Thanks again for your kind words and support. It really means a lot to the friends and family who cared for my mother.

The church service for Joan was amazing! We had a great turn out (I’m guessting about 170 people).

We have a recording of the service which you can listen to below (Click PLAY). If you would like to download the mp3, you can do so by accessing it here: http://luxegen.ca/JoanMiller.mp3

Thanks again,
The Millers

As you all know, my mother (and creator/maintainer of this blog) has passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer.

I’ve attached the full text from her obituary below. If you wish to sign a guestbook for Joan, you can find the newspapers obituary located here: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/calgaryherald/obituary.aspx?n=barbara-miller&pid=162245982&fhid=5928

I will continue to manage and maintain this blog for as long as I can. Thanks to everyone for their kind words and thoughts.

Sincerely,
Kevin Miller

—

Barbara “Joan” Miller (nee Kerr) passed peacefully on January 4th, 2013, in Calgary surrounded by her family after a courageous journey with stomach cancer. Born March 7, 1953 in Watrous, Saskatchewan. Predeceased by her grandparents William (Bill) Irvine and Isabel (Woodland) Irvine and Homer and Elizabeth (Wilson) Kerr, father Edward John Kerr in 1983. Joan is survived by her mother Elizabeth (Betty) I Kerr (Irvine) of Calgary, by her best friend and loving husband of 37 years, Reg W Miller, son Kevin Miller (Dorlisa Lam) of Calgary, daughter Heather Miller of Calgary, siblings, William (Bill) Kerr (Pam and daughter Yasmine) of Calgary, Ellen (Kerr) McClughan (Neil and son Scott) of Regina, Mother-in-law Yvonne E. Miller (nee Aumack) of Trail, BC, brother-in-law Gordon Miller (Kathy Hudspith and daughters Jessica and Kariann) of Victoria, BC,, brother-in-law Hugh Miller (Gail Gabana and children Andrea, Nicholas, and Joseph) of Trail, BC, as well as numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

Joan grew up on the PFRA pasture at Hatfield near Nokomis, Saskatchewan.  The eldest of 3 children, Joan started school in a one room school in Hatfield and then went on to finish Grade 12 in Nokomis. Childhood activities included Girl Guides, swimming lessons, helping with “round up” and the many visits from cousins.  Joan continued her education in postsecondary in Saskatoon obtaining her Diploma in Biological Sciences.  Joan briefly worked at SaskTel for a summer position where she met soulmate.  She married Reg in the Nokomis United Church on July 5, 1975 and they lived in Calgary where their 2 children, Kevin and Heather were born.

Joan worked at the University of Calgary for 34 years as Technologist and Lab Manager – Medical Research labs, retiring in the fall of 2009.  Joan was a genetic genealogist who used DNA technology and social media to complement traditional genealogy research. This included Y-DNA project administrator and coordinator for the Alberta Family Histories Society (AFHS) DNA Special Interest Group.  She was a member of the Genealogical Speakers Guild, the International Society of Genetic Genealogists and various other genealogy societies.  Joan wrote a regular column for the Alberta Family History Society and served on the Public Relations committee.  She also created the Luxegen Genealogy Blog which was named in Family Tree Magazine’s Top 40 Blogs of 2011.  She served as an Official Blogger for Rootstech 2011.  Joan inherited the genealogy gene from her maternal grandmother Isabel Irvine who was a family historian and great story teller. Her grandfather Bill Irvine kept a diary for 60 years! It was inevitable that one of the grandchildren would be interested in pursuing their genealogy roots and that was Joan.   Joan also was very active with volunteering in Toastmaster International where she worked her way through the various levels receiving her Distinguished Toastmaster Designation in January 2012. Joan loved the diversity of cultures and enriched her life through travels to many countries.  Joan led an active life filled with activities such as soccer, skiing, qigong and hiking.  She will be missed by all whose lives she touched. The family would like to greatly thank the staff at Tom Baker Cancer Centre.  They would also like to acknowledge the incredible care and compassion they showed on her passing.  Finally they would like to thank Dr. Easaw, Dr. Wiens and Colleen Cathbert for all their care and efforts in this journey.   In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Kiva – Genealogist for Families project – empower people around the world at http://www.kiva.org/team/genealogists.

Another heritage recipe, this one from Granny (WILSON)Kerr with modifications (addition of the almonds by my brother inlaw Neil

Large flake oats enough to stuff a turkey and a bit more? NOT instant 4 cups approx.

1- 2 large yellow onions depending on size of turkey

Slivered almonds – approx. ¼ of what you use in oats
Butter and Olive oil for sauteeing

Salt and pepper and sage for seasoning

Chop the onions fine and saute them in the olive oil and butter. Don’t cook them too fast -
they should be translucent, soft, not crunchy burnt. Add the almonds just prior to onions
being done.

Add butter and the oatmeal and lower the heat. Liberally sprinkle with sage and poultry
seasoning.

The idea here is to let the oatmeal cook slowly and absorb the butter and get crispy. You will
likely need to add butter and /or olive oil through this stage.

The final product should be slightly crisp on the outside like a stuffing, now add salt and
pepper to taste.

Stuff the bird and keep some out to dry in the oven when the bird is almost done. Prior to
craving the bird take the stuff out and mix with the dry skirlie and then place back in the
oven while you carve the bird.

Can be used for a meal itself as listed in many Scottish cookbooks.

Grandma Irvine’s Dill Beans

21 cups of green and yellow beans (7x 3 cup bags)
Note: if beans are long you may need to cut in half to fit your jars.
4 – 5 cups of baby carrots
Lots of fresh dill
Jars, lids and rings
Note: 2008 made 12 x 8 oz. jars (70 mm lids), 8 x 16 oz. jars (70 mm lids) and 4 x 20
oz. jars (wide mouth lids)

Brine
5 cups of vinegar
5/8 cup of salt
13 cups of water
Note: this should just fill to the top of the 2 gallon crock with the beans and carrots.

Clean beans and carrots and cut off ends.
Boil beans and carrots with salt. Be careful not to over cook. A needle should easily
slide through but not mushy. Once at the right tenderness, drain and run cold water over
to stop cooking.
Note: 1996 – 20 minutes, 2006 – 17 minutes, 2008 – 15 minutes

Dump cooked beans and carrots in a 2 gallon crock and pour brine over top. Place a
plate and a weight on top to seal tightly. Leave overnight.

Drain beans and carrots and reserve the brine. Heat up the brine for the jars.

Sterilize the jars in dishwasher or pour boiling water over clean jars.

Clean dill and place lots of dill in the bottom of each sterilized jar. Arrange beans and
carrots in the jars. Add more dill on top of jar. Pour brine in jars to ¼ inch from top of
jar. Push contents down under the brine, get rid of bubbles and not poking up otherwise
you will not get a good seal.

Boil lids to sterilize and put on the jars and add ring. Seal tight.

Heat the water in the canner. Load the wire jar holder with jars and place in canner.
Water should be at least 1 inch above the top of the jar. Try to keep same size jars in
the canner. Bring the water to a boil in approx. 20 minutes or less because you do not
want the contents to cook anymore. Let sit for 5 minutes in hot water. Note: 1996 – 20
minutes to boil with mixed carrots and beans in jars.

Remove jars and set aside (right side up) in a non drafty and warm place on a towel
and covered with a towel. Repeat until all jars have been through process in canner. As
soon as the jars start cooling off the lids will seal (pop) indicating that they are ready to
be stored in a cool dry place.

Jars should sit for at least one month for the dill flavour to penetrate.

Crack open a jar and enjoy!

Grandmas tomato soup….very simple

1/2 cup tomato with a pinch of baking soda in one pot to heat up

1 cup milk with a dab of butter and seasonings in another pot

Heat both pots to roughly the same temperature.  Pour the tomato mixture slowly into the milk mixture.  Too fast will cause it to curdle.

Enjoy

My sister has the most amazing memory. We grew up on the Saskatchewan prairies about 8o miles north of Regina (south of Nokomis, near the the ghost town of Hatfield) and lived in a big old drafty 2 story house that had been remodeled.

Random childhood memories that she and I recall:

Eating bags of cucs (cucumbers) as we travelled from Sask to Expo 67 in Montreal.

Having orange floats when having a break from haying

Toys : Twilly Metal Top, the purple gleep, American Logs (my bother’s set that made to log cabins)

The Attic of the old house with the boards to step on so we didn’t fall into the kitchen and the scary dorr that lead to it.  ( I remember reading all the books in the attic, mostly Zane Grey ones!)

Plants – Grandma’s shamrock, Mom’s asparagus, and hoeing endless rows of pototoes

Horses – my palomino horse – Sulphur.  We had a Molasses too, plus CY and an a stallian named Denver

Swimming Lessons – at Last Mountain Regional Park – sleeping in an old canvas tent that the pole would pop through the center every wind storm;  keeping our food cool in cream cans in the flowing well.

Those are some of the memories we recall.

Please leave your comments and other memories  below.

UPDATE – My brother’s memories

“More random memories- house had willow bushes and 1905/1915? newspapers in the walls so we would put bales of straw around base of house in winter to limit the frost in the corners of the rooms. – walked to one room schoolhouse in Hatfield – one year for me- 3 for Joan – and in winter Dad would harness up Denver and pull us on the stone boat with a couple balse of straw to sit on. Rest of time stone boat was used to haul manure out of barn. – swim lessons – had to rinse off after swiming to prevent the “itch” which later learned were duck mites. Itch was way worse than mosquito bites. Some great evening swims after hot days of haying. Swim out to the raft – race Dad or Joan.  Learning to dive. – rafting/wading in sloughs in the spring – breaking ice and trying not to get water over your rubber boots. Draining the water from the yard as snow melts in spring and birds arriving back. Big bird migrations in the fall – sandhills cranes going over in V’s for hours in the evening – we were in Central North American Flyway – Migation route – hundreds of thousands of geese, ducks, cranes , etc including large White Whooping Cranes. – playing catch or ball with Joan, Dad and Mom in evening.(and Ellen as she got older.)”

Joan adds – I remember chasing my siblings while playing fox and goose in the snow under the big yardlight in the evening. Also zooming around on the ski-doo.  Taking cousins horseback riding. Round up in the fall.

Update 2 – another contribution from sis

Texas gate and the skunks in the hole over night.  Had to watch for them when you were heading out to catch the school bus

Skunks in the Maxwell house

Driving out to the creek in the spring to watch the ice break up  – usually after school

Riding in the back of the truck and being designated to open the gate…..like this was a big honour (sarcasm)

Bill mention the ski-doo but specially it was the “Wild One”

Checking the bull field

Climbing the wind mills to count the head of cattle

Round up

Playing anti anti I over game

Hanging at the lake and reading Archie comics in the tent

Trixie, Squirt  ( got her in Saskatoon Nov 7, 1971 on Mom and Dad’s 20th anniversary.  Big day for them, huh?  Ate at the Esso the corner of 22nd and Ave. P and then went to Schultz’s for a visit)

Schultz and Christie visits

Many dinners and evenings with Martens and Hurley’s playing cards.  Sometime Fletchers and Greenfields

Camper elbows

The tree house and cat walks

UPDATE 3- more memories

Rubber Ice in the spring

“Bouvis roadsidis” and “rail sing cross way” were a couple of Dad’s expressions

Canned chicken for picnics

Various road trips around Saskatchewan – over to Outlook dam and Diefenbaker lake to see the progress 1967? other PFRA pastures and their families. No road trips until August after haying was complete.

Denver waiting on the other side of the fence waiting for the corn husks (his candy)

UPDATE 4 from best friend Jacquie (I remember waving a burning marshmallow around and it landed in her hair!)

First swim in “The Lake” each spring, sometimes there was still ice! Bill had to dare us to get in. Swimming lessons every summer- Bill and friends throwing frogs and snakes at us girls, suntanning with mixture of baby oil and iodine! Supposed to prevent “the itch”. Burning pegs salvaged from power poles in cabin stove to warm up after lessons, mom would make us all hot chocolate.
Joan and I listened to the moon landing on a transistor radio while at Girl Guide  camp in northern Saskatchewan, Candle Lake I think. We were Junior Leaders at the time and had confiscated the radio from someone. The decision was made to relax rule against radios and the whole camp listened to history in the making.
Walking through bull pasture to get to Bill’s fort and catwalk. I was terrified .
Spending overnight with Joan in the farmhouse- I got to ride the school bus, a big thrill for a town kid.

The memories keep flooding in.  This is great!!

UPDATE 5 – my mother’s sister Marion remembers coming to our place and baking up a storm so we’d have goodies for round-up.

And one of my BC cousins Mark, left a comment about their yearly summer visits.

“Being one of the cousins who use to travel from BC to visit our cousins on the farm – I remember the great hospitality…fun sleeping in the hay loft with all the boy cousins, listening to stories of Hobos who we were afraid of. One tight we hung a bale of hay from a rafter over the stairs to the hayloft just for protection so we could stop any hobo who tried to attack us. Your poor Mom almost got a bale of hay on her head when she came to check on us. Haying, throwing bales onto a wagon, trying to catch gophers – what was it six cents a tail? Endless games of monopoloy….Cousin Mike from Ontario won those. The Lake swims, going down to the salt pool in Watrus. I learn a little of politics first from your Dad – Uncle Ed (whom I got my middle name) – BC was the land of socialists….and it won’t be so big if it was laid out flat. Some kids got to Disneyland, we got real life adventures – thanks Joan, Bill and Ellen for sharing the Homestead”

Please leave your comments below.

Joan Miller near Mount Magnet Western Australia October 2000

This post was originally written as an email to an Aussie friend after an action packed weekend to small town Mount Magnet in remote Western Australia in October 2000.    I recently came across it in my Memories file.
>At 05:52 PM 30/10/00 -8, you wrote:
I was driving home from work tonight while listening to CBC. It was
featuring a phone in show and people were talking about attention
getting methods. One story in particular brought a tear and smile as I listened.

You’ll soon understand why.

A lady who grew up on the Canadian prairies was talking about her father’s special four note whistle. He would use it to call the kids in from playing or to gather them up from an outing. Over the years it was a constant identifiable sound that meant Dad was calling and wanted them home. There were five children in her family and every time any one of them heard that special whistle their heads would pop up like gophers.

One particular time long after she became an adult she was curling
in a large bonspiel in Regina, Saskatchewan. It was a serious
competition and she was very focussed on her game. Out of the
blue she heard that four note whistle. Up popped her head and
there he was. Her dad had just made it to the rink after a long drive
from Winnipeg in the next province over.

For some reason all of this reminded me of my Dad’s WHOOP!
We all knew it was him and we all knew that he was trying to get
our attention. It was a clearly identifiable sound that carried a
LONG ways over the Saskatchewan prairie and it meant he was
calling us. Our heads would pop up like gophers and we too would
answer or move to join him.

Strange how memories work.

Things like this broadside me occasionally. I miss my dad.
When I was bouncing around in a 4×4 on a sheep station in the
outback with kangaroos hopping all around us I thought Dad would
have loved this. Even people getting out to open the gates as we
moved across the sheep station brought back memories. I was
often the gate opener when I was growing up. Cattle ranching and
sheep rearing aren’t all that different.

Our experience in Mt. Magnet in Western Australia felt
comfortable. Like going home. The town had that small town feel
and the horse races felt like our agricultural fair. Helping out at the
barbecue was just like helping out at the fair.

Even picking the best dressed man and woman had special
meaning. I know how this small town stuff works. This can be a
minefield task. We did well and happened to pick one fellow who
had volunteered his time for four hours the day before. Volunteer
recognition is important in small towns. Our other choice pleased
the older crowd and made an older lady’s day.

Growing up on a cattle ranch on the Canadian prairies surrounded
by grain fields and pasture is physically different from the
Australian outback with its shrub brush and the red soil but it still
felt like going home.

Even the dance felt familiar. People were friendly, having a good
time and stood around outside the doors during the breaks. Just
like home.

I may have lived in a city for the last 3 and half decades but that one weekend
in Mt. Magnet brought the childhood memories flooding back. It
was one of the more memorable times of our entire trip.

Strange how memories work.

Joan

—

Joan grew up in rural Saskatchewan near the small town of Nokomis, the eldest daughter of Ed and Betty Kerr.

The recipe Woodland Cookies came to us from Grandma Irvine who was born a Woodland.

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 c butter

2 cup rice crispies

2 cup small marshmellows

Mix together and press into a 9x 13 inch pan.

and without fanfare to lend a hand.  Thank you, thank you!

Joan

From Ancestry.com (random collection of useful Canadian links)

Canadian Collections

Census of Canada Collection

1900s 1901 1906 1911 1916
1800s 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891

Quebec Vital & Church Records (Drouin Collection)

Baptisms, marriage and burial records dating back to 1621. Best resource for French-Canadians.

Birth, Marriage & Death Records

Vital records provide rich details and form the backbone of your story.

Canadian Passenger Lists

Over 7 million names, 40 years and 4000 ships.