Clarke, Ted

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CLARKE: Edward S. Clarke, (Ted) was born July 10, 1936 to Mae and Tom Clarke in Brandon, Manitoba, fifth of seven children. He passed away at Minnedosa Health Centre on March 8, 2021 (not Covid) with family by his side. Survived by beloved wife Diana, it would have been their 60th Wedding Anniversary on July 1, 2021, son Perry, Rhonda, children Logan, Jordan (Catherine), Echo, son Cary, Monique, children Roman, Erin and Sara. He was predeceased by Mae, Tom, Mel Bieber, brother John in WWII, brother Bill, sister Ona, and survived by sisters Betty, June and Kathy. Ted was first and foremost an animal person, from the age of 10 when he trained his dog team to race in the dog races down Minnedosa Main Street, to delivering groceries with same dog team for Jim Chipperfield, to when he and brother Bill trained their horse, Little Boy, to stand all four feet on a box and the list went on. At the age of 15 he lied, and he and buddy Lawrence Sandstrom enlisted in the Canadian Army, RCEME. He said he didn't like it at the time but it was the best training he had ever received. He was in the Occupation Force in several countries in Europe, he had many stories, not all necessarily army related. After he returned he worked at several jobs. He worked at all three bakeries in town, CN Railway in Ontario and northern Manitoba, had an upholstery cleaning business in BC with buddy Bill Bold, herded cattle, he was never without a job of some kind. Ted was introduced to a young woman by friends Wes and Elsie Ferguson. Diana Sharp was a friend of theirs through horses. Ted and Diana struck it off immediately, they were both horse fans. Diana had a pinto horse with a black saddle and the next thing Ted appeared with a pinto horse and black saddle and a lifetime of horses started there. Ted and Diana were married July 1, 1961, they had two sons Perry and Cary. Ted and Diana started a riding stable on their property east side of Minnedosa Lake, Lakeside Stables, and took rides down the beautiful trails beside the lake. They had their stable for three years. Ted and Diana raised and showed Morgan horses for many years, the last of their Morgans just passed three years ago. Diana thought Ted might need something new in the horse world so she bought him a little grey Standardbred called Tiny Tucker. Once again, Ted knew nothing about harness racing, so what do you do, you read up of course. He studied his book cover to cover, started training Tiny Tucker, went through the ranks of being certified for a driver, finally got his driver's license and was able to race his own horses. They were on the Great Western Manitoba racing circuit for almost 20 years. Ted and Diana really enjoyed having their granddaughter Erin in Manitoba Pony Club for four years, taking her to meetings, work days and Pony camp at various towns. An opportunity presented itself when it was rumoured a Winnipeg businessman was interested in opening some sort of agricultural business in the old CPR roundhouse. Ted started a regime of visiting this man on the average of every 2 or 3 days to see about employment. Probably due to this persistence he finally said he had the go ahead and Ted was hired on as Employee No. One for MinnToba Industries. Ted worked his way up the ranks, knowing nothing about factories and farm machinery but keenly learning as he went. Several take overs and new management through Terra Implements, Agristeel and the current Morris Industries, he was Plant Manager for 33 years retiring due to health reasons at age 55. Ted was very proud of the product that went out the door and proud of the personnel that put it there. He was always striving for a better product, more efficiently produced and cost effective. There were many trials and tribulations around every corner. He was given the job of designing the current plant, administration had confidence in his abilities. He was a straight shooter from the hip, a very hard worker to a fault that he expected everyone to be the same. He had a strong work ethic and put his all into everything he did and was well respected for same. He was always willing to give a second chance. Ted, Diana and boys enjoyed skating on Minnedosa Lake, XC skiing at Clear Lake, camping with the old truck camper. Ted liked the times the boys were involved in Junior hockey and he coached when able. Ted and Diana did some downhill skiing. They took lessons when Perry worked at Ski Valley and got to some mountain hills in Alberta and Park City Utah. Ted enjoyed curling and golfing with the seniors in later years. He was not much of a traveler, Diana referred to him as her 'drag' as she had to drag him here and drag him there, he always enjoyed it once he got started. She managed to drag him to Florida to visit his family many times, several cruises, Via Rail trips east and west, Diana was a train buff, Ted not so much probably because of his years on the CN. They went to England to see Diana's pen pal of 30 years, the Vancouver Olympics for two weeks and finally Hawaii with another trip there in 2022 in a preplanning mode. After the racing was over and there was time, they took the motorhome they had for the race years and with sisters Betty, Kathy and Chuck and brother Bill went to northern BC to see sister Ona, then with Betty the next year motored down to the east coast. Ted didn't play a musical instrument but was an excellent dancer and always interested in music with son Cary a musician and grandson Roman a singer songwriter. About 1995 two fellows appeared at the door with big ideas, they wanted permission to use our land for a classic rock concert. Thus began a yearly rock concert Classic Rock Weekend being the first endeavor, Little River Rockfest being the next. Both Ted and Diana were on the board, three of the most interesting years they had ever experienced. The current Rockin The Fields of Minnedosa is still going strong as soon as the pandemic is over. It has been cancelled the last two years, same as everything else. Looking forward to 2022. Ted wasn't a big meeting person, he did, however, belong to the Minnedosa Agricultural Society, Lifetime member of the Minnedosa Lions Club which was the organization to bring harness racing to Minnedosa with government run paramutual betting, which ran for many years. Ted was able to race his own horses in Minnedosa which he was very proud of, his first win was at Minnedosa. He also belonged to various Morgan Horse Clubs, was a Zone Director for Manitoba and attended conventions and a trip to the headquarters of the American Morgan Horse Association in New York State. He also belonged to various Standardbred associations in connection with race horses. He raced his horses until age 65 as you cannot drive after that age. He wasn't ready but didn't want others to drive his horses so he retired his colours of green and gold. Ted loved and was very proud of all his family. He was always interested in all their lives, and he loved to hear about their lives whether work oriented or pastimes. Ted had recurring bouts of ill health throughout his lifetime, but the worst was when he was struck down in 2012 with a stroke in the spine which left him disabled. He made the best of a bad situation and continued on to the best of his abililty.

"Rest in peace sweetheart, love you and
see ya later alligator"
(he always said that)

As published in Brandon Sun on Jul 03, 2021