Dalphine (Del) Southgate (nee Ham), a pioneer of the Bjelde Creek area, passed away Aug. 26. Del was living at Battleford West Place apartments before she moved to Battlefords District Care Centre, where she passed away.
Delphine was born in Saskatoon and moved to England for her education. She took on a school teaching job before returning to Canada to work before she met and married Clifford Southgate in 1953. They lived on a mixed farm in the Bjelde Creek area and raised a family of two daughters. They retired from the farm to live in Battleford.
Clifford passed away as well as a daughter. Del moved into Battlefords West Place when it was first built.
A celebration of life was held at the Garden Chapel in North Battleford. Interment will take place at a later date.
Sara Lynne Houk of North Battleford was one of the lucky August winners in the Battlefords Union Hospital Foundation monthly draw.
I would like to offer thanks to Warren Iverson of Meota, Mardelle and Jack Robson of Lanigan and to Trudy Janssens and the Saskatoon publishers for putting together a collection of Saskatchewan elevator photos into a large picture book of 191 pages, The Book of Saskatchewan Grain Elevators. I got my book and a wonderful book it is.
At one time there were more than 3,000 of these elevators built in most small towns along railroad tracks. The first elevator was built in Fleming in 1895. They were landmarks of the prairies. Today we are lucky to see even one left. Some have been moved to farms and restored while others burned or were torn down. Western Development Museum in North Battleford still has one that came from Keatley.
I have been a collector of elevator photos for a few years. When my husband I travelled we made a point to stop and take photos of them. Many are gone now. They are really missed now the big terminals taking their place.
RM of Glenside weed inspector John Hammond is going to be retiring at the end of the year. Thanks, John, for all the help you have given us over the years on the job.
