Evelyn Edith (Egan) RYLAND

Evelyn (née Egan) Ryland was born on June 9, 1925 in Eston, SK to Harry and Ethel (née Jenssen) Egan.

She was raised on the farm NE 22-24-18-W3 in the Tyner district with her brother Buster (Clarence James) who was three years younger. Her favorite childhood memory of her father was going as a family to wait for the geese to come back to the river at dusk. Her favorite childhood memory of her mother was coming home from school and smelling freshly baked bread and cinnamon rolls. Her favorite memories of childhood events were family trips to the Fair in Saskatoon and the family trip to the Calgary Stampede.

She attended school from grade one to ten at the Bechtel one room country school. She took her grade eleven and twelve at Richlea boarding with Reta Shelton. After high school she attended Scott Business College in Saskatoon. When she finished college, she worked at City Hall for two years as a bookkeeper in the electrical department.

On October 16, 1946, she married Clifford Ryland whom she had dated all her teenage years. They were married in Saskatoon in the St. Thomas Wesley Church. They moved to Greenan, SK and the first farm they owned was N ½ 11-27-18-W3 in the Bickleigh area. In 1951, they bought a home in Plato where they resided with their three children Larry, Garth and Myrna until 1960 when they bought a house from Jim Hutchison in Richlea and moved it to NE 4-25-18-W3 south of Plato to the original homestead of Cliff’s father. After their youngest child finished high school, they would spend the winters in Saskatoon. In 1981 after the passing of Evelyn’s father, when they would come back to the farm, their summer residence was at the farm in the Tyner area where Evelyn grew up. They continued farming together until Cliff’s passing in 2001.

Evelyn continued coming to the farm for the summer and spending winters in Saskatoon until 2015 when she moved to Heartside Place in Eston. She resided there until August of 2017 when she chose to move to the farm at Plato with her son Larry and his wife Adeline.

Evelyn was predeceased by her brother Buster in 1981, father Harry in 1981, mother Ethel in 1996 and husband Cliff in 2001. She leaves to mourn her son Larry (Adeline) of Plato, grandchildren Cindy of Combermere, Christopher and Jennifer of Plato, Curtis (Tammy) and two great-granddaughters Makayla an Ashley of Houston, Texas; her son Garth (Beverly) of Kelowna, grandchildren Kelsey (James) Niven and great-grandson Reid and grandson Alexander of Edmonton; her daughter Myrna (Al) and granddaughter Lisa of Saskatoon. She also leaves to mourn many nieces, nephews, extended family members and so many friends of all ages.

Evelyn is so fondly remembered not only by her family but by so many whose lives she touched as a lady who possessed a gentle nature, a loving heart and a willing hand.

In their farming days, she was a dedicated farm wife who worked along side her husband in all aspects of the farming life. She was a fantastic homemaker - a great cook, a wonderful seamstress and so skilled in many crafts. As one niece described her, “I loved all the things she made, from knitted sweaters to quillows”. Evelyn’s fondest hobby was her collection of “owls” totalling well over 350 in all. She loved card games, especially playing cribbage with the neighbors, her family and friends. She also had an extensive collection of memorabilia of every event that touched her life - wedding showers, baby showers, birth announcements, graduations, wedding invitations, anniversaries, funeral announcements and community events - so many photos and newspaper clippings. She loved to travel, she and Cliff took many trips to various locations and after his passing, she continued travelling with members of her family. In her later years, she enjoyed the Rural Club coffee parties at Justin’s in Saskatoon. After moving to Eston, she enjoyed bible study and coffee parties at the United Church, attending the events at the museum and the Plus 50.

Evelyn was a member of the United Church, attending church services depending on where she lived - Plato, Saskatoon and lastly at St. Andrew’s United Church in Eston. She was involved in community events like the activities at the Plato Rink and the Plato 4H Club in the Homecrafting Division. She was an active member of the Plato UCW for many years, she and Cliff belonged to a Square-Dancing club and she belonged to the Plus 50 Club in Eston for over 40 years.

Evelyn passed away peacefully at her home in Plato on March 5, 2021. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Friday, March 26, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. with Reverend Barb MacNaughton officiating. A livestream of the service will be available at https://www.facebook.com/St-Andrews-Eston-United-Church-113094953855881. Interment will follow in the Egan family plot in the Eston Cemetery.

Memorial Donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan, 301-2550 12th Avenue, Regina, SK, S4P 3X1 or ALS Canada, 393 University Avenue, Suite 1701, Toronto, ON, M5G 1E6.