My
father, Robert Allan Farrell, was born on April 26, 1927 in Abernethy,
Saskatchewan, Canada to Robert and Helen “Nellie” (Devlin) Farrell. He was the second oldest boy of their six
children, two of which died in infancy. Unfortunately,
I don’t know a lot about my father as he died when I was only 9 months old.
When
Allan (as he was known) was 12 years old, he developed juvenile diabetes. Like most children in the area, he attended
the one room Tipperary school where he completed his Grade XI. Unlike his two brothers, Forbes and John
(Jack), Allan did not go into farming but became a mechanic, working for
Greenfield Motors.
On
January 8, 1951, Allan was initiated into Nanatah Masonic Lodge #53 in
Balcarres, Saskatchewan and was raised a Master Mason on August 13, 1951.
On
August 15, 1953 Allan married Rhona MacDonald Marshall from a neighbouring
farm. In December of that same year
Allan and Rhona welcomed their first child, a daughter named Judy. The following year, in 1954, the little
family moved to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, where they welcomed two more
daughters, Heather in 1956 and myself (Alana) in 1961.
While living in Moose Jaw, Allan worked as a mechanic at Maccam Motors.
Shortly
after my birth, my father's diabetes took a turn for the worse
and he was hospitalized. It was at that
time that I decided to learn to walk, taking my first steps on his
hospital bed.
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Allan passed away on August 12, 1962 and was
buried on his 10th wedding anniversary – August 15, 1962. He is buried in Rosedale Cemetery in Moose
Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada.©2014, copyright Alana Farrell
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