Norman Cason

Norman "Casey" Cason was born in Gilbert Plains Manitoba on July 30, 1936, at 12:10pm “just in time for lunch” he’d always add. The middle son of six children born to Violet and Fred Cason, he inherited the work ethic of a prairie farm boy. His adventuresome spirit took him away from home at an early age and he earned his keep freighting in the far north, and later on as part of construction crews across Western Canada.

He claimed to have built the rocky blue mountains, but did in fact contribute to many highway, bridge, and power plant projects for Lamb, Piggott, Brodsky, and finally Graham Construction. Without any formal education, Casey became the go-to guy for difficult and challenging work. When a job went sideways, he was the man who was called in to save the day. He had a creative mind that was always seeking out new solutions to old problems. He was an innovator in his field but he applied his skills to everything, from fixing a toilet to dyking a river; there was nothing he wouldn’t try. He was convinced that there had to be a better way, but he was humble about his abilities. When praised he liked to say “an expert is just a drip under pressure”.

He was instrumental in the construction of Diefenbaker Dam, Coronach Power Plant, and the new Borden Bridge, but his proudest accomplishment was his family. Sixty years ago he met his beautiful bride, Marjorie Kingsnorth and his whole world changed. They were a powerful duo, with a passion for food and travel. Marge matched Casey step for step in his desires to explore the world. Not only did they share a pioneering spirit, they had the gumption to make their dreams come true. Together they sired three daughters, and from them came six amazing grandchildren who continued to dazzle them with their varied abilities and pursuits.

Casey and Marge travelled the world and made friends wherever they went. They were spontaneous and fun, and were tremendous hosts. They were great storytellers and Dad always had an off-colour joke at the ready. When Marjorie passed away in 2020, Casey took it very hard. But with the help of his daughters and their families, a spark was reignited and he continued on, working in his wood shop, nurturing the garlic in his giant garden, and watching endless You Tube videos to acquire new skills. Right until the end he was scheming and dreaming of new journeys.

The most important legacy that he instilled in his family was his contagious curiosity. He was always following a new passion, a new hobby (of which there were hundreds), a new avenue of exploration. He liked to brag that he “learned something new every day, even if it wasn’t always good.” He was the smartest man we ever knew, and he was the best Dad. He will be missed by many.

A special thank you to Dr Montse and the staff at Manzanillo General Hospital, and to all at RUH in Saskatoon for your kindness and care.