In Loving Memory of

Richard David Secord

of Edmonton
Dec 3, 2018

Greetings from beyond the wild Blue Yonder! I am hugging my Dad & Ken and holding my Moms hand and drinking all the dam apple juice I want, doing things my way again!

It really pains me to admit it, but apparently, I have passed away. Everyone told me it would happen one day but that is simply not something I wanted to hear, much less experience. For once, I did not get things my way! But for the most part I have lived my life my way!

And while on that subject (the story of my life) on September 9, 1933, Richard and Margaret Secord celebrated my birth and I was introduced to all as Richard David Secord and their world was changed forever. I cannot believe that happened in the first half of the last century, but there are records on file that do corroborate this.

As a child I rode a horse to school where the teacher planted the seed that eventually led me to graduating from Vermilion School of Agriculture. My Farming and Strong Family Entrepreneurial spirit led me on many exciting journeys. Raising and Showing Registered Shorthorns. 1950s Train Rides from Edmonton to the Toronto Royal Winter Fair with Show Cattle and Jack Lewis. Yes, Jack and I rode in the Freight cars with the cattle in mid-November. Traveling across Europe and Importing the first generation of European Exotic cattle breeds. Working with the first Genetic Embryo Implants. Utilizing the first Artificial Insemination Practices with my Purebred Dairy and Beef Herds. Judging cattle at fairs and shows across Western Canada. Working the Cattle Sales Ring. Creating and Publishing the First Beef Focused based Magazines. Chairing the Alberta Government House Foundation Board. Meeting Prince Charles and Princess Di. And there is much more. Oh yeah and do not forget Pops Eyebrows, the Farm Parties Delle and I hosted, Grannys Bread and Pies, the Eston Gopher days, Hamburgers and Fries for Breakfast, the annual Saskatchewan Goose Hunt. Over 85 years, all I can say is what a Blast!

I married the woman of my dreams, Barbara Delle Calhoun, tall, beautiful and intelligent, in fact a beauty Queen. Our plan was to have a big family and inexplicably we were successful in doing exactly that being blessed with Richard (Carol), David (Elaine), Mark (Maureen), Kerry (Bill) Smith, Ross (Bev), Scott (Shelagh) and Laura (Fulvio) Marra.

Just when I thought I was too old to fall in love again, I became a grandfather and my 23 grandchildren, Warren, Glenda, Anna, Jessica (Tyson) Colban, Jennifer (Jonathan) Meyers, Katie (Jeremi) Wilson, James (Ashley), Allie (Daniel) Felix, Marc (Sharri), Shannon (Mark) Giasson, Matthew (Jessica), Holly (Lee) Thomas, Amie (Jared) Rand, Jacqueline Jones, Richard, Paige, Drew (Angela), Taylor, Samantha, Lia, Carmine, Simone and Gabriel and 27 great-grandchildren, Mackenzie, Samuel, Jacob, Cooper, Noah, Isabella, Lillyana, Ella, Chloe, Annie, Amanda, Caleb, Charlotte, Kitt, Isaiah, Anthony, Jack, Trinity, Grace, Ben, Sadie, Ellie, Ivory, Mia, Imogene, Wyatt and Willow all stole my heart and will go with me wherever my journey takes me now.

The memories I am taking with me now are so precious and have more value to me than any material thing or title that I acquired in this life.

Speaking of titles, I have held a few in my day. I have been a devoted son, an energetic teenager, a graduate, a loving and comforting father, a true and loyal friend, and a spoiling grandfather and great-grandfather.

There are no buildings named after me or monuments erected in my honor, but I did have the chance to know and love each and every one of you my friends as well as all my family members. How much more blessed can a person be?

So, in the end, remember…do your best, follow your heart, and make something amazing out of your life and never, never stop smiling. If you want to, you can find me in the evening sunset over the farm pond or with the earliest spring and fall migrations, hear me calling out to you that everything is okay. And please do not worry for me! Always know that I am just a whisper away and tied to you all like the buttons on a shirt.

You know I will be there in one form or another. Of course, that will probably comfort some while antagonizing others, but you know me…it is what I do. I will leave you with this… please do not cry because I am gone; instead be happy that I was here. Today I am happy and dancing. Probably naked. Heaven will never be the same now with me here!! And please keep the family together and united! There is not much in this life if you do not have Family and I have the Best Family! Love you AHH forever.

Our Dad was predeceased by his parents Richard York & Katherine Margaret Secord and by his adopted brother, Ken Kirsch. A private family interment at the Edmonton Cemetery will take place on December 15, 2018. A Celebration of Life will take place at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to Diabetes Canada.