ORVILLE MUCKLE “PAT” ROE, OF VULCAN PASSED AWAY AT THE VULCAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE JUNE 13, 2001 AT THE AGE OF 82 YEARS.
PAT WAS BORN JUNE 5, 1919 IN VULCAN TO ORVILLE AND VIOLA ROE. HE ATTENDED SCHOOL IN VULCAN AND WAS GIVEN THE NICKNAME “PAT” EARLY IN HIS SCHOOL YEARS. HE HELPED HIS FATHER ON THE FARM AND AFTER COMPLETING HIS EDUCATION BEGAN WORKING FOR CALGARY POWER. PAT JOINED THE NAVY IN 1942 AS A STOKER AND LATER SERVED AS AN ELECTRICAL OFFICER. WHILE IN SERVICE HIS OPERATIONS INCLUDED LANDING TROOPS ON THE NORMANDY BEACHHEAD “D- DAY” JUNE 16, 1944 AND IN THE MEDITERRANEAN TO LAND TROOPS FOR THE INITIAL LANDING OF SOUTHERN FRANCE AUGUST 15, 1944. AFTER HIS DISCHARGE FROM THE NAVY HE RETURNED TO THE VULCAN AREA AND FARMED WITH HIS FATHER. ON NOVEMBER 19, 1946 HE MARRIED HELEN MEADOWS AND THEY CONTINUED TO FARM WITH HIS PARENTS, EVENTUALLY TAKING OVER THE FARM IN 1951. PAT LOVED FARMING AND IN 1979 HIS SON GORDON TOOK OVER THE FAMILY FARM.
PAT WAS VERY ACTIVE IN HIS COMMUNITY, SERVING AS AN EXECUTIVE MEMBER ON MANY BOARDS. HE WAS A DIRECTOR ON THE ORIGINAL BOARD WHICH FORMED HARMONY R.E.A. (RURAL ELECTRIFICATION ASSOCIATION) UNTIL IT WAS SOLD TO CALGARY POWER IN 1977. HE WAS A DIRECTOR OF THE VULCAN SEED CLEANING ASSOCIATION FROM THE START OF CONSTRUCTION AND WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE THIGH HILL MUTUAL TELEPHONE COMPANY UNTIL IT WAS TAKEN OVER BY ALBERTA GOVERNMENT TELEPHONES. PAT SPENT MANY HOURS WORKING WITH THE BOY SCOUTS ASSOCIATION, WAS PAST PRESIDENT OF THE LAKE McGREGOR GROUP COMMITTEE, PAST PRESIDENT OF THE VULCAN LIONS CLUB, PAST PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION BRANCH #21 VULCAN. AS WELL AS BEING AN ACTIVE FORCE WITH THE BRANCH, HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE ACQUISITION AND ERECTION OF THE FLAG POLE, THE SHIPS ANCHOR AND THE JADE (COMMEMORATING THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION’S DIAMOND JUBILEE) WHICH ARE OUTSIDE THE LEGION. FOR SEVERAL YEARS HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE VULCAN AND DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AT WHICH TIME HE STARTED THE VULCAN HERITAGE FLAG PROJECT AND ON JULY 1, 1985 RAISED 29 FLAGS. PAT WAS ALSO A DIRECTOR ON THE BOARD FOR SUNSHINE CO-OP UNTIL RETIRING FROM THERE IN 1977. FOR TWO YEARS IN 1979 – 1980 PAT WAS IN THE THIRD WORLD COUNTRY OF PAPUA, NEW GUINEA WORKING WITH THE CANADIAN UNIVERSITY SERVICES OVERSEAS AS A PRACTICAL INSTRUCTOR OF MECHANICS AND AGRICULTURE. HE ALSO INSTIGATED THE SCHOOL REUNION IN 1945 WHICH WAS HELD IN THE ICEPLEX IN AUGUST 1985. PAT WAS ALSO THE RECIPIENT OF THE RON PELHAM MEMORIAL AWARD IN 1993.
PAT LOVED HIS FAMILY AND GRANDCHILDREN. HE SPENT MANY HOURS BUILDING ELABORATE DOLLHOUSES FOR HIS GRANDDAUGHTERS, AND ACCOMPLISHING MANY OTHER IDEAS. HE ENJOYED TINKERING WITH GADGETS OF ANY KIND, BUT WHEN AN IDEA OR PROJECT WAS STARTED, IT WAS TO BE COMPLETED YESTERDAY. PAT ALSO ENJOYED CAMPING AND TRAVELLING. PAT AND HELEN WERE TWO OF THE MILLION PEOPLE PRESENT AT THE REDEDICATION OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY IN NEW YORK, CITY. HE WAS A GRAND HOST AND WELCOMED FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO HIS HOME AS ANY HOUR WAS HAPPY HOUR. PAT ESPECIALLY ENJOYED THE OUTINGS IN HIS LATER YEARS WHILE LIVING IN THE LONG TERM CARE OF THE VULCAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE, WHEN ASKED DO YOU WANT TO GO, HIS REPLY WAS ALWAYS “YES, LET’S GO.”
LOVING FATHER OF TWO DAUGHTERS JOYCE (DALE) LEROHL OF VULCAN, LETA (LORNE) OTTWAY OF MEDICINE HAT, TWO SONS GORDON (JOYCE) ROE OF VULCAN, DOUG (SHELLEY) ROE OF DUNCAN, B.C. SEVEN GRANDCHILDREN BRANDY SHAW, GRANT SHAW BOTH OF VULCAN, GREG OTTWAY , MURRAY OTTWAY BOTH OF MEDICINE HAT, AMANDA ROE OF EDMONTON, SARAH ROE, LAURA ROE BOTH OF VULCAN, ONE GREAT GRANDSON BRANDON, TWO BROTHERS-IN-LAW STEWART MEADOWS OF CALGARY , CHARLIE MEADOWS OF HIGH RIVER, NUMEROUS NIECES AND NEPHEWS.
PAT WAS PREDECEASED BY HIS WIFE HELEN, AN INFANT SON GRANT, SISTER LETA ROE AND HIS PARENTS.
FUNERAL SERVICE MONDAY JUNE 18, 2001 AT 2:00 P.M. VULCAN UNITED CHURCH WITH REV. LORRAINE POWELL OFFICIATING.
HONOUR GUARD MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION VULCAN BRANCH #21 JOHN SCATTERGOOD, DAYTON WILLIAMS, ED ZILKE, CHARLIE ANDREWS, MEL BURGESS, CHARLIE SEALOCK AND LEROY BRANDON.
HONOUR BEARERS GRANT CLARK, ROY LEROHL, JACK McFADDEN, ELWOOD MYERS, DALE BROWN, BERT OHLER, STUART CAMPBELL, MARTIN GOTTENBERG, TERRY WHITE AND PAT WALKER.
CASKET BEARERS KEN NADOBNY, WAYNE ERICKSEN, GORDON SHAW, DOUG MILLS, BILL McFADDEN AND ALLAN DEAL.
CREMATION TO FOLLOW WITH INUREMENT IN THE FIELD OF HONOUR VULCAN CEMETERY AT A LATER DATE.
IF FRIENDS SO DESIRE, TRIBUTES IN PAT’S MEMORY COULD BE MADE TO EITHER THE VULCAN HEALTH CARE LONG TERM CARE BOX 299 VULCAN, TOL 2BO OR THE LEGION CAMPGROUND FUND BOX 175 VULCAN, TOL 2BO.
ARRANGEMENTS IN CARE OF VULCAN FUNERAL HOME. DIRECTORS. TELEPHONE 1-405- 485-2633. E-MAIL CONDOLENCES THROUGH www.vulcanfuneralhome.ca.