Earl was born on June 4, 1942 in Tisdale, Saskatchewan. He grew up on the farm where his parents, Wellington and Hertha had homesteaded about three and half miles northwest of Armley. Earl was the eldest of four boys. Their father passed away when Earl was six years old, and his mother kept the family farm.
Earl attended Manlius School from grades 1-8 and then attended Tisdale School from grades 9-12. He was involved in the 4-H beef Club. Earl had to learn farming quickly from hired hands and neighbors. As a teenager, Earl’s main entertainment was to walk to Armley where he could watch the hockey games on television.
After grade 12, Earl went to work for Healey Construction. He had various jobs working for local farmers, operating the patrol for the RM of Connaught, working in northern construction and construction of the Nipawin and Diefenbaker Hydrodams.
Earl met Betty (Elizabeth) Maier on a farm near Ridgedale where they were summer employed. Earl and Betty were married on June 6, 1964. They were blessed with four children. Neil in March, 1968, Kevin in February of 1970, Heather in June, 1972 and Karen in July, 1973.
Earl and Betty settled on the family farm in Armley. The farm was named River Acres Stock Farm. Flooding in the 1970’s forced the relocation of the mixed farming operation, to the present farm, eighteen miles north of Tisdale.
Earl had a commercial herd of Shorthorn cows. He purchased his first purebred Shorthorn in 1970. The herd continued to grow to 100 purebred cows and 25 commercial cows. His cattle were his pride and joy, and secretly Betty’s too.
Earl spent many hours involved in 4-H with Neil and Kevin and lots of time watching his children participate in ringette, curling and hockey. He served on various boards and committees. Earl was elected to the local School Board for 18 years and Chairman for 14 years. Other boards included the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, Saskatchewan Cattle Breeders and the Saskatchewan Livestock Association. He also served as President of both the Saskatchewan Shorthorn Association, and the Canadian Shorthorn Association.
It seems accurate to say that Earl was like a grizzly bear on the outside but a teddy bear on the inside. He loved to give whisker rubs to any niece, nephew or grandchild he could catch. Earl loved his grandchildren dearly. Earl will be well remembered for his signature phrases and choice of words, armchair curling, old time dancing, card playing and coffee sessions at the local café.

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