Patrick Foster (Pat) McCall

April 23, 1944 - October 13, 2010

Suddenly, on Wednesday, October 13, 2010, Pat McCall, Abernethy, SK., died at the age of 66 years. The funeral service was held in the Knox United Church, Abernethy, SK., on Monday, October 18, 2010, at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Brian R. Mee Officiating. Interment of cremated remains in the Abernethy Cemetery.

Pat was predeceased by his parents William and Myrtle (nee Foster) McCall; sister Kathleen Ann McCall; brother David McCall and father-in-law Ward Dixon. He is survived by his wife Darlene; daughter Gaynette Downing; her husband Lyle and their family Ashlyn and Dylan, Balcarres, SK.; son Dean McCall, his wife Jen and their family Jake and Luke, Denver, CO, U.S.A; brother Ed (Myrna) McCall, Indian Head, SK.; mother-in-law Lorraine Dixon, Balcarres, SK.; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Vivian McCall, Indian Head, Deanna (David) Bates, Abernethy and Dawn (Fred) Jedlic, Regina. Pat is also survived by his nieces and nephews.

If friends so desire contributions to the Knox United Church Memorial Fund, c/o the Knox United Church, Abernethy, SK., S0A 0A0 or to the Balcarres Integrated Care Centre, Box 340, Balcarres, SK., S0G 0C0 may be tokens of remembrance.

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Eulogy

I received the first telephone call from Mom on Saturday. Mom explained that Dad had just been admitted to the hospital. Over the last couple of days, he had experienced at least 2 angina attacks. On Sunday, plans were being made for Dad to have bypass surgery. Recognizing the signs of heart trouble and going to the hospital was the smartest thing he could have done. He would have bypass surgery first thing on Monday morning.

I talked to Dad on Sunday night before his surgery. Dad and I are not great on the telephone. I usually never hold up my end of the conversation. Lyle had just finished harvest on Friday. Harvest was Dad's favorite time of year. Growing up on the family farm, leaving to attend the School of Agriculture and coming home with Mom to take over the Callamere Farm was what his life was all about. Driving the combine was one of the things that made him the happiest. This year's harvest had few issues. They were fortunate not to get stuck in the fields. Dad liked watching the yield monitor in the combine. The monitor must have been displaying good news. Gaynette and Lyle would later admit they could not do it without him. Our conversation ended with traditional Saskatchewan topics: the weather and the Roughriders.

On Monday, Dad had his surgery. The surgeon talked to us after the 5 hour operation. He described the surgery as difficult, but he was able to repair everything he wanted to address. The nurses in his recovery room warned us to expect a difficult recovery. The hospital staff worked tirelessly helping Dad. On Tuesday, we were able to communicate with Dad. He confirmed he was tired and was not in any pain.

By Wednesday, the news from the intensive care staff was getting worse. They had tried a number of different procedures to assist his recovery. With his family at his side, Dad passed away.

Reflection about Dad started in the intensive care conference room. I remembered playing hockey and Dad coaching. Gaynette remembered Dad training our 4-H cattle to lead. Dad did all the work. We returned home to the farm Wednesday night.

Phone calls and visits from friends and family started immediately. Everyone was kind with their words and food. We decided it would be a good idea to put together a collection of pictures for a presentation at the funeral luncheon.

There are lots of pictures of the three McCall boys: Eddie, David and Pat growing up on the family farm. Uncle David was the best story teller. He would write his stories in a journal. I have extra appreciation for how wise that was. The McCall brothers would "teach" turkeys to fly by throwing them off the roof. It didn't take Grandma long to figure out why she was short a couple of birds. There were stories about rodeos with the pigs. Grandpa and Grandma found a pellet from a gun in a ham that they were eating. There was also the famous "Elephant Trap" story. Gaynette and I must have been about the same age as my kids when Dad lost his parents.

We found a picture of Dad in his Abernethy ball uniform. He must have been about 14 years old. I know Dad liked playing fastball. He played good defense on 1st base. I think he was also pretty good in the batter's box. I have one of his ball caps in our house, but it is different than the one in the picture. There are pictures of Dad curling. When he delivered a curling rock, he was right up on his toe. I can remember Dad telling me not do that. He would say "It is too hard on your knees". There was a newspaper clipping of Dad's University of Saskatchewan football team. I wish I could have seen him play. The clipping is reporting the 3rd consecutive championship season. Dad played defensive end.

Dad was thin is the early pictures. Mom said Grandma took him to the doctor when he was young because she was concerned about his weight. Uncle Ed tells a couple of stories about Dad's strength. Opposition football teams were surprised at the strength of the skinny defensive end that forced 3 turnovers in the championship game. There is also a story about Dad driving a VW beetle. When it was stuck one day, he picked up the front of the car to get it out of a rut.

Dad had bad knees, and from his chair in the kitchen, you can see the shed where he fell off the ladder and broke his leg. That was in the fall of 1988. It was the first of some serious medical trips: by-pass surgery in August of 1995, a knee replacement in 1998 and again in 2004. You can see the effects of the surgeries in the photos.

Mom and Dad had been together since the 9th grade. There are high school photos at the Dixon farm. University photos in Saskatoon. Mom explained that she had just completed Dad's homework in one of the photos. The pictures progressed to show a young family on the farm in Abernethy. The farm house in Abernethy is the only home Dad knew.

There are many memories of the family at Katepwa. We spent a lot of time in the Qu'Appelle valley. Grandpa and Grandma Dixon had a home there in the 70s and 80s. Dad and Mom and the Bates purchased a cottage at the lake when their kids were in their early teens. The cottage became a gathering place for family and friends each weekend. Dad was always willing to drive the boat for water skiing.

There are pictures of vacations in warm places. Jen liked the picture of Mom and Dad in Hawaii. Dad is wearing black socks pulled up high with sandals. Definitely, not fashionable. Mom and Dad took many trips with family and friends. Pictures show how much fun they had.

Dad enjoyed his Angus Cattle. He attended shows and sales. Dad was involved with a group of Angus farms which held a production sale called the Fall Finale. He made many good friends through his cattle business.

Mom wasn't a big enthusiast when it came to cattle. She would rather do the garden or even drive the combine than groom and teach a steer to lead.

Although Dad had retired from farming about a year and a half ago, he had no intention of leaving. Dad joined a very well informed, sophisticated group of farmers who held their meetings at Tri-Way every morning. Problems with farming, politics and the general well being of the world were solved. Occasionally, he had to attend a second group

which met at Garratt Seed Plant.

Gordon and Myrtle McCall welcomed their 3rd son in Balcarres on April 23, 1944. Today, we are celebrating a man whose life has been taken too soon. Dad, we love you.