MEMORIES OF MY DAD

LEONARD VINCENT MCLELLAN 

MY FAVOURITE MEMORIES OF DAD ARE FILLED WITH HIS HILARIOUS PERSONALITY,  WILD SENSE AND OF LOVE OF COLOUR, HIS STYLE AS WELL HIS LOVE OF SHOES, PROBABLY BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE MANY PAIRS OF SHOES AS A YOUNG PERSON AND CLOTHES  (WHICH MY DAUGHTERS AND I INHERITED :)  HE ALWAYS DRESSED SO STYLISH. 

HIS COMPETITIVENESS AND SKILLS AS AN ALL ROUND ATHLETE. HE HAD A LOVE OF HOCKEY AND BASEBALL MOSTLY.  HE WAS A SUCCESSFUL HOCKEY PLAYER WITH THE MEDICINE HAT TIGERS, HE PLAYED  HOCKEY TILL THE AGE OF 80. HE PLAYED BASEBALL AS A YOUNG MAN, HE COULD SWIM AND FIGURE SKATE, BOX, ROW. LATER IN LIFE HE GOLFED. HE WAS A GREAT DANCER TOO.

HE WOULD TAKE MOM OUT ON THE ICE AND TWIRL HER AROUND AND HOLD HER UP.  HE WAS A FANTASTIC SKATER AND LOVED TO SHOW OFF.  HE TAUGHT ALL OF US KIDS HOW TO SKATE, EVEN GOT KELLY ON SKATES WHEN HE WAS YOUNG.  

HE WON A SILVER METAL IN CADET CAMP FOR ALL ROUND ATHLETE.  THEY HAD TO WIN AT SEVERAL SPORTS IN ORDER TO WIN METALS.  SWIMMING, ROWING, BOXING, RUNNING AND I BELIEVE THERE WERE MORE THEY HAD TO DO. 

WE USED TO COMPETE RUNNING DOWN THE STREET AND EVEN AS A SKINNY TEENAGER I COULDN'T BEAT HIM AND HE WAS BIG! HE WAS REALLY FAST FOR A BIG GUY! HAHA SAME THING IN THE SWIMMING POOL, HE WAS A SHARK. 

MY FAVOURITE STORY OF MY DAD WOULD BE WHEN I WAS ABOUT 2 YEARS OLD WE WHEN ON HOLIDAYS TO SILVER SANDS BEACH.  MOM, DAD & CAROL WERE ALL ON THE BEACH AND I WAS PLAYING ON AN AIR MATTRESS IN THE WATER, I DECIDED TO PADDLE OUT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE BY MYSELF! MY DAD POPPED HIS HEAD UP TO CHECK ON ME.   HE JUMPED INTO ACTION DIVING INTO THE WATER AND SWAM AS FAST AS HE COULD. I STILL REMEMBER GREETING HIM AS HE SWAM UP TO ME "HI DADDY" AND WRAPPING MY ARMS AROUND HIS NECK AS HE SWAM BACK TO SHORE. A TRUE LIFE RESCUE HEROE!  I WAS OBLIVIOUS, THANK GOD DAD WAS A GREAT SWIMMER.

HE GREW UP IN THE DIRTY THIRTIES, THEY WERE HUNGRY AND POOR OFTEN RUNNING AROUND IN THE SUMMER MONTHS WITH NO SHOES. THE FAMILY MANAGED LIVING BESIDE THE RED DEER RIVER IN DRUMHELLER AND BEING A SCOTTISH / IRISH CLAN THEY GREW THEIR OWN POTATOES. I REMEMBER HE TOLD US A STORY OF HOW HE USED TO STEAL BREAD OFF THE BACK OF THE BREAD TRUCK AND GRANDMA MCLELLAN ONCE TOLD ME THAT HE GOT HIS HEAD CAUGHT IN A BIG JAM JAR. ONE OF HIS FAVOURITE THINGS RIGHT TO THE END WAS FRESH WHITE BREAD AND JAM.

THEY THREW A FISHING LINE WITH LOTS OF HOOKS ON IT INTO THE RIVER BEFORE SCHOOL AND CAME BACK TO MANY FISH ON THE LINE.  THEY WERE A HARDY CATHOLIC BUNCH, TEACH A MAN TO FISH…..AND THEY DID! THEY OFTEN ATTENDED CHURCH EVERY DAY.  DAD WAS AN ALTER BOY WITH HIS TWIN BROTHER CHARLES. YES! THEY DRANK THE WINE! THE PRIEST WOULD SAY" LEN GO GET THE WINE YOU KNOW WHERE IT IS"

THEY SKATED IN THE WINTER ON THE RIVER AND DAD TOLD OF HOW HE FELL THROUGH THE ICE AT NIGHT AND PULLED HIMSELF OUT. HE DIDN'T SEE WHERE THE ICE CUTTING STOPPED AND FELL RIGHT IN!…. HE WAS SO LUCKY. 

DAD WORKED AS A SHOE SALESMAN AT WALTER SANSOM SHOES AND HAROLD RUNION SHOES, HE ALWAYS HAD NICE SHOES AND NO MATTER WHAT WE ALWAYS HAD NICE SHOES.  IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HIM FOR ALL OF US TO HAVE PROPER FOOTWEAR.  I SOLD SHOES AS ONE OF MY FIRST JOBS AS WELL AND NOW MY DAUGHTER CASSANDRA SELLS DESIGNER SHOES ON THE SAME BLOCK DOWNTOWN CALGARY THAT HER GRANDPA DID.  FUNNY THING, FULL CIRCLE... GRANDPA WOULD BE PROUD OF OUR DESIGNER SHOES CJ.

LATER DAD WENT ON TO SAIT TO BECOME A STATIONARY ENGINEER. HE MADE A CAREER WITH CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY AND RETIRED THERE. HE DID WELL.

MANY GREAT MEMORIES OF DAD