The families of Jesse Balkwill are sad to announce his passing after a prolonged battle with Parkinson鈥檚 disease. The disease robbed him of enjoying the active and social life he had known most of his life. Jesse was born in Wolsely on November 28, 1930. He was the tenth child of 13 children raised on farms in the Summerberry (Wolsely area), Kisbey and Browning (North of Lampman) areas during the Depression. During his time in Browning Jesse injured his eye playing swords causing a lengthy stay at the Grey Nun鈥檚 Hospital, now known as the Pasqua in Regina. He often commented on the isolation he felt during this time away from his family. This also caused him almost complete blindness in his right eye and to miss nearly two years of school. At the start of the war in 1939 the family moved to Arcola and then Weyburn when Jesse was 14 years of age. He attended Souris School and finished his education at the Weyburn Collegiate Institute including a year of Commerce. There he enjoyed playing Rugby as well as his studies. Jesse enjoyed many activities as a young man such as curling, hunting and playing in a marching band. He also sang in the church choir, which he enjoyed going back to in his later years. He was very successful with boxing until it became widely known that he was blind in one eye. He continued to be involved with the Boxing Club until his later years. In the fall of 1950 Jesse started working as a student Psychiatric Nurse at the Saskatchewan Mental Hospital (Tatagwa) in Weyburn. It was during his two years as a student Psych Nurse that he would meet a young woman named Dolores Murphy. After giving the new students a tour of the hospital he asked her to stay back so as to ask her out. He would later marry this pretty, petite young woman on September 7, 1954. In 1953 Jesse transferred to Stores and by May of 1958 was promoted to Store Keeper. He retired from that position in May of 1986. He joked how he had to give them a full years notice because it would take them that long to replace him. In November of 1959 Jesse started his long career with the Militia when he enlisted with the 麻豆视频 Saskatchewan Regiment 鈥楢鈥� Company in Weyburn. Jesse stayed with the Regiment until it disbanded in 1968. He had attained the rank of Sergeant and the position of Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant. At this time he had been assisting with 2302 麻豆视频 Saskatchewan Regiment Cadet Corps as a Non Commissioned Officer and continued as a civilian instructor. In 1971 he then took his training to become an officer. Jesse took Command in 1982 and retired his Command in 1990 but continued to serve as Captain until November of 1995. Jesse served as a Civilian instructor from October of 2000 right to October of 2005, retiring at the age of 75. Jesse was very proud of his work with Cadets and was always happy to tell a story or two to anyone who would listen. Jesse was well known for his involvement with the Legion. He was proud to be made a 鈥淟ife Member鈥� at such a young age. He would be there bright and early every morning taking care of anything that was needed. It didn鈥檛 matter if it was snow to be shoveled, ice to be hauled, a dance to get ready for, or just coffee that needed drinking, Jesse was there to do the job. Volunteering was second nature to him. It didn鈥檛 matter if it was a ride to Regina for a doctor鈥檚 appointment, dishes to be washed, a bingo to be worked, or night shift security duty, he knew he was the right man for the job. He was once violently assaulted while doing night security at Nickle Lake. Thankfully Jesse, in his seventies, only needed stitches to his forehead. This wouldn鈥檛 stop Jesse from continuing to do night security when needed, much to his family鈥檚 chagrin. Some knew Jesse as a gruff man, and perhaps he was just a little. The lucky ones who really knew him would describe him as a box of chocolates. He was firm on the outside, soft on the inside and maybe sometimes a little nutty but always sweet. Jesse could cry at drop of a hat, or give you a shoulder to cry on. One thing you could always guarantee, he would be there for you. Jesse was predeceased by his parents, William and Sarah Balkwill; brothers, Robert (Agnes); Stanley (Edith); Royce and Ronald; sisters, Calla (Stanley) Trachsel and Grace (Peter) Norman; brothers-in-law, Peter Flaming, Russell Kerr, Larry Ritchie and Vern Turner; son-in-law, Garry Hoffer. Jesse is survived by the wife he was devoted to for 60 years, Dolores Balkwill (Murphy);聽 six children who were blessed enough to call him Dad, son, Douglas (Sue) of Regina, and Doug鈥檚 children, Tina (Kevin) Serrit, their children Michaela, Morgan, Ethan and Geneva, Stephanie Balkwill (Diego Loukota) and Logan (Janna Willis);聽 daughter Debora of Ottawa, ON and her children, Richelle (Ed) Ludwick, their children Henry and Marigold; Shayne and Brianna and their father, Wayne Nontell; son Daniel of Calgary, AB; son David of Ottawa, ON and his children, Bradley (Jessica Robillard), Tavis and Josh; daughter Donna Hoffer of Weyburn, and her children, Jessica Davis and Caleb Hoffer; son Derek of Prince George, BC;聽 brothers, Neil and Donald; sisters, Myva Flaming, Isabell Kerr, May Ritchie, Margaret Turner and sister-in-law, Marge Balkwill. A Memorial Service was held on Monday, December 1 at 2:00 p.m. at Weyburn Free Methodist Church with Pastor Jodi Pfeifer and Reverend John Ferrier officiating. The family wishes to thank the staff of the Weyburn Special Care Home for the excellent care given Jesse during his time there. We will be forever grateful. Interment will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Weyburn Army Cadet Corps #2302. Condolences may be left at: www.fletcherfuneralchapel.com. Arrangements entrusted to Fletcher Funeral Chapel, Weyburn, 306-842-5432.
