Our beloved Edgar went to his eternal reward at the age of 84 surrounded by his darling wife and children expressing in their sorrow their great love for him, praying, singing hymns and celebrating his life. Edgar is survived by his wife, Claire, his five loving and devoted children and 18 precious grandchildren: Angela (Christian Sylvain), Pascal, Gabriel, Annamarie; Jonathan (Glenda), Nathan, Devin, Alix; Monica (Stuart Thorpe), Simon, Sean, Hillary, Sophie, Evelyn; Eugene (Brenda), Drew, Tara, Bryce; Richard (Andrea), Emma, Lauren, Andrew, Natalie; his sister Margarete (Garry) Conrad, sister-in-law Karen, brother-in-law Bob and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Edgar was predeceased by his parents, Edmund and Olga (Kolke) Kuhn and an infant daughter (September 28, 1968). His father, a WWI veteran, was the first of his family to immigrate to Canada. Their children were Enid, Edgar, Ferdinand, Irene and Margarete. Edgar was born on the farm his parents owned north of Bromhead, a farm they later lost because of the Depression. His family then moved to a farm south of Midale where he grew up. At the tender age of 12, Edgar lost his mother to cancer, a loss he held close to his heart for the rest of his life. He joined the RCMP in August, 1952, at the age of 19. His first six years as a Mountie were served on Vancouver Island. In 1955, he was one of a mounted escort on horseback for Governor General Vincent Massey at the opening of the Museum of Natural History in Regina. In 1958, and somewhat on a whim, he voluntered for 鈥渘orthern duty鈥� thinking of Whitehorse聽 or Yellowknife. Edgar was instead transferred to Canada鈥檚 most northerly RCMP detachment at Grise Fiord on Ellesmere Island in the high Arctic. Here he drove sled dogs, hunted seal and walrus to feed the dogs, and operated the trading store for the Inuit. Nonetheless, it was a difficult time for Edgar because of the extreme isolation. He did not see the sun from November 7 to February 14. On the long voyage to Grise Fiord, Edgar had met his future wife, Claire Brunet from Ottawa, ON. They courted for two years through letters and ham radio messages, and when Edgar鈥檚 service at Grise Fiord was over, they were married on October 8, 1960 in Ottawa. They lived the next four years in Nunavut and the NWT. Edgar was then transferred to Spiritwood, North Battleford and Regina. In 1971, Edgar was promoted to Sergeant in charge of the Weyburn RCMP Detachment. He retired in 1978 with over 25 years of service, and was awarded the RCMP Long Service medal. He then worked 13 years for Saskatchewan Government Insurance. In 1997, his son Richard followed his father and joined the RCMP, an incredibly proud moment for Edgar. In retirement, as in everything else, Edgar displayed integrity, determination, a strong moral code, love for his family and respect for his community. He wrote a book on the life and times of his father, Edmund Kuhn. He was also a published author of two books: 鈥淓llesmere Land: A Mountie in the High Arctic鈥� (a memoir) and 鈥淭ributes to the Scarlet Riders: An anthology of Mountie poems鈥�. He was very proud in 1987 to have his suggestion chosen for the naming of Tatagwa Parkway (Cree for 鈥渇lat land鈥�) and for Saskatchewan鈥檚 Centennial year, the naming of Saskatchewan Drive. He worked tirelessly to establish an exhibit at Weyburn鈥檚 Heritage Village of a Royal North West Mounted Police detachment. Proudly wearing the red coat and pill box of the RNWMP, he marched in the annual Heritage Day parade. Over the years he developed an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of the history of western Canada. He loved books and read widely. He and Claire enjoyed their many travels across the globe. With quiet determination he regularly wrote letters to the editors of the Weyburn Review and Regina Leader Post on issues about which he felt strongly. In 2012, he was recognized with a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. Edgar was strong in his faith. He was a devout parishioner of St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church and a proud member of the Knights of Columbus. He attended Sunday and daily mass, prayed daily and had a devotion to the Divine Mercy and the Holy Rosary. He nurtured that same faith in each of his children. He will be greatly missed but has left a lasting legacy of strong moral and family values, of dedication to church and community and of championing the cause of the less fortunate, especially our First Nations people. He was loved and respected by all who knew him including many friends and acquaintances, his neighbours, RCMP members, Royal Canadian Legion and Knights of Columbus. Prayers were held Friday, December 2 and the funeral was Saturday, December 3 at St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church with Fr. Francis Plaparampil celebrant at both services. We sincerely thank Father Francis for his kind words about Edgar. There was an Honour Guard of 4th Degree Knights of Columbus. Children and grandchildren proudly participated. Active Pallbearers at the funeral and interment were Bryce, Pascal, Annamarie, Simon, Sean, Nathan, Devin and Emma (grandchildren). Honourary pallbearers were Leo and Joan Leydon, Gloria and Philip Fong, Joe and Sami Ballenas and Joe and Jean Janoski. Edgar was buried at the RCMP Cemetery in Regina on Sunday, December 4 with Fathers Don McNeil and Thomas Nguyen presiding. His son Richard wore the Mounties鈥� Red Serge to honour his father. Recruit Troop 16 provided an Honour Guard and a trumpeter played 鈥淭he Last Post鈥�. Charitable donations in memory of Edgar may be made to the Catholic Missions of Canada for the Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Parish of Sandy Bay, SK, c/o St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church, Weyburn, SK, S4H 0W7. RD Family Funeral Chapel of Weyburn assisted the family in a warm, compassionate and professional manner.
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