Obituary of Franklin Wilfred Bollman

Franklin Wilfred (Frank) Bollman Frank passed away peacefully in Brandon on Saturday, October 5, 2013 at the age of 91 years. Frank was born on the family farm at Moline, Manitoba on March 10, 1922. He attended school in Moline and worked on the farm until enlisting in the RCAF in 1942. He trained as an aircraft mechanic in Winnipeg (MB.), Toronto (ON.), St. Thomas (ON.), Dorval (QC.) and Boundary Bay (B.C.). At a dance, he met June Oklund and after she visited the farm in the summer of 1946 to check out the farming lifestyle, they married in B.C. in November, 1946. They arrived at the farm on Boxing Day and were stormed in for two months. What a Prairie welcome for the newlyweds! Within four years, two children had joined the farm life. For the birth of his son Ray, Frank called a neighbour to pick up June in his snow-plane to travel a few miles over snow-blocked roads to reach the car of another neighbour to get June to Rivers for Ray's birth. The arrival of his daughter Elaine heralded the arrival of electricity on the farm. Farming provided a good life for the family. Frank enjoyed farming along with his brother Bert where they shared machinery and worked together on nearly every farm task. His farming career started with the use of the original "horse-power" for every job requiring muscle. Technology started moving fast - the gasoline engine, the hydraulic lift, power steering and he ended with a tractor complete with a cab and an FM radio. He started with a mixed farm. The milk cow stayed until Ray got a driver's license. The pigs stayed until Elaine got a university bursary. He took pride in his crops, his cattle, keeping his yard tidy and hoeing his weed-free rows of potatoes! He retired from farming after the 1984 harvest. He enjoyed his herd of Shorthorn cattle and would show his cattle at local fairs. His daughter, Elaine, was the Manitoba Shorthorn Lassie in 1970 and she attended many agricultural fairs in Manitoba to promote the Shorthorns. Frank joined the board of the Moline Co-op Store shortly after his father retired from the board and continued on the board until the store finally became un-economical to operate and it was closed in 1981. Frank was a strong supporter of the co-operative movement. He was one of the first people to join the Farmers' Co-operative Seed Cleaning Plant in Rivers - an idea that had not been tried elsewhere. He was a strong supporter of the Canadian Wheat Board price-pooling policy that paid the same price for wheat regardless of the month the wheat was delivered during the year. When selling cattle, he would ask - why is my cow worth a different amount today than yesterday? Frank also actively participated in almost every community activity including, in his younger years, playing baseball, hockey and curling for Moline teams. He was a board member for the Moline School District and for the Manitoba Pool Elevator in Moline and actively participated in the activities of the Moline United Church, the Moline branch of the Canadian Order of Foresters, the Moline Rink and the Rapid City Legion. For many years, he was a leader for the Moline-Cardale 4-H Beef Calf Club and later the Rapid City 4-H Beef Calf Club. Both children received a lot of encouragement for their participation in 4-H activities. He was proud, in his quiet way, of each of his children receiving the district 4-H Gold Watch Award in their respective final year in 4-H. Also he was proud that each of his children pursued further education - and found jobs in work that they enjoyed. Ray worked in the Agriculture Division of Statistics Canada until retiring in 2011. Elaine taught the music program in an elementary school in The Pas up to her retirement in 2006. After retiring to Brandon in 1985, Frank volunteered at the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum. A number of the planes now on display are the result of his contribution to the team of volunteers who reconstructed the familiar yellow WW2 training aircraft. Many retirement activities filled his time. Golf became a regular summer activity and his grandchildren played golf with Grandfather on many summer visits. In the winter, his attention switched to curling. In addition, there was time for travel and cruises. Frank and June attended almost every Christmas concert that their daughter Elaine organized at Mary Duncan School in The Pas. On other visits to The Pas, Frank always had a list of jobs waiting for him itemized neatly on Elaine's fridge. Also, there were visits to Ottawa to see the grandchildren and visits with many relatives were always on the agenda. Frank spent his last years at the Fairview Personal Care Home in Brandon. The staff enjoyed his gentle and kind character. He enjoyed a good laugh and he liked to tease, to the end. Frank was predeceased by his wife, June and his two brothers, Leonard and Bert. He is survived by his children, Ray and Elaine, and by his grandchildren, Eric and MifAnne. Cremation has taken place and a Memorial Service will be held at the Brockie Donovan Chapel, 332-8th Street, on Friday, October 11, 2013 at 2:30 p.m. The service will be conducted by Frank's nephew, Wayne Bollman. Interment will take place at Pettapiece Cemetery at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum Foundation, Box 3, Group 520, R.R. #5, Brandon, Manitoba R7A 5Y5, or to a charity of your choice.