Arnold George Maki

Arnold George Maki passed away peacefully at the Pasqua Hospital surrounded by his family at the age of 83 on Tuesday December 13, 2011.

The fourth child of eleven, born to Gus and Elsie Maki on December 23, 1927, Arnold was born on the family farm, in the New Finland Colony near Whitewood, SK. The large close knit household imprinted the importance of family on Arnold and the culture of the colony imparted a deep emotional connection with the Finnish people. Arnold quit school in Grade 8 to help out on the family farm only to have his farming career ended by a shooting accident which ended up costing him his right leg below the knee. After taking his Grades 9 and 10 by correspondence, Arnold went back to complete his secondary education in Whitewood. Upon completing Grade 12, he attended Normal School in Moose Jaw. His first teaching position was at Deer Wood School and then moved on to Grove Park, Whitewood, and Stoughton, where he met Gloria Brickley. After accepting a teaching position in Fox Valley, and marrying Gloria on July 14, 1973, the happy couple welcomed their son Darren into the family on November 16, 1973. The family moved to Bengough in 1975 where Gloria had obtained a teaching position. Arnold, meanwhile, found himself teaching in Big Beaver. In 1980, and after twenty-two years of teaching, Arnold again went back to school and achieved his Class ‘C’ certificate switching careers and becoming the Town Administrator of Raymore. In 1983 he became the town administrator of Bengough and continued until his retirement in 1992.

A keen sense of community was nurtured while growing up in the Finnish Colony and drove Arnold to be an active community member in Bengough. He served on the Bengough Parks Board and the Bengough Housing Authority Board. Arnold joined the Elks, Masons and the Shriners and was a fixture on coffee row. Highlighting his weeks in the summer was golfing with the guys on Wednesdays and in the winter it was bowling with his teams in Ogema. A quiet and patient demeanor led Arnold to excel at hobbies such as woodworking, horticulture and painting, as well as coin and stamp collecting. That patience, combined with an affection of the outdoors, lead to his love of hunting and fishing. His brother Leslie remarked, “You can’t blame the rest of the family if we don’t have any patience…Arnold had it all.”

Arnold was predeceased by his parents Gus and Elsie Maki; siblings Julia, Harry, Selma (Howard), Lorna, Helen, Audrey, and Brian (Marion). Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife Gloria and son Darren; siblings Leslie (Margarett) Maki of Moosomin, Garth (Arlene) Maki of Regina, Richard (Judy) Maki of Port Coquitlam, BC, their families as well as brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law and extended family and friends.

Funeral service for Arnold was held on December 19, 2011 at Knox United Church in Bengough with Sylvia Fitzgerald DLM officiating. Interment was at the New Finland Cemetery, Whitewood, SK, on December 20, 2011. If friends so desire, donations may be given in Arnold’s memory to Beautify Bengough or the Weyburn and District Shrine Club. Arrangements entrusted to Ross Funeral Service, Assiniboia, SK.

“Live, Love, Cherish…and do the best you can.”

—Life values from a caring, patient man.