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Wesley OUSDAHL Obituary
We are sad to announce the passing of Wesley Andres Ousdahl at the Rosetown Hospital on February 15, 2025.
Wesley was born in Elrose, Sask on October 6, 1942 to Sam and Minnie (Dawe), little brother to his only sibling, Tonette (Toni) Blodgett.
A couple of years after Wes was born, Sam and Minnie sold their farm in the Mondou district and bought a section of heavy clay just east of Elrose. They lived for a short time in the little shop while they built their house. Wes grew up on the farm and attended school in Elrose, graduating high school in 1959. He went to the U of S briefly before returning to farm at age nineteen when Sam and Minnie retired to British Columbia.
As a new and broke young farmer, Wesley spent the first few winters in Oshawa, Ontario, earning extra money to help cash flow the new operation. He held a variety of jobs, from janitor at a furniture factory to positions on the assembly line with General Motors. A number of local farmer friends joined Wes in the annual winter migration, quite often living together in rented accommodations.
Wes met Norma Scott in the winter of 1963, a nurse from New Liskeard (northern Ontario), who was working at Oshawa general hospital. They fell in love and soon were married in Elrose in May of 1964. They farmed in Elrose that summer and returned to Ontario after harvest. Their first son, Scott, was born in Oshawa in March of 1965. They returned to Elrose in the spring of 1965, where they farmed and raised their four children (Scott, Stephanie, Karin, and Mitchell). Norma worked as a nurse at the Elrose hospital. Norma passed away in 2000.
Dad always wanted to fly and eventually bought his first plane in the 80s. He decided to supplement the 6-quarter farm by crop dusting, starting with a liquid kit for his 172 Cessna. His close family friends, the Josdals, advised Wes that using the low-powered plane to spray was extremely dangerous, so Wes took their advice and purchased a Piper Pawnee. He custom sprayed for neighbors in a thirty-mile radius for the next twenty-two years, finally retiring in 2008 when he was sixty-six years old. He was very well respected as a conscientious and careful operator. Wes would have retired years earlier if it wasn’t for the organization and indispensable help of his friend and ground-crew, David Thompson, a farmer neighbor.
For years, Wes would crop dust for the Josdal’s and be rewarded with trips to their fishing camps north of LaRonge. Wes grew up with parents that loved hunting and fishing; so many of his fondest memories were trips to northern Saskatchewan for moose and hauling their boat to Saskatchewan’s numerous lakes. Sam was a crack shot and Minnie was a master angler. Dad’s love of hunting continued as he grew up, and he spent countless hours with Scott and Wes’s friends (Glen Brown, Elmer Hintze, brother-in-law Joe Blodgett). He loved taking our family and friends on these trips, teaching them the techniques to land trout, jack, and pickerel. Dad would often help Tunnes, Tyrone, and Kordell Josdal open or close their cabins.
Wes was close friends with Dale and Pearl Danroth of Demaine, regularly driving over to fish with Dale, both in the summer and winter. They had many stories of great days on the water and occasionally getting skunked, catching huge fish, and lamenting about the “one” that got away. Most of all, he valued his friendship with friends of Swedish heritage and their gentle Norwegian/Swedish jabs.
Wes also loved curling and started in his twenties, having the great fortune to play lead on a team with Bob Bentley; Dad credits Bob for teaching him everything about the game. They won many bonspiels over the years and just about made it to the provincial finals in the 70s, losing the last game by a measurement to Larry McGrath. Dad continued to curl with many different members of the community for years; Elmer Hintze, Mel Carlson, Clare Cooney, Steve Bardi, Garth Messenger, and Danny Smith were some of his regular teammates. Wes became a Curl Canada instructor and helped teach and coach many kids and adults in the seventies and eighties.
Wes was very excited when Karin and Travis expressed an interest in moving to the farm to raise their young family of four in 2005. Wes bought his current house on Third Ave in Elrose and Karin and Travis moved from Wilcox. Wes loved being close to the family and being more involved in their lives. He retired in 2013 after 53 years of farming. He continued to live in Elrose, spending time back and forth with his companion of twenty years, Pat Bartley, who lives in Medicine Hat.
Wes’s biggest source of pride were his four children and their successes in school and careers. That joy expanded as they gave him thirteen grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Family was always very important, and he instilled the values of love and tolerance. Wes and his sister, Toni, maintained a very close relationship their whole life, even when separated by thousands of miles.
Wes was predeceased by his wife, Norma. He is survived by his companion, Pat Bartley of Medicine Hat, Alberta. He is survived by his son, Scott Ousdahl – Barrhead, Alberta and grandchildren Jesse Ousdahl – Calgary, Karlee Ousdahl (Derek Burak) – St. Albert, Terissa Ousdahl – Edmonton, AB; daughter, Stephanie (Blaine) Vachon – Redcliff, Alberta and grandchildren, Brady Fradette – Medicine Hat, Alberta, Lindsay Maple (Tom Maple) and their two children Logan and Jacob – Chilliwack, BC, Elizabeth Vachon, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Tessie Vachon (Jon Wittle) Medicine Hat, Alberta; daughter, Karin Josdal (Travis) – Elrose, Sask and grandchildren Stevie (Dan) Ruecker and their children, Lincoln, Georgia and Isabella of Regina, Sask, Tor Josdal, Regina, Sask, Bryn Josdal, Regina, Sask, Asher Josdal, Regina, Sask and Erik Josdal, Regina, Sask; and son Mitchell Ousdahl (Petra London) – Victoria, BC and grandchildren Kirby London, Victoria, BC and Sev Ousdahl, Victoria, BC.
Wes was a very private person and requested no service. The family would like to thank the community of friends who have reached out with their thoughts, prayers, memories, and well wishes. They are all deeply appreciated!
Anyone wishing to donate in Wes’s memory are asked to contact the Town of Elrose or RM of Monet for the Elrose Curling Club’s new ice surface project.
October 6 1942 February 15 2025 82 Years Old
Death notice for the town of: Rosetown, Province: Saskatchewan
death notice Wesley Andres OUSDAHL October 6 1942 February 15 2025 82 Years Old
obituaries notice Wesley Andres OUSDAHL October 6 1942 February 15 2025 82 Years Old
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Wesley Andres OUSDAHL October 6 1942 February 15 2025 82 Years Old and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.
