Alice Buchanan

When she wrote her own obituary a number of years ago Alice Gertrude Priscilla Buchanan (nee Spicer) painted a very small picture of her life. Only a few lines appeared on a single page in her characteristically delicate hand writing. She highlighted what she deemed most relevant but to those who knew and loved her Alice was worthy of a much bigger canvas.

She was born 17 June 1920 to Gordon and Robina Spicer on the family farm in Davyroyd. She was the third eldest of thirteen children and the second oldest of seven sisters to six brothers. Alice grew up on the farm and attended Davyroyd School. After graduating high school in Assiniboia she obtained a teaching certificate from Normal School in Moose Jaw in 1941. It is not surprising, coming from such a large family, that she entered the field of education. Her first position at Davyroyd School (1941-1942) would have felt like “home” as siblings Vera, Warren, Verna and Shirley were among her students. Sisters, Evie, Alice, Ruth and Mary all shared the profession.

Her next placement was at Ennisworthy (1942-1943) followed by Una (1943-1945). During that time she married the love of her life Robert John Abbott on 20 October 1945. She taught in Landscape next (1946-1947) then Readlyn (1948-1957) during which time she lost Robert in 1951. Four years later she married Earl Lavern Stirling on 29 June 1955 and sadly lost him the following year. Her final teaching position was in Limerick (1957-1964) and around that time she fell in love again. Alice married Ken Buchanan on 8 July 1965 then retired from formal teaching after 23 years.

She did not have children of her own but Alice touched the lives of all those she taught. She loved her profession and based her teaching on two main principles: that students would perform to the level of expectation of their teacher and that everyone was capable of passing Grade 12. Her passion and dedication to teaching excellence did not go unnoticed as Superintendent Edgerton once said “Alice was the best teacher in southern Saskatchewan.” Her heartfelt thought that her students were her “own” was evident when she wrote she would be survived by “…the many young people (I) was privileged to teach…”

With her career behind her Alice turned her attention to building a life with Ken on their farm near Limerick. She was extremely knowledgeable about the crops planted by him and farmhand Lee Golinboski, perhaps stemming from a fascination of oats growing in cow pies her and Cecil collected as children! She planted a large, bountiful vegetable garden every year and took pride in tending to the many trees, shrubs, bushes and flowers that grew in their yard. All kinds of birds were attracted to its beauty and she became an avid watcher. Her original farm roots had produced a love of the land and appreciation for all nature that continued to grow in Alice.

Many lasting memories were made at their house on the farm. It is the place where her title “Family Matriarch” could have first been coined as many gatherings and holiday meals were hosted there. The nieces and nephews thoroughly enjoyed the venue as they were free to explore the spare bedroom, basement (which provided a cement wall for scaling!) attic and other nooks and crannies. After tiring of games of hide-and-go-seek it was on to swiveling in the white kitchen chairs. Sitting on the brown recliner in the corner of that room and waiting for the funny noise it made upon rising was an integral part of each visit. A walk with Alice through the trees and garden areas to sample fruit, berries and vegetables was an added treat.

Her kitchen was always a bevy of activity as she enlisted the help of her sisters, sister-in-laws and nieces to help prepare holiday dinners. Beaters whirring, sauces and gravies bubbling and the hum of the electric knife carving through turkey were indicative of the delicious meal that lay ahead. She seldom waivered from her standard menu which included a lovely tri-colored salad that came to be known as “Auntie Alice’s Salad.” We ate it and all the other food (using the good silverware) around the large dining room table. When the dishes were done we returned to it for games of Rummy and Pot of Gold chocolates.

Alice’s favorite color was blue but two other hues played prominent roles in her life. As a young girl she acquired the nickname “Peach”, the origin of which appears to be two-fold. She noted family friend George Mitchell dubbed her that as a little girl but Warren maintains her alleged theft of the fruit from a fellow classmate’s lunch resulted in the moniker! Regardless of how it came to be the name stuck and Alice remained “Peach” throughout her life.

Years later she (literally) became “orange”, as did Ken, in what remains a humorous family memory. The transition occurred when they, along with Art and Ruth, embarked on a journey to achieve optimum health. For Ken and Alice that meant consuming copious amounts of carrot juice from the bushels she grew. Alice juiced daily, raving about the benefits of carotene while promoting Prevention magazine. It wasn’t long before we could all “see” the impact of this as they began to turn a muddy shade of orange! Soon the juicing stopped and bags of carrots were given as a parting gift to all who visited.

It is memories like these and countless other ones that remind us of the place she held within the Spicer family. She was our link to the past, researching Spicer roots and visiting Spencer Island. She organized reunions and kept track of her siblings’ lives. Health and farming were of great concern to her and she celebrated their successes and felt deeply any struggles they endured.

And just as she had done with her students, Alice touched the lives of all her nieces and nephews. She invited some to travel with her to Kamloops to visit Grandma and Grandpa Spicer while others enjoyed sleepovers at her house and “camping trips” in the backyard. There were visits and meals at the Franklin and Lodge Hotels and hours spent tutoring and playing games. Despite the family’s size she kept track of educational accomplishments, marriages, births, anniversaries and careers. Pictures, cards, letters and newspaper articles abounded in her home and continued to surround her in care. Family was everything to Alice.

She suffered a third, sad loss when Ken passed away suddenly on 24 December 1984. Not wanting to reside on the farm by herself she moved to a house in Limerick the following year. While on her own she continued to expand her wealth of knowledge and interests: she learned to play bridge, became involved in the town’s Club 49, visited with and drove fellow members to the hall, read (and as a night owl, late into the night) and, of course, maintained contact with, and interest in, her family.

The ongoing and unwavering support of niece Paulette Dull and nephew Jim Willis was a very important part of Alice’s life. Travelling regularly from Regina Paulette became her Scrabble partner and friend, noting “After my mom died I visited often because it was a comfort to be with someone who was similar to her.” Paulette was with her on 16 June 2011 when a steady downpour fell on Limerick causing Alice’s house to become “…an island within a lake…” The next morning, basement was full to the rafters, Alice lamented she would be forced to leave her home. Trying to encourage her, Paulette told Alice “You don’t have to! You’re the captain of your ship!” Alice’s quick wit was unaffected by the soggy circumstances. “My house is surrounded by water!” she said to Paulette. “Choose another metaphor!”

In Alice’s words Jim made it possible for her to stay on her own after moving to the house in Limerick in 1985. He visited almost daily, providing friendship and company, and being on call whenever repairs (or flood- relief!) were needed. His parents’ vacant home in Assiniboia would become Alice’s next and even when she moved into care to Furrows and Faith in Mossbank in 2015 then to the LTC wing of the Assiniboia hospital in 2016, his visits, love and support, along with Paulette’s, remained constants in her life.

Alice once said, “I liked track and field. I’d try not to start running before the race began or I’d be called back. When I started I ran like the wind…” After a long, full life a strong Saskatchewan one carried her away peacefully on 22 May at the Assiniboia Union Hospital twenty six days before her 97th birthday. At Alice’s request a private family service was held at the Ross Funeral Home on 29 May where her life was lovingly eulogized by Paulette and her urn gently carried by Jim. She was interred next to Ken at the Hillcrest Cemetery in Limerick.

Alice was predeceased by her parents, husbands, siblings (and their spouses) Evelyn Selanders (Kirk), Vera Willis (Bruce), Ruth McCann, Mary Pryce (Ralph), Earl, George (Ede), Cecil (Ann) and John. She will be lovingly remembered by her siblings and their spouses: Warren and Ann Spicer of Assiniboia, Verna and Don Livingstone of Chilliwack, B.C., Shirley and Doug Harvey of London, Ontario, Lloyd and Edna Spicer of Black Diamond, Alberta and in-laws Art McCann of Saskatoon, Rose Spicer of Assiniboia, Chris Spicer of Prince Albert, Margaret and Cecil Reisner of Limerick, Alastair Muir of Moose Jaw and many more loving nieces, nephews, extended family members and friends. Though saddened by her loss we are, as Paulette noted, “…blessed to have known her, to have benefited from her teaching and the high standard she lived by…”

There are things we will always remember about Alice: her neatly starched blouses, pressed pants, pleated skirts and gloves; her perfectly done hair, still beautiful in shades of silver and white; the smell of Dove soap and rose perfume in her bathroom, that of cedar in the spare bedroom closet; the crispness of her homemade cookies and pages of Ideals books; cups of tea she served us as children (telling us it was good for our tummies when we were sick); the way she would bring her hand to her mouth when laughing in an attempt to appear more lady-like; her voice and pride in the Spicer name; and that throughout her life she drew us all in and kept us close, painting a family picture framed by our hearts. These memories, and so many more, are gifts from Alice.

A few days after the service lunch at the Limerick Hotel Aunt Verna noted “it was a gathering that reminded me of the family get-togethers we used to have. I wonder if it crossed Al’s mind when she had it private…”

If it did, perhaps it was her hope that one day we would all gather around another large dining room table with her portrait above it and a lovely tri-colored salad in the middle.

“Auntie Alice’s Salad”

Raspberry jelly powder 1 x 3oz 1 x 85g

Boiling water 1c 255ml

Frozen raspberries in syrup, 10oz 84g

almost thawed

Lemon jelly powder 1 x 3oz 1 x 85g

Boiling water 1c 255ml

Crushed pineapple with juice 1c 255ml

Cream cheese, softened 4oz 125g

Whipping cream 1c 255ml

Lime jelly powder 1 x 3oz. 1 x 85g

Boiling water 1 ¼ c 275ml

Crushed pineapple with juice 1c 255ml

Dissolve raspberry jelly powder in boiling water. Stir in raspberries. Pour into 9x9 inch (22x22cm) pan. Chill until firm.

Dissolve lemon jelly powder in boiling water. Stir in first amount of pineapple with juice. Add cream cheese and stir until dissolved. Chill until syrupy. Whip cream until stiff. Fold into thickened jelly. Spoon over firm red layer. Chill until firm.

Dissolve lime jelly powder in boiling water. Stir in second amount of pineapple with juice. Chill until quite syrupy. Spoon over firm yellow layer. Chill until firm. Makes 9 servings; can be doubled.

Serve with family.

Arrangements under the direction of Ross Funeral Service, Assiniboia, SK.