something as a kid you were interested in? Slightly.

Yeah. Even early on had a bit of an interest, but never to go, you know, pro or anything like that. It was always kind of a fun thing to do. Although a number of years ago we did get doing, you know, weddings and grads and all that. event I really like do an event photography

and it kind of matured a bit but that's all it was for you you just enjoyed capturing some yeah I kind of

if we were doing this interview at home I'd show you picture after picture tons of albums of different topics and focal history and you know what's your favorite part

a local history. Oh, the history history. What's the history history history? Well, events that have happened over the years and how we got to where we are now, right from when the bar colonists came in 03 to like nothing, nothing, and made a go of it. To me, that's fascinating.

And then built a town, a village and a town, and still here. I'm always quite disappointed when I see one of the nice historic buildings, maybe be in jeopardy or knocked down even. You know, we still have some fine buildings in downtown Lloyd. They're downtown because that was the core of the city, and that's where the commerce developed. But, you know, there's some beautiful buildings, like where the old post office is, the clock tower building, the one on the south side. side used to be a bank building and you know beautiful had two columns out front like European architecture and it gets all covered over with some crap gray stuff and the

columns disappear and the ornamentation on the building disappear but the solid the building is still there I mean it's a good brick building but I suppose nowadays you could even have an outhouse and it wouldn't meet code so that's one of the problems with saving stuff nowadays is there's so many code restrictions that some stuff doesn't meet it anymore and

it seems like it gets knocked down rather than effort to save. How did we get on this? We were talking about going to school. Welcome to the podcast, by all. You're just wondering. No, I'm fascinated.

You're a guy who's studied our local history a lot. I don't know if I studied and I appreciated it and you know by appreciating something you've invested time into reading about it and searching out different things yeah it's really interesting like around Lloyd well there was a couple of books early on one called Fort Pitt Trail that kind of just in if all the districts would have done the history books the same time that what was her name can't think of the author's name right now then a lot more history would have been saved. But just about every area around Lloyd has done a history book.

And even some of them are updating them now. Like Manitou Lake updated theirs last year. I think it was two volumes, painting updated theirs. Curtis Valley, I think. And so, you know, could have been done a little earlier even. It's still interesting to go back and see some of those names. So what is it for history then? You enjoy so much?

I don't know. Just, you should have given me a list of questions here. I could have studied that. I don't know. It just seems like it's interesting to me. Why? I don't know. Maybe because I never thought I'd live this long.

I don't know. Well, what are you at? You're 55, 75? We'll be soon. We'll be soon. When's your birthday? December 13th. Ooh.

Are you getting me something? No, I don't. Well, maybe. I don't know. Maybe next time you're in here, I'll have a frosty beverage to take the edge off for you. Get the whole stories. Get the real stories.

What are the real stories, Don? No, I don't think there's anything that it's going to be, I don't think there's anything that's going to be not told. So you jumped from, where'd you go? I was on a, I was on a roll there one time. Oh, you're, you're staring. You jumped. You know, you say if I had.

Well, he started at Dave McCaw. I wanted to. You said, you said, I wish. I wish I had a list of all these questions so I could have prepared for it. I go, how would I possibly know that you got to have a deep love of history without actually having the questions in front of it? I can't know what questions I'm going to ask until I listen to you. I guess, and when you talk about history, that's why I guess got involved with, oh, years

ago, Richard Larson and Colin Wright and Gordon Hudson kind of invited me to be part of the group that was involved with the origins of the Richard Larson Bar Colony Museum. And not just kind of, it's always fun to see and gather the artifacts that early settlers here used. And the museum kind of still continues. Be interesting to see in this 10-year sleep they're having. Hiatus?

Good word. Hiatus. that hopefully it'll continue in even a better form herein. There'll be some parts missing that I know a lot of people will be disappointed about, especially the wildlife display. Here are lots of comments about that. Ten years is a long time. Yeah, yep, yep.

Things will change in 10 years. So, yeah, and then the involvement of Lloyd having it, their 100th anniversary in 2003 was involved with activities there. Well, you mentioned you go from school out on the farm, right, the one-room school, to all of a sudden riding the bus coming to Lloyd. Oh, okay. I'm assuming that had to have been, well, I remember riding the bus as a kid myself. I certainly enjoyed the bus.

Yeah, no problem, that. You go from riding your bike to a one-room schoolhouse to all of a sudden hopping on the school bus, riding the, I don't know, 10, 15 minutes to the school, whatever it was back then. Which was really good where we lived because it was the last one on and the first one off. Perfect. Unlike some country kids, about hours on the bus, you know. What did you think of going to the new school, the bigger school, more kids? It started out at Queenie School, grade six there.

No, fine, Mrs. Bexfield was a teacher. Had to behave in her class. You use, I'm going to tell you this right now, you're using one of the words in the English dictionary, I hate the most, fine. Fine is a terrible word. Terrible, terrible word. Where did I use that?

He said it was fine. I'm wondering, I'm wondering, you go through. There was, as a kid going from one-room schoolhouse, bike in there, self-purpulsion, bad days, the teacher living with you, to hop it on a school bus and getting trooped off to Lloyd. There was other kids, so, you know. That had to have been a big excitement, wasn't it?

A few from Westing area, yeah? Oh, it was good. And it's good better than fine, yeah. I'll train you. Good, good it, good. So then that was grade six, seven, and half of eight. Because when we were half of eight, the junior high was built. And so then we did it wasn't quite ready for so in that half of eight we ended up our class,

I ended up taking class in the hallway at the old high school. We had to take a cloud, I don't remember that found the old entrance to the gym to the, you know, the gym downstairs. You had to come in that southwest door, go along a concourse, go down the stairs and around. and get into the gym. But our class was up on that concourse and for half a year until ES Laird was completed.

And then we moved, we were the first class into E.S. Laird there. Well, junior high. Then it got named ES Laird later years. And then high school for 10, 11, 12. And then took vocational agriculture in U.S. So why U of S? No, it seemed to have the program.

Yeah, no, a couple other friends were going there too, so that made it easy. Not good, not fine either. I'm glad you're catching up. So you go to Saskatoon. Right. Was that a jump? Did that seem, you're moving away from home for the first time? Yeah, maybe a bit.

I don't know. It was fine? I wasn't stressed. It was good. I wasn't stressed about it. No. What do you take your two years, being away from home, being in university? Just part of growing up.

More, you know, freedom. Still, there wasn't a whole lot of time. Unlike, a few of us, unlike other university and kids that go to us to university, we didn't have a wild time or anything like that. It was just, and didn't have much money to spend either on, you know, entertainment or stuff like that. So it is. You stay in the dorms?

No. Yeah. First year stayed right in Kirk Hall on the university campus. And the second year stayed at a place on 8th Street house that we. Rent. I was able to find, yeah. You know, lots of people come in here and they talk about, we didn't have the money or the means. around this town for the last, what would we call it?

20 years, whatever number you want to put the, it's been a very prosperous town. Yes. There's been money here. Yeah, for sure. And for a lot of kids, if they ever listen to us, they won't understand we didn't have the money. So what does we didn't have the money mean when you went to university

where you had more freedom, but even with the freedom, you just didn't have enough means to really... No, I think you're dead on. I go to movies and that, that type of thing. Came home every two or three weeks on a weekend. Did you get in any trouble, Don? No. No, truthfully, didn't.

Went to school, came home, slept. Basically. Wasn't involved in sports or anything, so. Well, how do you get in, you know, we started before we got going. You bring up the macaws. a lot. Oh yeah, yeah. So is that the first, when do you get involved in that? Is that after high school, after college?

That was in 1967. So I'd met Dave at the Dale Carnegie course, and he just happened to mention, and we kind of got talking a bit about different things, and he said, you know, I'm looking for somebody. I said, well, possibly. Asked Dad if there was time I could, yeah. But I, he wanted me for ambulance work, which meant I had to, I hadn't taken a first aid course before that.

So that was the first thing. I think Vic Jubo was a teacher on my very first course. And so took the first aid course. Sorry, Vic Jubo was teaching first aid? Yeah. And that was my first. first aid and that was all the requirements were at that time but unbeknownst to me he really wanted me he was starting up an operation in North Battleford ambulance business there and that's

where he really wanted me but I said like that not really going to work because I you know we still have cattle to feed at home and everything and So anyway, so I was there, did local ambulance. I hate to interrupt. When you say local ambulance, are you talking the funeral home? Yeah, yeah. Like years ago, lots of funeral homes had the ambulance service too, not just because Mokos, lots did.

And why, you're going to say. Yeah. And probably because they had vehicles that were appropriate for moving patients. Now, the first thing you're thinking of is a hearse, but they also had station wagons and such, too. So you get hired on to work in an ambulance as an EMT? Wasn't EMT then. Just, no, that came later years. So did ambulance there for a while, then how did we get started with hospital ambulance service?

Lloyd Ambulance went through a cofuffle for a number of years. Dave, Dave finally said he's not doing it anymore. It was, there was no money in it, he wasn't going to do it. So then the city contracted out to some scrupulous operators for a few years, and that didn't work. And then the hospital started their own ambulance, and I was able to work with them under Lloyd Ambulance service. service. And then what happened next here? Then it went private. I might have that mixed up. Maybe it was still private when Larry Kendall owned it. Then the hospital owned it. Anyway, kind of a progression there. Okay. Something here I've missed because you went to school, you went to university to become, what was you?

Farmer. Farm. Farm. Just farm. Vocational agriculture. Right. Basically farmer. Then you take a first aid course. and now you become an ambulance driver? Yeah, attendant. So Bessie out on the farm or in apartment buildings having a heart attack and you show up and haul her off? Well, there was always two people. Sure.

Minimum. But am I that far off? What? No. You get a call, somebody's having health problems, broken arm. After some, yeah, training. Yes. Really?

What? What? Can't you under, I'll try and explain my... I didn't show up in blue jeans with bull poop on my foot. No, no, no, no, no. I don't, I don't mean it that way. I mean it, I mean it, I guess, here's where my surprise comes from, is in today's world, we have EMTs that go to...

Take courses. That's right. More and more courses. More and more and more. Yeah. And never ending, actually, if you want. Yes. Okay.

And then took the MT course. It was offered through Sate in Calgary. Back then, you'd call it online. It was basically in the basement of the old Meridian school. On 50th there, they were hooked up to Sate in Calgary, and it was all done on computer then. And then they'd come up and do the practical portions of the course. So I can't remember what year that was.

How many years have you worked with macaws? This is my 53 years of macaws. Didn't think I was that old, did you? Well, I... No. So then funerals and then they still call me. 53 years isn't dating you. I'm not worried about the age part of it.

53 years, Don, is for most people in today's, world is a lifetime to work for anyone is like five years. Now, working for, working for McAffeanil Service is different than working for any other job because they're, they're so accommodating, they're so flexible. You know, I still take quite a bit of, here we are, what year, 20, 20, and they're probably getting more removal call. They put me on call nights quite a bit, you know, like for the other job that, you know, nothing do with amends, of course, but for funerals and night calls and pickups and removals from

hospitals and homes and whatever. Is that tough work? It's interesting work. It's, you know, you feel the compassion for the families who have just lost somebody. Never easy no matter what. You say interesting. Yes. I think difficult when I hear interesting, but maybe I'm wrong with that association. I guess experience might make that difference. 53 years of that obviously enjoyed working either for macaws or working for macaws plus the work. Like, because you never just went to farming full-time. Well, kind of, yeah.

Yeah, kind of. Like, macaws wasn't full-time. It was part-time. Part-time. And farming was full-time, so full-time plus sometimes. Well, they were pretty good about working around my life and still are. There's a surprise for me. I had no idea you did that for 53 years.

Yeah. Let's see, what's tonight? I think I'm on call tonight, actually, now you mention it. Really? So. I'm sure you can't really talk about those experiences of any of the calls you've had, but being on call. That type of being on call is different than my idea of being on call.

Being on call for my work is you get a phone call and you deal with a customer and maybe it's the same thing. I don't know. I just look at... Same here, just different. Just something that has to be done. Because they're so caring, caring people. I think that rubbed off on me, I hope. But just to stick with this for a few more minutes.

Because I can see you glancing at the sheet and you're going, well, I'm thinking we're forgotten something. There's nothing to forget. I do want to admit, okay, carry on. No. I'll interview you first. What are you saying? What do you want to ask?

Well, I want to ease your mind. There's no such thing as we miss something or forgot something. This is the journey right here. Certainly. So stay with me in the moment, so to speak. Certainly. In saying that, if there's something that you want to make sure, Sure. Please pass along.

Actually, it kind of blends in with all this. Sure, we'll fire away. Because of the years in ambulance and then working for hospital ambulance, three of us, the ambulance manager, Graham Howey and Norm Namier, who also, you'll know that name locally, we all work together doing ambulance. Graham was a manager. But one day Graham calls us into the office and says,

you know, one thing isn't really working here. and like, now what? And he says, you know, we keep using tow trucks when we're going out to collisions, we're keep using tow trucks, having to wait for tow trucks to come and pull vehicles apart. And he said, we can do that better nowadays.

And so Lions Club donated a set of Jaws for us. That was the first thing. But Graham suggested, why don't we, why don't we start a rescue squad in Lloyd? There wasn't one. No other group was doing that. And so raised a bit of money, about an old oil field, oily oil field truck that got cleaned up really nice and got tools in there. And that's when we started doing actual vehicle rescue and extrication. And, you know, the rescue squad continues to this day. And it's just impressed. I'm not involved active anymore. But it's important. But it's important. of the equipment they have and the calls they get, like they're underwater rescue and their dog. They have one girl that's good with dogs and more care dog than anything, but they

diversified so much and dedicated to the community. And then as a result of seeing so many collisions where people were injured and hurt, I started doing a I put together pictures from some of the collisions we did just to show people that, especially students, it was aimed at students, that don't realize the severity of a collision. You're sitting in a vehicle and you got no seat belt and all of a sudden that vehicle hits another vehicle and everything in that car doesn't matter whether it's you or the dirt on the floor or your ice cream cone or the coffee that was sitting next to you, all goes forward until it hits. it's something and that something is probably going to be the steering wheel or the windshield or the dashboard and so anyway I put a slide show together and for a number of years took that around to schools in Alberta and Saskatchewan and conference student conferences and sad groups and that type of thing I really enjoyed that and I still get the odd I still get the odd person says oh I

seen your show back and whatever year and said with you know that made a difference they said in my life Well, you think driving is probably, and you probably have the statistics on it, I bet, but driving has got to be statistically one of the most dangerous things we do on a daily basis. And yet it becomes so commonplace or mundane or whatever word you want to use

to make it normal that we don't even think about it anymore. Yeah, absolutely. You know, I'm surprised when there's still people that don't wear a seatbelt because it's infringing on their rights. Not so much like it did when the first came in. But, no, there's ways to protect yourself.

You remember when the seatbelt, sorry, first came in? Yep, yep. No, there's never a problem for me. Always wear them, still do. If you don't, for some reason you drive, pull out and everyone, you haven't gone on. Oh, crap. But I don't ever, hardly ever,

forget. It's just natural. Get in click. Hope you're the same. Actually, absolutely. Yeah, good. It's the seatbelt, to me, other than the, when you're out on the farm, I guess, and driving through a field and you're checking cattle or something. To me, you know, I got my thoughts on that. But when you hop on, you know, the road to work or through the city or whatever, yeah, absolutely, it clicks in. I try and think of a world before when that wasn't so commonplace. I actually find it humorous.

Actually, I find it humorous that people would still fight it because I just don't see the... It isn't an inconvenience, really. I don't see an inconvenience, and it has been proven to save lives. The show was a combination of a seatbelt use and impaired driving. They're both obvious nowadays.

There's still people. So when you first formed the rescue squad, Three of us. Were you on the rescue squad then going out? Yeah, all three of us. And then we gathered more people that were interested. I think we had a group of eight there in the early years. And were you going out quite often for that?

Not like, no, not like they do now. I think it's eased off now. It's just, you know, the times we're going through. And the oil field, not as busy as it used to be. No, I don't think they're doing the calls it used to. You can see that. But you still get the, oh, there's a semi-jackknife in the ditch, or there's rollover on the curve,

or there's all that kind of stuff too still, but not like it used to be. Once again, I find myself thinking, you've seen some things then and some pretty, like, tough things to deal with. I assume, you know, teenagers, young, kids, families, like, you name it. And your life has been, you know, surrounded by a tough part of life, which is with

death and destruction and... Well, seen a lot of tragic, you know, tragedy, thank you. Teens in, you know, teens, you get to a scene and there's a young lad, never going to go anywhere again. And it kind of hits you. You go home that night. After the call and you get thinking about it, you know, if you just had a stupid seatbelt on, you'd be getting up in the morning.

I just can't, you know, it just buzzed me how, how tragic that is for the families that lose young people. And it's not as bad anymore, I don't think. Now, now you hear more about the drug situation, such. Anyway. Did you ever have a day? I'm going to stick on this for at least a couple more minutes. You're trying to speed through things. I'm not going to let you do it.

Well, I'm scared you're going to miss something. Just for the audio and the video. Yes. Uh-oh. I've now commandeered the list so I can make sure I don't miss anything done. I got you. I guess we're over. We're done then.

Thank you. Did you ever have You know, you mentioned tragedy Yeah Did you just ever have a day where you were like You know, I just don't know if I want to keep doing this Oh, I don't think so No, maybe I'm screwed up that way

But no Well, I would not use the word screwed up I would use... I know what you mean I just Listen, death Is one of the inevitabilities for all of us So it happens

Actually, so you have a job to do every single day if you're macaws in this town or any town in the world, right? Yep. So it's a job that somebody has to do, right? We know not the day nor the hour. That's right. So I don't think you're, I don't, I think it's unique because most people, you know, go into the world to be a, I don't know, lots of farming. And I just wondered if there was ever a day where you're like, you know what, I'm just going to buy a couple more head and I'm just going to be a farmer. And I'm tired of going, getting called out in the middle of the night to go to somebody's house to be around pain and suffering and that kind of thing.

That's all. Most people, maybe I'm wrong on this. You're a lot older than me and you can tell me different. I find want to distance themselves from tragedy and from tough things like that. And deny it. Right. You know, like they're not, they're not going to die. And trust me, they are.

Not on my shift, I hope. No, I'm not sure what the next comment would be there. I was on to something, but I lost it. Just a fact of life. Fact of life. But you never, ever had a day, an hour where you're like, you know, I just. No, I haven't. Maybe I'm strange that way.

Maybe there's something wrong with me that way. Or is there something I'm missing on that side? Because obviously in 53 years of doing it, is there something, is there a beauty or a... No beauty. A passion? Is there something about helping families maybe get through? I think there's something to that, yeah, when you're... assisting them with, you know, compassionately.

Even this year, you know, there's been, well, of course, you're not going to talk about any individual cases, but there's, you know, some youth passings that got to be traumatizing for your family. Anyway, next question. Sure, sure. How about antiques? You have your antique collection. You've told me about this before.

That is obviously a passion. Yeah, that's a, that's a, That's a passion in later life, yes. It gives you something to do and sales to go to and people to meet. That's a neat thing about that hobby is the people you meet, you know, all over the place. And the other thing, I think it's good for the mine, because when you have a collection of whatever it is, you know, you see it hanging on the well and you think, yeah, I've got that back in Calgary and 82

in that store there that isn't there anymore. Or I got that up at the sale just north on the highway one year, that kind of stuff. I think it keeps the mind alert. And there's always learning about stuff too and values and collections and auctions. Do you have a favorite piece that you found? I don't know if I could narrow it down to one. I like local history stuff. There's oil and gas related, you know, gas station stuff, pumps, signs.

kind of stuff, country store kind of stuff, signs that. If you ever walk through an old country store, that was a neat thing about going to French and Button watching through Bukta's store, you know, walking in Bukta's store, sad to see it deteriorate, but little country stores like that that aren't around anymore unless they're just museum replicas. Yeah, I love that kind of stuff and the memories it brings back. You know, we talked a little bit before. beforehand about traveling and touring Alberta, Saskatchewan.

I first want to start. When you were a kid, did your parents take you, did you go touring anywhere? Did you go to the lakes? No, Sandy Beach was the place. Sandy Beach was the place. What was Sandy Beach like back when you were a kid? Lots of sand, nice water. Yeah.

Not as much. Well, it depends on that drought year when the lake just about dried up. Remember that? Oh, I don't know how many years ago, 20 years maybe. Well, I remember... It was a lot of beach sand that year. Early 90s, we could walk across Petrus Slew, which is the Petrus Lake. We call it a lake.

But, I mean, as kids, there was an island out in the middle of it, and the island's underwater, right? But as kids, Grandma used to talk about there'd be like a little jut where you could walk to the island. Well, as kids, you could walk across it. It was so dry. Everything was white with alkali. Oh, yeah. So that's probably around the time you're talking about Sandy Beach. Yeah.

I'm trying to remember what year of that was. The city had dug some wells. Originally, I think that was originally. The city dug some wells there to get water for Lloyd at Sandy Beach. Right. Then maybe that's when they went to the river when that dried. Should have asked Roger that when he was in. He'd know.

He talked a little bit about the water project of Lloyd. Yeah. As you get older, you've mentioned you like traveling or like sightseeing, specifically in Alberta and Saskatchew. Is there any, you know, you mentioned there's like, and I would agree with you, in our provinces, there's just in Canada alone, it's such a big country. There's just so much to explore. What has been some of the fun for you in doing that? What have you found? Well, I don't know.

I find, like this summer, hard to believe, but we'd never be enough in northern Alberta. Like, I don't mean a long ways north. I mean like Peace River, Grand Prairie, that loop. And then we took a round trip in Saskatchewan this summer, this summer, early fall that had been done before. But things changed from year to year and up in, you know, PA circle around that way. We always like going for drives. What's your favorite place to take a drive to? Anywhere, really.

One thing we're trying to do, and I might not ever get it done, but we're half done touring Route 66. Okay. From Los Angeles, we've got as far as Texas. Love that. That's not everybody's cup of tea, but it's just like back in the, It's just some of that road is just like it's back in the 60s,

and they're memorializing it by, you know, all the little diners and gas stations and little museums they have dedicated to 66. So I don't like doing that. We'd like to finish that someday if possible. But I don't know, the way the U.S. is going right now. Where does that start? Illinois? Yeah, Chicago.

Chicago. Chicago, St. Louis, through Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Amarillo, Albuquerque? I think so. Flagstaff all the way to L.A. All the way to Santa Monica was the end of it. Why did you pick Route 66? It was just the nostalgia and my love for old stuff.

So when did you, sorry, you maybe said it, when did you start doing that? Oh, I don't know. 10 years ago, 20 years ago? Yeah, probably 10. Were you taking the kids with you? No, this was after the kids were gone. You and the wife said, let's try Route 66. Yep.

why not fly down there and then rent a car no no it was probably when we were coming back or going to we kind of snowbirded for a little bit and so probably coming back it's when we probably did most of it we did a wedding

went to a wedding in L.A. and we did a good portion that year on the west end and what's been maybe one of the highlights of Route 66 oh highlight there's too many to list no just just a nostalgia of seeing the old neon and the neon lights and that kind of thing.

You say there's too many the list, but... Yeah, just like, pick up a book sometime on Route 66, and it'll just take you back. You're my book on Route 66, Mr. Dot. You are my book on Route 66. Well, I should have brought the book for you. No, I've taken a lot of pictures. I've taken a lot of pictures along the way.

So what you're suggesting is to the listener, instead of listening about Roos 66, they should go experience Route 66. Absolutely. There's left motels and that all along the way that you could stay there as long as you want it up and down that road. Now, there's lots of sections.

If you're one of those that don't like, you know, driving across Bald Prairie for 100 miles, you might not enjoy it, but there's still always something to see. And there's many guidebooks, many guidebooks. You just carry that, let the wife read. it to your point out the next one coming up.

Are you a GPS guy when you go on Route 66 or do you pull out the hard map? Mostly the, mostly the map. But now with the GPS last couple of times. Do you miss the hard map? Yes, definitely. I still keep one in the vehicle all the time. Alberta and Saskatchewan. Yep.

Do you find it humorous when kids find those and don't know how to read them? Like a dial telephone. Yep. What piece of technology do you remember as a kid that I'd have no clue about now? I certainly remember the dial telephone. Technology. Maybe remember the old wooden wall phone on the wall. We had to lift the receiver, turn the crank to get the operator's attention to make a call.

Maybe that. I certainly never used that. That says more about your age. It says more about mine. certainly what's next he's speeding us along he's speeding us along

he's got a hot dinner date let's talk about meeting your wife you've been married now for how many years I see where did I put that calculator 46 okay yeah yeah good

how did you meet not 100% sure it just kind of happened what is it just kind of happened mean Well, I think probably... She's going to shoot me. If she hears this, she's going to shoot me. We'd met with friends different times.

But she grew up around here. Yeah, just out of town. Was it love of her sight? Well, it depends. It knew your description of that. Well, here's my description. She was a nice girl. Let's put it this way.

My wife will not shoot me on this comment because I met the first woman I ever met on college, on the college campus, was my wife, and I blew her off and gave her the cold shoulder. See, it loves telling the story, meaning I didn't even, I said like, hey, like I'm too cool and kept walking. We ended up dating like a month later, and now I've been with her 13 years. But then that is in love at first sight. I didn't think like when I saw her, well, there's the one. And she knows that. And she probably thought the same thing about me because she hated me for the first month because I wouldn't talk to her. Now, that's my description of love at first sight is she walks by you,

and there's just something inside where you're like, that's the one. Some people have that. I've heard it, and I go, I don't understand that. I guess maybe that means that you found them attractive, but they say there's something more, and that's what I mean by love at first sight. No, I think it took a bit to get involved. So in 46 years of marriage, that's a long time. Two kids.

Two kids. What's some pieces of advice you'd pass along to people from your 46 years of marriage? What's made it work? Be tolerant, be compassionate. I think those are both very, I just assume in 46 years there's highs. Yeah, oh yeah. Wedding days a high, right? And then there's some loads.

That's just life. That's just life, yep. How about kids? You've got two? Jason born in 80 and Jennifer born in 84. Jennifer is living up at Bonneville. They have two kidlets, Jack 6 and Rose 3. Would you take being a grandparent or going back to a parent?

Well, trouble with them being up there. I don't get to see them as much as I probably would like to. They're busy and... Bruce gets up there more than I do. So would you take going back to being a parent or a grandparent today? Oh, no, let's go with the latter. You did. Feed them full of candy and shut them off.

What did you worry about as a parent? I ask this because at some point your kids, hopefully listen to this. And maybe someday they'll wonder. I certainly wonder what my parents worried about when they had five kids. and we're roaming a boat and what lessons they were trying to instill and everything else. Growing up, what did you worry about your two kiddos

running around, going to school in Lloyd? Yeah. Of course, you wonder about, you know, their friends and who they're acquainted with and their safety and their safety at any time, you know, whether it's that first drive with the vehicle. No, just regular parent concern, I think. I love how you like to think your life is regular.

You've lived 75 years, you know that, or almost. What? You've lived 75 years. Yeah. That's a, that's a, the way I look at you, Dawn, is I look and I see a guy who's lived well over two times my lifespan. And there's knowledge in that. Well, I got you fooled. You don't think so?

Yeah. Yeah. No, I think there's. think if you don't learn as you go. Maybe I'm getting lazy in the last year's here, but no. And the hobbies keep me going. Everything, the work across the street keeps me going.

Yep. What, what, did you ever, you speak very highly of the macaws. Certainly. Would you give the macaws that kind of like they mentored you as you went along? Yes. What are some of the things you learn from that? Dave, for sure.

Yeah. His caring attitude for everybody. You know, there's no dismissing anything. It's always full care. I don't know if I got the right words for that, but his compassion. Like genuine compassion, not just because he's got a funeral service

and charged somebody for a funeral. It's true compassion. There's not too many of those people in the world, is there? How about, let's go to some Lloyd things. Some things you've been involved in with the Lloydminster community. You mentioned the 100th year anniversary. You mentioned a couple of different things. We've been at the archive meetings together.

I've seen, you know, history part of Lloyd obviously pulls you in. What is the John Deere slow race? Part of the museum was the, oh, what's the right name? The, the, the, why am I thought they're remembering that name? That's bad. The Heritage Society, the Heritage Society. And it fell on us to put on a, us in the city to put on a Canada Day celebration. Every Canada Day out at work.

We were parked. And it was like showing tractors and stuff like that and Threshing Machine. Then we'd heard about a race in the States, which was a John Deere slow tractor race. Have you ever been to one, Sean? I can't say a half. And so only allowed John Deers, which kind of upset. There's still a guy at Wayne Wright that is upset because we only let John Deers in, wouldn't let his I.H. But anyway, starting line here, start it up, put it in gear, don't touch the clutch,

and the last one to finish the line or get across winds. So there was just something unique, and it was surprising how many we drew tractors from all over the place for a few years there. And then I can't remember why it died off. Well, the city took the event and took it over to Mudmutter Park. but I think it was kind of, we'd run its course before that anyway, but we'd get hundreds and hundreds of people and, well, probably 25, 30 tractors from all over the place, Alberta and Saskatchewan. And the Heritage Society was always of interest, and it carries on.

I'm not active there anymore, but. It's kind of the reverse of how a race should work. Yeah, exactly. Which I assume the fans and the people on, the bystanders, love. Yeah, it was fun. It was really fun. Winters got trophies and we'd had, you know, for the oldest tractor and the oldest driver and youngest driver and all that kind of stuff. You've, you've had a healthy hand in community involvement. What is, what attracted you to want to be involved in so much in the community?

I don't know. Those type of things that you, you know, see on that list. like Heritage Society and Museum Board, that type of thing, archives. What are you maybe most proud of then that you've been a part of? Well, just all of them. Like archives, there's other people other than me that were probably the instigators on that.

And they managed and surely asked them for sure. on the centennial celebrations. Just as luck would have it with the involvement of executive over the years, I ended up chairman in 03. So one of the highlights of that was when we had Prince Edward come to town to be a part of the celebration. So I had the chance to meet and greet and do a toast to him I put the stockade there.

But there was events. The ladies, it was quite a big committee on that. And everybody did their part and had several events in the year. What was it like meeting of prints? Well, he was normal. I've had some time tell you, but had numerous opportunities over the years to photograph royals. You have?

Right. Okay. Just the way things worked out, or sometimes I try to. Well, a few years ago, well, talk to Prince Philip, talk to Prince Edward, talk to Prince Charles, talk to Camilla. Oh, it's just a little eccentric hobby. Got to see Anne. What was Edward's wife?

Names.com. Got to see her. Prince Andrew. Got to see him. Missing one of them. Never did get Harry. Caught Will and Kate in Calgary. Just fun.

Photographing. That's a... Now you're going to hang it. Okay, you're going to slam your laptop and say we're over. We're done. No, no, no. I was thinking in my head. I don't know.

My brain... Got to see Charles and Diogen. They do. Got to see them, but not greet them. Not greet them. What an interesting way of life. Accentary, Bobby. No, just their lives.

When did you, like, can you imagine, can you imagine just strolling into Calgary and flocks of people like that? Just, yeah, yeah. Like, that's bigger than any movie star. I wonder what they say to each other when they get back to the hotel room. Right? You wonder how they just, like, disappear to, like, so they can just go on. walk down the street and regular clothes and nobody know.

I heard that Charles and Camilla were going to be in Regina, so I said, I think I'll run down there. And so I got my parking spot early, got to where I wanted to be. Here, I can see. Camera angles are always important. I figured they'll park there, so I'll be here. And I'll be darned if they didn't park down here, which meant they had to walk right by me.

And I had my big camera with a longer lens and everything. And Charles looks at it and says, my, quite the outfit you got there. And I said, ah, better to see you with. And he laughed. And Camilla came along behind them strolling. And she was so gracious. Everybody says she's kind of a, but she was so gracious. And actually beautiful too when you see her close.

That was interesting. Got to see Edward one time in Winnipeg. That was by chance. Andrew and Fergie at the pulp mill, Middle Lake pulp mill. They were there for some occasion. Anyway. Now you think I'm totally strange.

Actually, what I wonder is, you got to stop worrying that I think you're strange. I find it fast. I actually wonder what the first camera you ever bought was, or maybe the first camera you ever used. Oh, interesting. I don't know if I remember. What, what? Probably a little pentax. Probably a little pentax. Is it not a, I don't know what a little pentax is.

So first off, just a little small guy. Small cheap, yep. But that's where the love of it started? I think so. I think so. Does it ever blow your brain how good cameras are today? Oh, amazing. totally amazing you know like

the cell phones take better better pictures than the early 35 millimeter film cameras did oh that's interesting I uh you know I uh I would I would run

I look at your hobby of taking photography and driving up to Regina to catch a glimpse of the royal family and related to what I'm So the guys in the little white coats are just around the corner, are they? So you, I'm saying I've driven all the way to Vancouver Island to interview somebody before.

So I get it. Good. Now do you think the white coats are outside for me? Right? Definitely not, no. Because you're so dedicated. I don't know. Am I?

Yeah. Yes, you are. Yes, you are. I've heard that. We're sitting here. Especially with the sports in the sports world. Yeah, you've done some amazing stuff there here with, like, very notable. Oh, sure, but I mean, you're talking about the Royals.

Well, I literally have got to talk through a computer to some famous people. I don't know. Is that any different than driving a Regina and taking a picture of a royal? Well, if it is, well, that's news to me, I think. And I would say the lab coats are probably waiting for both of us outside. We'll go at the back door. That's right. Yeah, we won't let them know where we're coming.

I just find it very interesting. That's a strong hobby. Because, I mean, we're not talking about, you know, someday somebody's going to listen to this. And they're going to go, maybe they won't understand, but to drive to Regina is, I don't know, five and a half hours, five hours, something like that. So that's a 10-hour round trip. Yeah, probably. So that's a passion.

That's something you really enjoy doing. Because you get a thank you from the gas company. You should. Right? I mean, I just, I guess I get it. I understand it. You need passions in life. Now, on your list of things you're checking off,

what is one more you want to talk about? What's one I've missed? Because I'm sure I've missed one on it. No, being involved different things over the years. The stint on the Credit Union Board. It was on Saskatchewo Committee for a number of years. Still on the Archives Board. Museum Board, well, that's kind of...

I guess still on the Richard Larson Bar Coney Board. Anything to do with history. When you're talking about our Border City Collector Show, which we probably won't be having... this coming spring that's just a that's a fundraiser for the archives so now with no people and that won't happen that was always fun go to antique shows everywhere and then we put on this one here the Border City Collectors Club what's the biggest change you've seen in Lloyd in your time over your years I mean obviously size

everybody's going to say the population growth? Yeah, for sure. But what's come with the population growth? Certainly the people, maybe the traffic and crime. It seems like maybe more crime. Deaf traffic. For a while, like more services available to, more shopping and retail.

What am I missing? No, I think you're doing good. Last question for you then. If you could go back to your 20-year-old self and impart some wisdom, what would you tell them? Just enjoy every day as it comes. Believe in yourself, believe in a God, believe in, you know, go to church, have some faith. And when you have faith, you don't have any worries because everything is the way it's meant to be. Yep. Yep. What else?

I don't know. I don't have the list. You have the list. I think that's bold got it. Yeah. I've stuck you over the coals for long enough. No, it's fun, Sean. You certainly make somebody think. Well, I'll say it again. I explain this to pretty much anyone who comes through here, especially for the archives because it is so relatable to all of you. You've lived a lot of years. I don't mean that to date years old.

I don't. I mean that is you've experienced a lot of things. And that experience is transferred into knowledge. And for us sitting here, me sitting here, I'm trying to pull as much of that experience, that knowledge out as I humanly possibly can. Because when the camera goes off and when this gets turned off and you walk out the door, that's what's left.

And so for me, if there's more to pull, I'll keep pulling. And that's what I enjoy about it, because you've seen things. You've seen the progress or the growth of Lloyd. You've seen different things change from, you know, an outhouse and no running water. No power, no TV to where it is today. That's a lot. And so if there's anything else that you want to, oh, we'll let the lab coats wait a few more minutes. Probably as soon as I get in the truck or hit 50th, I'll think of something.

No, I think you've done deep. Well, I appreciate you coming in, Don, and... Lynn Smith, Lynn Young will be totally pleased because she was having trouble getting all to me, so I'm glad we finally got it worked in. No, it's been a real pleasure. I always enjoy the dance of a new guest. Oh, good. Thank you.

Thank you. Hey folks, thanks for joining us today. If you just stumbled on the show, please click subscribe. Then scroll to the bottom and rate and leave a review. I promise it helps. Remember, every Monday and Wednesday, we will have a new guest sitting down to share their story. The Sean Newman podcast is available for free on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever else you get your podcast fix.

Until next time. Hey, Keeners, thanks for tuning in again today. I hope everybody's having a great week. Like I say, I hope you're on your way to the lake. You get some time off to enjoy with family and friends and this great weather we're having. Wherever you're at, have a great week. And we'll catch up to you next week. All right.

Until then.