Mary McCALLUM

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McCALLUM: Mary Helen McCallum, nee Turnbull, beloved wife of the late Archie McCallum, died suddenly on March 27, 2017 at the Deloraine Hospital, Deloraine, MB, at the age of 95 years. She was born at Angusville, MB in the R.M. of Silver Creek on August 27, 1921 to James and Maria (May) Turnbull. Sister Jessie was born in 1923 and brother Arthur in 1925. They attended elementary school at Seeburn #425. Mary went on to take grades nine and ten by correspondence at Seeburn, and grade eleven at Angusville and grade twelve in Russell. This was followed by Normal School in Winnipeg 1939-1940. From there she left her home in Angusville area and travelled to southern Manitoba and taught at Primrose #457 from 1940-1942 and Westlake #311 from 1942-1944. On October 26, 1944 Mary married Archie McCallum, a farmer at Croll, MB and for 50 years she was engaged in the business of farming. After their marriage they farmed at 14:4:21, starting out with horses and then advancing to a tractor system. They operated a mixed farm complete with cows, horses, pigs, chickens, geese, ducks and turkeys. It was a very busy time. Archie and Mary had six children, a stillborn son William, and then four sons and daughter; Clifford, Thomas, Elmer, Angus and Phyllis. The boys had been involved in the 4-H club routines, baseball, hockey and curling. Phyllis was in CGIT and music and singing. So there was lots to do. Archie passed away in February 1991 and Mary continued to live on the farm until 1994 when she retired to Boissevain. She was an active member of the Primrose Homemakers from its beginning in 1947 until it disbanded in 2012. Mary started as a volunteer at the Beckoning Hills Museum in 1983 and for 21 years was involved as volunteer, treasurer, and board member. She gave up being a board member in 2005 but was still volunteering there. She regularly played cards at the drop-in, and spent many hours volunteering to play cards, bingo and read to the ‘old’ folk at Westview Lodge. She also belonged to the Regent United Church and to St. Paul’s United Church. Mary’s greatest achievement was cataloguing many of the local cemeteries. Mary and the late Beth Scott tackled the job of cataloguing the Boissevain Cemetery for the Genealogical Society in 1983. They reorganized the numbering system and this was carried on at the Kiosk in the cemetery. She catalogued ten cemeteries, seven in the Boissevain area and three in the R.M. of Silver Creek. Mary was on the committee who produced two history books for the area. She held dearly to her heart her ability to research the history of the area, and of her families. She was able on so many occasions to be able to answer questions by going back in her 5 year diaries which she started writing in 1940. Mary was the recipient of the Lieutenant Governor General’s Award for Historical Preservation and Promotion on May 17, 2011. Many miles were put on around town walking to the drop-in, to visit friends, or out just for exercise because, “there is nothing to watch on TV anyway.” Until she stopped driving her car in 2014, Mary so enjoyed just going for a country drive, especially one into the ‘mountain’ in the fall and seeing all the colours on the trees. Grandma spent many hours teaching how to make cookies, buns, sewing, wrapping coat hangers, embroidery and to play cards and games of all sorts to her seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while but our hearts forever. Mary was predeceased by her parents James and May, sister Jessie and brother Arthur, her husband Archie and granddaughter Danielle. She is survived by her children: Clifford (Jean), Boissevain, MB, Patti (Reg) Couckuyt, KC and Kaitlyn, Melanie (Phil) Mus, Sarah and Ryley; Thomas, Carstairs, AB; Elmer (Donna), Boissevain, MB, Jason (Anna), Kylie and Ottlie, Jackie (John) Anderson, Jane, Jessa, Jorja; Angus (Donna), Carstairs, AB, Meghan; Phyllis (Bob) Hunter, Airdrie, AB, Brett and Erin. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Kathyrn Rice and brother-in-law Jim Dingwall, along with many nieces and nephews. A service of Remembrance was held at the St. Paul’s United Church, Boissevain, MB on Saturday, April 15, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Rolanda Taylor conducting the service. Interment took place in the Boissevain Cemetery.

As published in Brandon Sun on Apr 22, 2017