Obituary of Garry Drabble

Garry Drabble of Saskatoon died peacefully on July 8, 2019, at age 78. He is remembered by his wife Carolynn; son Rodney, daughter-in-law Julia, grandchildren Matthew and Meghan; son Rory; brother Rex (Florence); mother-in-law Aurelia Grimes; sisters-in-law Kathy (Terry) Baker, Joanne Nagel and Tamara (Bruce) Buckwold; brother-in-law Al Marchant; as well as many family and friends who were an important part of his life. Nellie, the best grand dog a man could want, will miss his cheerful willingness to continually scratch her behind the ears as she nestled up to his chair. He is predeceased by his parents Philip and Muriel, sister Elsie Marchant, brothers Roy and Edwin, sister-in-law Elizabeth Drabble, brother-in-law Marvin Nagel and father-in-law Joe Grimes.

Garry was born Sept. 10, 1940, at Hafford, Sask. Family lore relates that the delivery room nurse called him the “cutest baby born at Hafford Hospital.” He was the youngest of five children and grew up on the family farm near Speers, attending the one-room Greenbluff School and, later, high school in town. As a young man he worked summers at Riverside Regional Park near Eston, Sask. There he met Carolynn, a lifeguard who would become his wife in 1964. Along with Carolynn and their sons, Garry lived most of his life in Saskatoon, raising a family in the Eastview neighbourhood and contributing to the community. Working in the yard was time well spent, as were family camping trips in northern Saskatchewan. Annual fishing trips with friends were a highlight. Garry volunteered in many capacities and shared his skill as a cook and organizer by preparing hundreds of meals for McClure United Church dinner theatre productions. Several summers spent as the cook at Camp Christopher resulted in a wealth of stories. A career as a salesman saw him travel the province, first selling safety and fire protective equipment and, later, restaurant equipment. He appreciated the opportunity to make friends and work with clients as diverse as fire departments, potash mines and convenience stores. The sport of curling was a passion. As a teenager he was part of a schoolboy curling dynasty in Speers that saw teams win provincial titles and play at national championships. He was an active member of the Nutana Curling Club until knee injuries meant he could no longer compete. During a decade of running Prairieland Bed & Breakfast, he was thrilled to host many high-level curling teams. Playing cards and having a rye at his kitchen table with Kevin Martin and his team made him feel like one of the boys.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, July 13, 2019, beginning at 1:30 p.m. at McClure United Church. Garry enjoyed the energy and excitement of working with young people so In lieu of flowers, donations to the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation would by gratefully appreciated by the family.