Obituary of Carl Ryan Seed

My Dad Carl Ryan Seed was born September 23, 1932 on his grandmother’s homestead. The oldest of five (along with Sylvia, Gordon, Henry and Cliff) born to Thomas Henry “Harry” and Stella Seed. Carl was raised with a wood stove, well-water, outhouse. No electricity. Fuel lamps. Radio with a battery. In the evenings…depending on how good the battery was, they would listen to the news, and often listen to the boxing matches…Dempsey and Joe Lewis.

Carl worked on the family farm and also hired out as a farm hand. He returned to help with the harvest even after he was married with a family of his own. Back then on my grandparent's farm the harvesting was still done by gathering the harvest into sheaves and then piling the sheaves into stooks so they were ready for threshing.

Before he was married, Carl was working in Uranium City Saskatchewan at a uranium mine. 

For those of you who don’t know, Uranium City is located just south of Santa.

A cook that he knew there spent every winter in Mexico, and made it sound interesting. So Dad and a friend of his named Harry went to Detroit to pick up a car for Harry‘s brother, then drove it down to Mexico. Specifically Mexico City and Acapulco.

Of course. Carl's life really started when he met my Mom, Mary Ann Hart.

One of his good buddies in Uranium City, Brian Borley, was married to my Mom’s sister Betsy. So when Mom came to visit Betsy and Brian, Mom and Dad met. And Uranium City is where they married.

My Dad recently told me again of his experiences in riding in rodeos in Swan River, and Preeceville, and Sturgis, and Sheho, and Carrot River. And sleeping in tents while traveling around to rodeos.

And then the thrill and excitement of competing in the rodeos themselves.

When Dad, Mom, my sister Lorraine and myself (as a baby) came out from Uranium City there were still one or two rodeos Dad participated in.
   
He remembers though, that there was a rodeo right in Rose Valley and everybody was trying to get my Dad to enter. “C’mon Carl, ride!”

And my Mom standing quietly to the side saying “No Carl, please don’t.”

Being a wise man, Dad listened to Mom.

Dad had a variety of jobs, including, but not limited to security guard, mining hoistman, milk truck driver, trunking industry mechanic, trucked fuel to northern mines, he ran his own mobile repair business, ran a nutritional business and, when he was younger he worked in a lumber mill.

My Dad lost his left hand at a lumber mill.

My Dad is the one who taught me how to tie my shoes.

He would still play with me, pick me up, play airplane, toss me up a little and catch me when I got bigger, my Dad could do everything.

SO much so that I never noticed that most of his left hand was missing.

Until a friend from school had come to visit and pointedly asked me how my Dad lost his hand.My puzzled reply: “What are you talking about?”

He looked at me funny and then walked over to ask my Dad.

My Dad told him that he was eating a peanut butter sandwich too fast and forgot to stop, which got my friend laughing long and loud.

The lesson that my Dad taught me here is that the cause, although helpful, may not be as nearly as important as finding a solution and learning to cope.

My Dad had been driving a cement truck in Regina (I got to ride with him sometimes) and he then found work at the mine in Creighton. And it was a place we could move to! Sometimes when my Dad worked at mines there was no where close for us to live, so he would go alone and come home when he could. It always made him sad to be away from us. So my grandparents brought a grain truck and everything was loaded up and we drove to Creighton Saskatchewan.

Creighton is right next to Flin Flon Manitoba, where my brother Warren was born.

Lorraine married Norval Charles (Bud) Dunn with sons Micheal and Chris. 

Micheal (Tara) had Aryona, Damon and Tyson.

Aryona (Aaron Malenchenko) gave birth to Silas, Carl and Mary's Great Great Grandchild.

Chris (Rachel) is Dad to Patience and Justice.

Patience (Tyler McCallister) gives birth to Scarlett  also Carl and Mary's Great Great Grandchild.

Darwin is Dad to Tiara and Dallin and Dalton and Sabrina.

Warren is Dad to Chris (mother Danette  Dueck) and Cheyanne and Chesea and Joshua and Savanna (mother Jeanette).

A healthy and happy posterity with more to come!

Dad gave us the Seed Family Motto: "Never say "Whoa" in a bad spot"

This hearkens back to driving a horse drawn wagon often through swamped roads and deep mud. If you find yourself in a bad spot, that is NOT the time to say "whoa" because you WILL bog down and be stuck. Keep going. Don't stop. Don't give up.

Dad also gave us the Seed Family Legacy: "Having compassion and making a difference"

my Dad, Carl Seed, reminded me of John Wayne. Similar height and build, shoulders broad, chest massive, although my Dad is much better looking. My Dad is very observant and aware. Ready to laugh and make a funny comment. Maureen O’Hara said of John Wayne: “He is the softest, kindest, warmest, most loyal human being I have ever known.” Same with my Dad. Dad is also sure-footed, rugged, honest, hard-working and self-sacrificing. Friendly, unassuming, likeable. A guy with no pretense. A guy that you could confide in. Dad can strike up a conversation with anyone. Dad is very loving. Dad is my hero.

There was really never anything to worry about when my Dad is around. A lot of people might hope that their Dad would step between them and a bear to face down the bear empty handed.

My Dad actually did.

My Dad always let me help him work on the car, so I could watch and learn myself. One day, I was about 10 or 11, Dad was working underneath the car and I was standing by to hand him tools if he needed any. This was a 60’s era car. Heavy.

To my horror, the car started rolling backwards, the jack holding up the car tilted forward, and the car slipped off the jack and dropped down hard on my Dad.

I yelled, and ran to the house to alert my mother, and then I ran back to the car, picked up the jack and struggled to position it under the front bumper of the car so the car would not be squishing my Dad. Then I heard my Dad calling my name.

“Darwin? It’s alright! I’m not hurt! And I think I can…lift this…off.”

I watched in amazement as the car rose, my Dad slide over, then the car rose again, and my Dad slid out the side.

He is generous, understanding and wise; gives of himself to all who need his help. His openness and honesty leads to good friendships and lasting relationships. Can be counted on in a tough situation to not lose his cool or panic.

He always seemed to leave a lasting impression on even people he met briefly. My Dad Carl is a great man, loved and appreciated by many.

His greatest legacy is that he taught us how to love.

And he's still teaching us.