Obituary of Clarence "CK" Williamson

WILLIAMSON: Peacefully on Wednesday, December 28, 2016, Clarence Kenneth Williamson "CK" passed away at the age of 90 years at the Valleyview Personal Care Home in Brandon, Manitoba. Clarence was born on May 22, 1926 in Brandon, Manitoba, one of ten children of William and Gertrude Williamson of the Roseland district. He attended the Roseland School Division #277 school and later continued his education in Brandon. Clarence had many fond memories of growing up on the family farm with his siblings. He came up with the ideas, which most often than not, got his brothers and sisters in trouble. His love of horses came from working on the farm with his dad and siblings and this is where the farming bug took hold. On June 30 1951, Clarence married Gladys Margaret Hovey, the local teacher from Justice, Manitoba and together they started farming and bought their first quarter section in the Rural Municipality of Whitehead in 1953. Clarence and Gladys had four children, a daughter Patricia (Pat), and three sons, Douglas, John and Glenn. They were married 49 years until Gladys passed away in February, 2001. CK had a very strong work ethic and while raising his family, CK expanded the farming operation to include more land, grain and beef cattle. At first, CK worked together with his dad and two brothers, Art and Jim. Then in 1971, CK started farming with his two sons, Douglas and later John. Everyone helped on the farm and this was the only way to get to see Dad, for he worked many long hours in the field. CK loved his cows and grew his herd of beef cattle of Purebred Herefords, and then Simmental and Angus cross which John continues with today. CK had a good "eye" for the winner and often took his children to the stockyards to buy cattle. CK occasionally judged the Commercial Classic class and culled bulls for the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair Bull Sale and encouraged his sons to join 4-H and show cattle. Both CK and John have been recognized by the Manitoba Simmental Association for their commercial cattle. Many a Sunday morning was spent checking cattle with CK and there was always a reminder to close the gate. If a gate was forgotten and the cattle got out, CK simply hopped in his red Cadillac and rounded them up, regardless of the terrain involved. CK was very athletic and played catcher for the local baseball team, the Roseland Rockets, and the family spent many evenings watching Dad play ball and always attended the annual July long weekend ball tournament in Birtle, Manitoba. CK was also an accomplished curler and was very proud of the "Williamson Foursome" who won many bonspiels and played at "The Dominion" held in Winnipeg in 1957. CK and his brothers Bill, Art and Jim also persuaded their dad, William to donate some land on the corner of their original farm for the Roseland Curling Club, a one sheet rink that still holds a community bonspiel and a youth bonspiel every year. CK curled well into his 70's and was an avid curler fan. At the age of 70, CK took up golfing and spent many hours on the golf course with his friends, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. CK was always introducing new golf rules to keep them on their toes. CK was a proud dad and grandpa at 4-H shows, and graduations, and watched many a baseball or hockey game, motor cross race and curling game while cheering on his children and grandchildren. CK and Gladys enjoyed playing bridge with family. CK also taught his children and grandchildren how to play cribbage as a way to learn Mathematics and make it fun. CK would always laugh when one of them beat him at crib. They also liked to have a birthday party for CK on May Long Weekend every year and Clarence was happy to celebrate to his 90th this past May 2016 surrounded by his sister Estella and brother Art, his extended family and many good friends and neighbours. This past summer, Clarence was also able to attend the 125th Williamson Farm Celebration and Family Reunion on the original Williamson Family Farm on July 15, 2016 and especially enjoyed the display of farm equipment which included one of his first tractors. CK was extremely proud to know that his son John and his grandson Kyle are carrying on with the Williamson family farm. CK loved horses and took a great interest in harness horse racing and owned a number of horses over the years. CK and Gladys followed the Manitoba Harness Racing circuit in the summer. In 2009, CK was awarded a Lifetime Membership by the Manitoba Harness Horseman, Inc. As part of harness racing, every August long weekend, Gladys and Clarence camped at the Killarney Fairgrounds and their friends, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren enjoyed many hours cheering on Grandpa's horses, bbq'ing steaks, golfing or going to the drive-inn theatre with Grandpa. A note was always attached to the front door of the house on weekends "Gone to the Races" and signed "CK and Gladys". Besides farming, Clarence served as councillor for 10 years and then Reeve of the Rural Municipality of Whitehead for 30 years. Clarence also served on the board of the now defunct Manitoba Pool Elevators and was a huge supporter of the Roseland community including the Roseland United Church, the Roseland School Division #277, the Roseland Curling Club and later the Roseland South Brandon Community Centre. Clarence also organized the Roseland Snow Plow Club with a rotary snow plow and "blew out" many neighbours after snow storms. Clarence was outgoing, generous, and enjoyed a good joke and loved having a "Caesar" and a bb'q with family and friends. It was always 5 o'clock somewhere. He always had time to visit and when "the boys" took over the farm, CK started having coffee in the morning at Humpty's and shared many laughs there. Clarence was a loving husband and father, a knowledgeable cattleman, a shrewd business man, a reeve who always balanced the budget, and a good neighbour who supported his community, and a loyal friend. Clarence instilled his work ethic and common sense in his children, but his greatest joy was his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Grandpa always had a "Dilly Bar" or "Smarties" when they visited. Clarence was predeceased by his loving wife of 49 years, Gladys (née Hovey), his parents, William and Gertrude Williamson and his in-laws, Frank and Nellie Hovey; by his sisters Alice and her husband Cam Drysdale, Laura and her husband Bill Addison, Evelyn and her husband Hugh Ferguson; by his four brothers: John, Bill and his wife Mary, Norman and his wife Lorna, Jim and his wife Audrey, and sisters-in-law Marie Williamson and Janet Hovey. He was also predeceased by brothers-in-law Jim Brown, Keith Campbell, Murray Hovey and Les Hovey. Clarence is survived by his sister Estella Brown of Brandon, his brother Arthur Williamson of South Brandon, and sisters-in-law Shirley Campbell of Chater, and Janice Hovey of Grand Prairie, Alberta. He will always be remembered by his four children: son Douglas and his wife Denise and their four daughters, Pamela (Tyson) Dmytriw of Alameda, SK, Kristen (Garret) Phillips, Jennifer (Darel) Malcolmson of St. Paul, AB., Victoria (Stephen) Findlay and their families; daughter Pat of Winnipeg and her son, Nicholas Peters and his two daughters; son John and his wife Karen and their family, Kyle (Janette), Ryan, Taralynn (Brad), and Justin; and by son Glenn and his wife Sharon and their two sons, Dylan and Nathan. He is also survived by 15 great-grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and many good friends and neighbours. Clarence was laid to rest on Tuesday, January 3, 2017 at a private interment in the Roseland United Church cemetery overlooking the home quarter and feedlot. Reverend Craig Miller officiated and his pallbearers were his six grandsons: Kyle, Ryan, Justin, Dylan, and Nathan Williamson and Nicholas Peters. Following the interment, a memorial service was held at the Victoria Inn in Brandon with Reverend Miller and a eulogy was given by his oldest grandchildren, Pamela and Kristen. All present were considered honourary pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Roseland South Brandon Community Centre, Box 23, RR#1, Site 150, Brandon Manitoba R7A 5Y1 or to a charity of your choice. Funeral arrangements were with Brockie Donovan, Brandon, MB We are going to miss you, Dad, but we'll see you at the races. And we'll be sure to close the gate, Boss.