Uncle Lorne McLeod

I'm attempting to write short biographies about the members of our family for the youngsters and to preserve, via scan, the newspaper clippings and other miscellaneous information I come across. 

Everyone loved my Uncle Lorne McLeod. He married my mother's sister, Addie. They never had children and I think this made them more interested in us - my sister and myself and my cousins too, than would have been the case if they'd had their own brood to worry about. Recently I found this yellowed newspaper article published when Lorne left his job at the Winnipeg Free Press. The article was dated, Thursday September 29th, 1977. The newspaper, "with colored comics" was selling for $.15 a copy.

Lorne grew up in Gladstone, Manitoba.  He died in Ocala, Florida where he resided for the last decade of his life. Here's his obituary. 

MCLEOD, LORNE PETER, 92


Ocala - Mr. Lorne Peter McLeod, 92, passed away on Friday, August 29, 2008 in his 93rd year. He was born and raised in Gladstone, Manitoba, Canada and served in the Royal Canadian Air Force in WWII. Lorne had a long career at the Winnipeg Free Press newspaper before taking early retirement in 1976 to spend more time with his first wife Addie (Fortier) during her final illness. After retirement he enjoyed spending summers at his cottage in the Whiteshell Provincial Park in Canada and winters in Belleview, Florida. After almost 20 years as a widower he married again in 1996 to Ramona (Helm), who predeceased him in 2006. Until a few years ago they led an active life and Lorne even produced a regular newsletter for his community, The Villas of Belleview. Lorne's health deteriorated in the past few years and he had been living at the Hawthorne Inn at Surry Place in Ocala. Lorne had no children but will be missed by his cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. We wish the thank all those who showed patience and kindness to Lorne in his last years. A memorial service will be held at Fort King Presbyterian Church in Ocala on Friday, September 5, 2008 at 1:00 PM. In lieu of flowers donations to Church Without Walls c/o Fort King Presbyterian Church, 13 N.E. 36 Avenue, Ocala, Fl, 34470 will be appreciated. Arrangements by HIERS-BAXLEY FUNERAL SERVICES, Ocala.

Published in Ocala Star-Banner from Sept. 4 to Sept. 6, 2008

And I found his grave in Gladstone which has only a temporary marker on it. This made me feel very sad. 

And here is Lorne's second wife's obit and grave. Ramona E. Helm McLeod Birth: Dec. 11th, 1916
Deat: July 28th, 2006
Ramona E. McLeod, 89, Ocala, Fla., passed away Friday, July 28, 2006, at Surrey Place in Ocala. Ramona was born December 11, 1916, in Weir, Kan., and was a longtime resident of Independence, Mo. She retired from Blue Ridge Bank and Trust Co. She was a volunteer at Truman Medical Center-Lakewood and was a member of the PEO. She was preceded in death by her husbands, George Robert Hisle and Bill Harvey, son, Donald Robert Hisle, her parents, Alonzo and Elizabeth Helm, and brother, Alonzo Helm Jr. She is survived by her husband, Lorne McLeod; her sister, Margaret Cameron; her grandchildren, LeAnn Degenhardt and husband, Tom, and Robert Hisle and wife, Cindy; her daughter-in-law, Patricia Hisle-Clark and husband, Larry Clark; three great-grandchildren, Matthew, Melinda and Timothy; and many nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 2, at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Independence. Burial will be at Westlawn Cemetery in Henryetta, Okla. Visitation will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1400 Sheley Road, Independence, Mo. 64052, 816-252-5893 and/or Feisty Acres Cat Rescue, P.O. Box 693, Williston, Fla. 32696. Arrangements are under the direction of Speaks Suburban Chapel, Independence, 816-373-3600. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.speakschapel.com.  Burial: West Lawn Cemetery Henryetta Okmulgee County Oklahoma, USA     Family links:   Spouse:   Billy L Harvey (1915 - 1988)* On a lighter note, here's the weather forecast in Gladstone, Manitoba for today...you can see what most concerns farmers.

Today's Planning Forecast

Drying Index	21 (fair)
Growing Degree Days	4
Crop Heat Units	5
Sunrise	6:23
Sunset	20:51
Hours of Sunshine	3
UV Index	6.1 (Moderate)

Here's what the fields look like around Gladstone: Flax and canola are the crops. 

I was amused to read about Lorne's friendship with Elman Guttormson. Elman sounds like a character straight out of Prairie Home Companion. No doubt he was an interesting person and I'm sure my Uncle and Elman shared some good times. 

Elman Guttormson

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Elman Kreisler Guttormson (March 24, 1929^[1] in Lundar, Manitoba^[2] – October 10, 2000) was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was aLiberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1956 to 1969.^[1]

The son of John Guttormson and Sigridur Johnson, Guttormson was educated at Lundar and United College. He worked for the Winnipeg Free Press newspaper as a reporter, covering fields as diverse as crime and horse racing. He won a national newspaper award in 1962, while serving as a member of the legislature. In 1952, he married Hildur Thorsteinson.^[2]

He was first elected to the legislature in a by-election on December 30, 1956 in the mid-northern constituency of St. George,^[1] defeating hisProgressive Conservative and CCF opponents by a comfortable margin. He served as a backbench supporter of Douglas Campbell's government for the next year and a half.

The Liberals were defeated provincially in the 1958 election, although Guttormson won his own seat by a wider margin than before. He was also re-elected without difficulty in the elections of 1959, 1962 and 1966. Guttormson also served as party whip.^[1]

The Liberals lost much of their support base in the 1969 election, and Guttormson lost his seat to Bill Uruski of the New Democratic Party^[1] by 398 votes. He sought a political comeback in the 1973 election, but lost to Uruski by an increased margin.

Guttormson supported the federal and provincial Liberal parties for his entire adult life. One of his daughters married Bob Axworthy,^[2] a relative ofLloyd Axworthy.^{[citation needed]}

Guttormson, later in his career, became a newspaper editor, retiring in 1993. He died in Winnipeg at the age of 71 following a long illness.^[2]