George Peter Barsness

George Peter Barsness, late of Weyburn, SK,  passed away Friday July 13, 2018 at the age of 80 years. 

He was predeceased by his parents: Nels and Luella Barsness;  granddaughter Rachelle Hallberg; brother Gerald Barsness; brothers-in-law: Roy Lohse and Barry Ashmore.

George is survived by his wife Karen Barsness; his children: Kari (Daren) Hallberg, and family: Tanner, Angela, Aleshia; Barry (Connie) Barsness, and family: Brett Howells, Drew, Erik and Evan Barsness; Jeffrey (Carolyn) Barsness  and family: Jordan, Brayden, Lauryn; sisters: Shirley Barsness, Carol (Terry) Pennock, Sharon Ashmore; brother Robert (Faye) Barsness; brothers and sister-in-law: Larry (Eleanor) Skjerdal, Elwood (Betty) Skjerdal, Myrna Lohse; mother and father-in-law: Delores (Duane) Larsen; as well as several nieces and nephews.

George was born May 28, 1938 at the Weyburn Union Hospital located on the hill.  He was the second child of Nels and Luella Barsness of the Clearfield district.  He went to Rockfield school which was located 1.5 miles northeast of the farm.  For high school George and his sister Shirley boarded at Mr. and Mrs. Ren Guest home while they attended Weyburn Collegiate. George was a member of the Brokenshell 4-H Beef club when he was young, and then a leader when his children belonged to 4-H.  After graduating grade 12 George went to Teachers College in Moose Jaw.  He taught school for one year at Stalwart, Saskatchewan in a country school near Last Mountain Lake.  He had six students in his classroom of grades 1-8.  He decided teaching wasn’t for him after one year because he often joked that the grade 8 student was as smart as, or smarter than him.  While he was teaching there he made friends with some of the local farmers and helped with their seeding and harvest and also enjoyed hunting with them.

When George moved back to Weyburn he started working at Weyburn Builders and Supply and worked there until 1967.  In July of 1966 he married Karen Skjerdal of the Ratcliffe district and they moved to the farm in 1967.  Their first child Kari was born on July 4, 1967, Barry was born April 8, 1970 and Jeffrey was born September 11, 1972.  George and Karen lived on the farm and farmed for 35 years.  Farming life was busy all year round, April to October with seeding, haying and harvest. Winter was busy with cattle and spring calving. George and Karen moved into Weyburn in the fall of 2002. George and Karen enjoyed travelling, especially to Norway to visit with family and his Uncle John that had lived with them on the farm when George was young.

George had 10 grandchildren and this poem is dedicated from them to him.

To My Grandpa

A life well filled with loving things and confidence to “try”

A joyful heart, and memories, kind answers to my “why?”

A quiet kind of love and peace, You taught me how to live,

A loving, gentle start on life, these were yours to give

Thank you

A Service of Remembrance for George was held on Wednesday July 18, 2018 at 2:00 pm from Grace United Church, Weyburn, SK  with Rev. M Barnabas officiating. Interment followed at Green Acres Memorial Gardens, Weyburn, SK

For family and friends so wishing, charitable donations in memory of George may be made to Grace United Church, 210 3rd Street, Weyburn, SK, S4H 0W6, Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan, 2550-12th Ave. Suite 301, Regina, SK  S4P 3X1, Tatagwa View Box 2003, 808 Souris Valley Road, Weyburn, SK  S4H 2Z9 or a charity of the donor’s choice.

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