Melvin C. Price

Melvin Charles Price, Abernethy, Sask and late of Balcarres Integrated Care Centre, Balcarres, Sask. passed away on Saturday, July 14, 2007, at the age of 82 years. The funeral service was held in Knox United Church, Abernethy on Thursday, July 19, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Brian Mee officiating. Interment in the Abernethy Cemetery. Following the interment a reception for family and friends was held in the Abernethy Community Hall. The casket bearers were: Darrell Price, Dwight Price, Kevin Kohlert, Roy Peterson, Ron Tardi and Bill Price.

The following is the eulogy as given by Mel’s niece Val Peterson:

I have gathered some thoughts and memories of Uncle Mel from families I have spoke with over the last few days. I will try and give you a picture of his life. Uncle Mel was born April 1, 1925 on the home farm in Abernethy. As he would tell us he walked to school up hill both ways for miles. Uncle Mel used to tell us that he liked school in particular math.

After his mom and dad passed on Uncle Mel was left to manage the farm. He had the family horses, raised cows, pigs, chickens and gobblers which many of us enjoyed as children. My family lived on the farm with Uncle Mel until the spring of 58. Uncle Mel’s heart has not in the farm so he moved into Abernethy and rented the farm to the Stueck family and sold to them later on.

One of Uncle Mel’s loves was cooking and baking. A newspaper article from 1969 reads: PIE MAKING CHAMP and Abernethy’s most popular bachelor is Mel Price. He proved it again on Friday when he took top honors at the Abernethy Agricultural Fair. When Mel steps into a kitchen things start happening and everything that happens turns out good. If he ever went into the pie business, think of what he could do with the slogan” “For a pie that will sell, get a pie baked by Mel.” His favorite pie to make was his famous flapper pie. He baked bread and buns for several people in Abernethy. He also baked Bread for the Motherwell Home.

Rozland Construction was working in Wolseley and they asked my father John Price if he knew anyone that could cook. Dad said, “I sure do, my brother Mel.” Uncle Mel applied for the cooking position and got the job. He worked for the road construction for a few years. He then decided he had better go to school to get some cooking papers. He attended the Saskatchewan Technical Institute in Moose Jaw. I think probably Uncle Mel taught them a few tricks in the kitchen. He received his diploma in the cooking Trade in 1977. He then worked for South Construction for several years traveling all over Saskatchewan. He worked for a few winters with South Construction at the salt mine in Chapline, Saskatchewan. Uncle Mel would cook for 12 to 40 people. He would bake pies and buns. When visiting one of his construction sites at lunch time there were apple pies about 5 or 6 of them lined up cooling along with homemade buns and a full meal deal for “his” crew of 40. He loved to cook and bake for his crew.

Uncle Mel always did his grocery shopping in Regina for his gravel crew. He would stop at one of his brother Harold’s family for tea, a meal and catch up with family news.

Uncle Mel loved showing his sisters, sister-in-laws and nieces how to roll buns “one in each hand.” They took his instructions quite gracefully most times.

Uncle Mel loved to visit his family and friends. In the early years it was coffee and then took to drinking tea. He would conveniently drop in at meal time. He spent many Sundays with his sister Eileen’s family.

Most Christmas’s and Easters were spent with his brother Irvin’s family playing games and enjoying the company.

Uncle Mel did a lot of traveling with my parents John and Helen Price, made trips to Calgary, Prince Albert and a couple of trips to the States. He also took a trip to Florida with my sister Barb Tardi and he took his sister Eileen to visit Aunty Bea and Uncle Dan.

Uncle Mel attended most of his families weddings, special anniversaries and special birthdays. He was always a part of the family.

He thought a Price reunion would be fun. The reunion came about in 1992 at Uncle Mel’s home in Abernethy. There were relatives attending that we were meeting for the first time. We toured the Price farm and the town to get to know where our relatives grew up. It was an amazing experience.

Uncle Mel as we all know loved his long pony tail and his perms. His niece Elaine remarked that she called his pony tail, “The Miami Look.” If you didn’t like his hair he would get that famous Uncle Mel grin on his face as if to say, “I’m growing it anyway!”

He has always been so thoughtful. He would buy yearly subscriptions to the Readers Digest for some of his family. He would give rides to anyone who needed them. He was always a fixture at the coffee shop – he loved being with his Abernethy town friends. The Senior Centre in Abernethy was his second home. He organized shuffle board tournaments and crib games. He baked a few cakes as well. He donated his piano to the Seniors Centre in Abernethy where he played many “Happy Birthdays” to his friends.

His second love was his piano and mouth organ. He would somehow strap his mouth organ around his head and viola a one man band. He had his favorite songs to play. One being “12 Street Rag.” When the mouth organ was not in his mouth that famous “Uncle Mel grin” would appear.

Uncle Mel usually had a dog by his side. On the farm the dog was named Tippy, I think maybe there were a couple Tippy’s and the dog in town was named Trigger. Trigger traveled all over Saskatchewan with Uncle Mel. He was the guard dog at his working camp sites.

His sister Beatrice Anthony and late husband Dan stayed with Uncle Mel a few months in 1996. Aunty Bea enjoyed his cooking and baking. Uncle Mel enjoyed the family company.

In the spring of 05 Uncle Mel took up residence at the Balcarres Care Home. He was there in the wonderful care of the staff. Thank you for your kindness toward Uncle Mel.

Thank you to all of you for coming today to share in the celebration of Uncle Mel and Mel Price’s life.

Melvin was predeceased by his parents William and Caroline Price; five brothers: Wilfred, Harold, Norman, Herb and Irvin and three sisters: Alice, Florence and Eileen. He is survived by his sister Beatrice Anthony, Florida, USA; his brother John (Helen) Price, Wolseley; two sisters-in-law Emily Price, Regina and Lillian Price, Devon, AB as well as his numerous nieces and nephews.

The funeral arrangements were entrusted to Denton Keating of Tubman Cremation and Funeral Services.