Lorne Ray KLASSEN

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Lorne Ray Klassen - husband, dad, grandpa, great-grandpa and great-great-grandpa. Lorne was born in Hepburn, Saskatchewan to Johann and Helen Klassen.  He was the oldest of six siblings; Leslie, Phyllis, Bruce, Melvin and Wayne.  The family moved to Rabbit Lake a few years after Les and Phyllis were born, taking all their belongings on horses.  In 1947, Lorne and his brother Les, along with some neighbours, tried their hand at being lumber jacks during the winter on Vancouver Island. The next winter Lorne and Les went to Sudbury and worked in the nickel mine. Not wanting to travel across the country again, Lorne started working at a lumber yard in Luseland in the fall of 1949 where he met his wife Edith.  Lorne and Edith were married in 1951 while living in Borden. In 1953, they moved back to Rabbit Lake where they farmed.  In 1957, they moved to Herschel where they farmed and raised their four children.  Lorne and Edith retired in 1993 and moved to Vernon while spending many winters in Arizona.  In 2011, health issues dictated that they needed some care and they moved to Caleb Village Retirement Community in Kindersley.

Lorne is survived by his wife Edith, children Elaine (David), Joan (Glenn), Bob (Linda), David and daughter-in-law Helen along with 12 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren and one great-great-grandson. Lorne is also survived by his brothers Bruce (Jackie) and Wayne (Sandra), sister Phyllis and sisters-in-law Gail, Lorna and Ruth and many nieces and nephews.  He was predeceased by his parents, two granddaughters, two brothers (Les and Mel) and numerous brother and sisters-in-law.

A celebration of Lorne’s life will be held when family and friends are able to be together again. Donations in memory of Lorne may be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Saskatchewan, 1738 Quebec Avenue, Unit 26, Saskatoon, SK, S7K 1V9.