CASTLE- Dale Richard Castle was born at Gull Lake Hospital on August 8, 1931 to Ed and Eva Castle. He was the third of eight children. Ronnie, Margorie, Dale, Barry, Elva, Blaine, Jerry and Sharon. They grew up on a family farm south of Webb near Duncairn Dam. The family lived and worked on the farm until the drought and devastation of the dirty 30’s and forced them to look elsewhere. They had moved to Rose Valley. Grandpa did not enjoy Northern Saskatchewan so the family moved back to Webb. Dale worked on other farm and attended Wilhelmina, Silver Craig and Prince of Whales. Schools. In 1951 he went and took a diesel course in Edmonton but returned home due to father’s illness. Dad also worked as a hired hand for Stan Radtke and Cliff Gatzke. In 1956 he met mom, Rozada Ptolemy. Mom had come to area to be a teacher at Silver Craig. Mom was at a picnic and the Castle’s were there. Dad had asked her to be in a wheel barrel race. They certainly won as they were married on October 21, 1957 in Dinsmore. Dad bought land from a neighbor Charley Lawson and they started there homestead which was ½ mile from his mom and dads. Dale and Rozada were devoted to one another and worked alongside each other on the farm. They built a very small home and in December 1958 Brenda was born, Arlene in 1960, Erroll 1964 and Brent 1966. In 1964 they built there new farm home and worked at expanding their farming operations. Over the years dad farmed the land as well as milking cows, raising cattle, pigs, horses, chickens, and turkeys. Dad was a hard-working man and his passion was farming. Farming was his life. Mom worked alongside him every day. Dad taught us kids to work and always said hard work will never hurt anybody. It was a family farm as dad involved all family and there was not many man jobs or just woman jobs. Everyone could learn to do everything. However Sundays were set aside for rest, relaxation and visiting. A typical Sunday was Sunday school, church then company for dinner and visiting, picnics and drives. Back in the day we did not go to Swift Current frequently except on Sunday and mom once a week. Dad made sure mom always had a card and gift from himself and us kids to give to her for all the special occasions, Valentines Easter, Mothers Day, birthday and Christmas. Dad took our family on a camping trip every year right after we were done haying. Mom and dad also did traveling throughout the states, Hawaii and Alaska, coast to coast across Canada, cruises, Mexico and Bahamas with close family and friends. Dad was always the first to always help family, friends and neighbours. This was instilled with each of us to do the same. Dad always made the time to help each of us kids and was never too busy. Erroll bought Blaine’s farm and moved back to farm together with dad. They were good farming partners over 20 years. Brent continued to work on the farm with mom and dad during school vacations. Dad had a gift for storytelling and did some acting in school plays and monologues. He would spend hours rehearsing the lines for the concerts. Dad loved to remiss of the past and tried to keep heritage of horse drawn rides and homemade ice cream, family ball games to name a few. Dad’s favorite times were when the whole family could get together and he was adamant of getting family pictures done very often. Mom and dad built their Swift Current home in 1998. They moved out to the farm for the farming seasons for a number of years. Dad served on the telephone board in the Wilhelmina District. He was an RM of Webb councilor from 1972 – 1993. Dad belonged to the Kiwanis Club and Good Sams after moving to Swift Current. Dad had health issues that he had overcome. Knee surgery 1992, stroke 2001, gall bladder surgery 2001, and five-way bypass 2007. The last while he struggled with liver and kidney failure and fought hard to stay with the family but on Tuesday, May 14, Dad’s roller coaster ride came to an end. Dad passed away with family by his side at the Cypress Regional Hospital in Swift Current. Dale was predeceased by his parents, Ed & Eva Castle; brothers, Ronnie, Barry, Jerry; sister, Marjorie; mother & father-in-law, Hattie & Robert Ptolemy; brothers-in-law, Lloyd, Earl, Dale and Gerald Ptolemy. He is survived by his loving wife, Rozada of 55 ½ years; Daughters, Brenda (Brian) Ohlheiser - granddaughter, Lisa, (Ryan) Peacock and great-grandchildren, Autumn and Declan: grandson, Tyson (Stephanie) Parsons: Arlene (Ken) Kirwan – granddaughter, Pamela (Ryan) Kirwan, great-granddaughter, Hayley, grandson, Scott (Angie) great-grandsons, Ashton, Trusten, Rolken: granddaughter, Jenna (Travis) Ibach, great-grandsons, Trevin, Macen; Sons, Erroll (Tracey) – grandsons, Austin and Steven: Brent (Penny) – grandson, Brock, granddaughter, Emma; brother, Blaine & Sharon; sisters, Sharon & Ken Robinson, Elva & Pete Weibe; brothers-in-law, Clare & Eva Ptolemy, Lawrence; sisters-in-law, Mona, Edyth; and many nieces and nephews. On the farm dad always invited anyone who came to the farm for coffee lunch dinner or supper no one ever went away hungry. Dad looked forward his coffee fellowship with his friends at Wal-Mart and MacDonald’s and thank you to all for giving him these memories. Dad will be deeply missed and loved forever.
The Memorial Service was held on Saturday, May 18, 2013, at 2:00 pm from the Trailview Alliance Church, Swift Current, SK, with Pastor Blair Froese officiating. The pianist for the service was Millie Spagrud with special music brought by John & Dorothy Regier and by Austin Castle. The eulogy was shared by Arlene Kirwan and Brenda Ohlheiser. The ushers in the church were George Wall, Paul Klippenstein and Keith Hanna. The chosen music for the Processional was “Grampa” and for the Recessional was “Daddy’s Hands”. The Private Family Interment Service preceded the Funeral Service and was held at the Memory Gardens Cemetery, Swift Current, SK with the following grandsons serving as pallbearers, Scott Kirwan, Travis Ibach, Ryan Kirwan, Tyson Parsons, Ryan Peacock, Brock Castle, Austin Castle and Steven Castle. In memory of Dale Castle, donations made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation, the Diabetes Association or to the Gideons International would be appreciated by the family. Funeral arrangements were in care of Swift Current Funeral Home, Swift Current, SK. For further information or to sign the Family Book of Condolences, please go to swiftcurrentfuneralhome.com