Thomas Richard Hartness was born on March 16, 1919, at Lang, Sask. He was the first child born to Walter and Selena Hartness. He was raised on the family farm near Verwood, SK. Tom was the eldest of eleven siblings; seven brothers and four sisters. He stayed on the farm to help with the harvest until he was sixteen. Tom worked on many farms where he learned about machinery. In 1945, he went to work at the Co-op Machine Shop and Garage in Milestone, SK. Then in 1949, he moved to Yorkton, SK with his brother and got a job at S & H Motors. Later, in 1951, he moved over to Young's Garage. In 1951 Tom met Emma Burritt from Mattawa, ON, who was visiting her sister & husband in Yorkton. On June 14, 1952 he married Emma Agnes Burritt and they soon became parents to their daughter Gayle and then four sons; James, Douglas, Rodney, and Timothy. Tom, Emma and their family spent many summers camping and fishing at Madge Lake, Good Spirit Lake, and McBride Lake. In the spring of 1954, Tom obtained a permanent position with the Department of Highways in Yorkton. He was a welder and machinist. He enjoyed building and even built a tent trailer, utility trailers, and even a motorhome. On May 9, 1977 Tom was severely burned on the job. He was at Regina General Hospital and Wascana Rehabilitation Centre for over a year. Tom was officially retired from the Department of Highways in 1981. Tom and Emma traveled to other parts of Canada during retirement. On June 20, 1988 Tom's wife Emma passed away from ovarian cancer. Tom decided in 1995 to move up to Codette, SK. near Nipawin where Jim & Val Hartness lived. He felt welcomed in the community and enjoyed his fellowship at the Senior Center, as well as fishing on Tobin Lake. In November 2007, he relocated to Riverside Manor and remained there until March 2012. He was in Pineview Nursing Home at the time of his passing on Sunday, April 29, 2012. Tom is survived by daughter Gayle (Max) Morton, their sons, Craig Morton and his daughters Mediya, Lida, and Lana; and Derek Morton; Jim (Val) Hartness, their daughters, Tracy (Scott) Grieve and their sons Joshua, Connor, Dylan and Jackson; Kim (Sheldon) Kozak and their sons Tristan and Teagen; Douglas Hartness; Tim (Sandra) Hartness. Siblings Leo Hartness; Mabel Wallis; Maurice Hartness; Harvey (Cec) Hartness; Selena Rodger; Alvin (Lynn) Hartness; Sister in law Ann Hartness; and many nieces and nephews. Tom was predeceased by his wife Emma and son Rodney; by his parents Walter and Selena Hartness; by his siblings John Hartness, Joe Hartness, Ethel Wilson, and Lois Maynard; and by his brothers-in-law George Wallis and Wes Maynard. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Heritage Funeral Home in Nipawin, SK.
