Keith William KALLECHY

Keith William Kallechy passed away suddenly at home on February 22, 2021 at the age of 90 years. Keith was born in Rosetown in the Spring of 1930 to parents William and Mabel Kallechy of Lacadena. He grew up on their grain farm with his two brothers (Lewis and Ellis) and three sisters (Irene, Ethel and Phyllis). After attending the trade school, Musker Engineering Institute in Manitoba, he worked on a seismic crew in the oil field where he was nicknamed ‘Doodlebug’ by his coworkers which became his CB radio handle. He started his farming career in 1952 and met the love of his life Joan in 1954. They married in 1955 and then shared their lives together for 53 years.

After moving to the farm north of White Bear, Keith and Joan raised three children. In 1967, the family moved to Stranraer, SK and he also continued to work the farm. In 1968, Keith and Joan designed and had a new house built in Saskatoon so that the children would be close to good schooling and post secondary education.  Keith continued to farm as well as having a sanitary engineer position in Saskatoon. Late in life he pursued a passion for raising purebred black Angus. That began when he and his daughter Cindy formed a partnership to buy a small herd they first located in Edmonton.  That herd was transferred to a small ranch north of Swift Current that he purchased in 2002. In 2005 as the grain farm and ranch duties became too much, he decided to sell the ranch to Syd and Glynis. But his grain farming activities continued until he sold his last piece of land in 2013.  Following the sale of the farmland, he continued to live on the Jensen homestead until his passing. He kept himself busy restoring old tractors, planting trees and vegetable gardens and caring for Joan’s flower garden. 

Before Joan passed away in 2008, they both had begun a friendship with several members from the local Hutterite colony. That friendship and their support continued until Keith passed away.  The friendship became a very key part of Keith’s life, as his kids lived in other parts of the country and overseas.

Keith enjoyed playing many games over the years with Joan, their kids and grandkids. Many a happy hour was spent around the dining table teasing grandkids and playing Scrabble, Triominos, Aggravation and Cribbage. Keith was an avid collector of anything with a Ford logo, Case tractors and any two or three-legged tractor he could drag home from an auction without Joan seeing them. He was also a talented musician playing the guitar, violin, piano, accordion and organ all without taking lessons or being able to read music.  

Keith is survived by one son Syd (wife Glynis) and two sons Matthew and Nicholas in Victoria, BC; two daughters Barb (husband Terry) Bradley and son Jean, daughter Kristin, Calgary, AB and Cindy (husband Richard), Rye, Colorado and her two daughters Ellisha of Gibbons, AB and Keellie of New Sarepta, AB. He is also survived by two sisters Irene and Phyllis both living in Nanaimo, BC and his younger brother Lewis of Lacadena, SK. In addition to that he has three great grandsons.

The family wishes to express special "Thank You's" to all the members of the Hutterite colony who kept track of him and whom Keith considered his second family.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, a private family service was held at the Zion Lutheran Church, Kyle, SK with interment following in the Horse Butte Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Canadian Cancer Society would be greatly appreciated.