LEONARD EDVARDSON

1921 ~ 2012

Mr. Leonard Edvardson, beloved husband of Mrs. Emma Marie Edvardson, passed away on Christmas Day, Tuesday, December 25, 2012, at the age of 91 years.  Leonard was born December 8, 1921 in Medicine Hat, a son to proud parents, Torston and Gustava Edvardson.  He was raised in Medicine Hat where he also received his schooling.  As a young man gallivanting around the Box Springs area, he laid eyes upon Emma Marie Viken and it was love at first sight!  They were married in Medicine Hat on December 18, 1942, and recently celebrated their remarkable 70th Wedding Anniversary.  They settled west of Redcliff on Emma’s family farm.  Leonard was no stranger to to the farm lifestyle having been raised on his own family’s farm, so he was naturally a happy farmer with passionate love for the land.  He was business minded and driven to succeed in all he did.  He loved buying equipment and keeping up with everything that he needed (and then some) to be successful as a farmer.  He would take the grandchildren to early fields in spring and later to the mature, ripened fields at harvest so he could show them the results of hard work.  His work ethic was noticeable in all he would do.  When he put his mind to an idea, it meant something was going to change for the better.  He was instrumental in seeing that the road from Hays to Vauxhall was going to get paved – and it did!  Being on the farm, Leonard was good with his hands and could fix and build just about anything.  He once kept his grandkids entertained with stilts that he had made. His talents didn’t keep him totally grounded though, he was proudly licensed as a pilot and owned three airplanes over the years that he flew.  Farming was his life… and only three short years ago, Leonard and his dear wife, Emma, left the farm and retired to Medicine Hat.  In these years he left years of hard work behind, and truly admired his family.  Leonard was a dedicated husband, father and grandfather and will be deeply missed by those who knew him.  He will be remembered by his wife of 70 years, Emma Marie;  daughter, Evelyn Fried (Phill);  granddaughters, Crystal (Guy) Phillips and their children Tomi and Trey;  Sheri Fried and her child, Mateo;  a brother, Earl Edvardson;  two sisters, Selma (Jense) Jensen and Lily Gosselin.  Leonard was predeceased by a son, Lorne Edvardson;  two brothers, Bill and Roald and two sisters, Edna and Hilda. In Honour of Leonard’s life, a Private Family Service will be held at Cook Southland Funeral Chapel.   (Condolences may be expressed by visiting www.cooksouthland.com)   Memorial donations in Leonard’s name may be made directly to the Palliative Care Society, 640 – 3rd Street S.E., Medicine Hat, Alberta T1A 0H5 or to HALO, 12, 49 Viscount Avenue S.W., Medicine Hat, Alberta T1A 5G4.   Honoured to serve the family is Cook Southland Funeral Chapel, 901 – 13th Street S.W.   Medicine Hat, Alberta   T1A 4V4  Phone 403-527-6455