In Loving Memory of Harold Eldon Meena, born May 6, 1936 at Maymont, SK., passed away December 30, 2016 in North Battleford, SK. Lovingly remembered by his children and their families: Gwen (Darcy) Wood & family: Krista, Ashley (Wes) Dust-Grayson & Brielle and Kelsey; Carla (Darren) Wilkie & family: Kyla (Trevor), Alyssa and Jenica; Kurt (Tracey) Meena & family: Jared & Addison; brother, Ken Meena, sister Eileen (Vernon) Curry; in-laws: Laurienne Meena, Barb (Don) Tatchell, Bernice Sharp, Inez Harris, Muriel Miller鈥� nieces, nephews and their families. Predeceased by his loving wife, Treva Meena (Nov. 5, 2016); his parents, Everett & Gladys Meena; brothers: Ron & Glen Meena; in-laws, Frank & Cora 鈥淐osy鈥� Miller, Shirley Meena, Doug Sharp, Eileen & Edward Draeger, Melvin Harris, Leland Miller. Service Of Thanksgiving For Harold鈥檚 Life was held on Wednesday, January 4, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. from the Western Development Museum, North Battleford, Saskatchewan with Officiant Rev. Fred J. Tinio. Family Shared Memories were given followed by a Video Tribute. Music Selections were: "Kiss An Angel Good Morning", 鈥淒addy鈥檚 Hands鈥�, 鈥淕randpa, Tell Me About The Good Old Days鈥� & 鈥淔orever Country.鈥� Honourary Pallbearers were All who shared Dad鈥檚 life. Urn Bearers were Jared, Grayson, Addison and Brielle. Harold Eldon Meena, our grandpa, was born in Maymont on May 6th, 1936 to Everett and Gladys Meena. He was born the younger brother to Ron and Ken and would become the older brother to Eileen and Glen. As a boy, grandpa was always trying to keep up to his older brothers which ended up getting him into a few predicaments that he wasn鈥檛 quite old enough to be in. Through his younger years grandpa attended Harringay school and later, Ruddell school once the family moved to the current family farm site. We have been told that Grandpa did very well at school, receiving a camera and special book on different occasions for his excellent grades. Grandpa left home at an early age to go hauling gravel and later hauling oil in northern Saskatchewan. In 1956, when his father suffered a heart attack, grandpa returned to the farm in Ruddell to help out and begin his farming career. Grandpa married the love of his life Treva Miller on July 1, 1961. They were able to build their own home on the family farm in Ruddell, enough to live in anyway, shortly after they were married. Over several years and as money allowed, they were able to add on bit by bit until it was finally complete. Life on the farm was tough and there wasn鈥檛 much time off in the early years as there was always a cow to milk, chickens to feed, as well as the grain farming duties to complete. But giving up was never in grandpa鈥檚 thoughts. He never worried about grimy, tattered overalls, dirt on his face, or that his hat was on slightly askew. There were more important things to take care of and he understood that you had to 鈥渕ake hay while the sun shines鈥�. In 1965, they were blessed with their first daughter, Gwen followed by their second daughter, Carla in 1969 and finally by their son, Kurt, in 1977. Grandpa used to say 鈥淚 was always worried about having more kids than I could feed鈥�, then in later years wished they would have had more. Nothing was more important to grandpa than his family. Taking care of them the best that he knew how took priority over everything else. He would drop anything, except during harvest, to help or do things for his family. Whether it be helping move dad and mom to new towns for work or babysitting the grandkids, he would be there without question. Visits to grandpa鈥檚 were never complete until you called and told him you made it home. If you didn鈥檛, the phone would be ringing soon after the time you were expected to arrive home. Grandpa enjoyed taking his family on many vacations. They went to BC, Yellowstone and their favorite, Disneyland. Grandpa wanted to make sure his grandkids had the opportunity to go to Disneyland giving many cattle and grain cheques over the years for them to save enough to go with their parents. On one vacation after the children had grown, grandpa and grandma went to Hawaii with Michael and Lynne. Grandpa was not one for sun and sand, or swimwear, or in his words "beach britches and sea slippers." His first time out in his brand new pair of blue beach britches he went into the ocean up to his ankles and then quickly headed for the hot tub, where the chemicals in the water turned his blue trunks pink. It was a good laugh but we think it might be the last time he ever wore beach britches. Grandpa was noted for having a memory like a steel trap. He could recite the birthdays and anniversaries of all of his nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, cousins as well as his children and grandchildren. If you were unsure of an event, grandpa could give you the details, even if it was back in the spring of 鈥�59. He could remember the weather and crop conditions for the past 60 years. It was amazing. Grandpa was hard working and loved the simple farming life. He never stopped worrying about the crops or caring for the farm. He could fix or fabricate anything he set his mind to. His favorite meals were always meat and potatoes. Grandpa also loved visiting with family and friends, playing cards and possibly having a rum and the occasional cigarette. Grandpa and grandma bought a house and moved into North Battleford in 2003 but he could never really stop farming. Even though grandpa had many health concerns, nothing could keep him from the farm as he would continue to drive out to the farm six days a week, seven during the busy season. If grandma hadn鈥檛 made him stay home once a week, he would have made the trip seven days a week all year round. Even though he started later in life, Grandpa enjoyed fishing. Whenever the farming schedule allowed, he would try to get away fishing with family or friends for a few days at the lake. And once, at the young age of 75, he traveled with Kurt, Darcy and Darren to Ubiquity lake in northern Saskatchewan on a fly in fishing trip. Luck was usually not on grandpa鈥檚 side when it came to catching the fish though. He would use the same rod, line, lure and fish out of the same side of the boat but could never catch as many fish as the others he fished with. This never bothered him if he was with his grandkids though, as he was happy just to be able to watch them catch their fish and enjoy the day. He was a proud father and grandfather as his face would light up whenever his kids or grandkids would enter the room. Nothing made him happier than attending his kids and grandkids special events and he beamed even brighter when recalling and sharing their stories with others. He loved slowly walking around the farmyard, grandkids holding his hands, searching for baby kittens, showing them the newborn calves and making the occasional trip into the barn loft for their amusement. We will always remember grandpa as a kind, caring, generous, hard working man wearing his old dirty coveralls holding a little kids hand and who loved us unconditionally. Memorial Donations are requested to Ruddell Cemetery Fund, Box 26, Ruddell, SK S0M 2S0. Private Interment was at Ruddell Cemetery, Ruddell, SK. Arrangements were entrusted to Battlefords Funeral Service.
