OBITUARY

Name:   Neil Benjamin Upshall

From:  The Saskatoon Star Phoenix, Saskatoon, Canada
Date:  Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Neil was known as a gentleman and a gentle man, with his own special sense of humour. He modeled integrity and unconditional love. A self-described "stick in the mud, " Neil lived his entire life in Saskatoon. His happiest hours were spent reminiscing about his school years. Neil felt a strong connection to the King George neighborhood of his youth, spending his retirement photographing, researching and compiling albums about its history.

Neil was predeceased by his first wife, Beth in 1988; as well as parents, Neil and Altha Upshall; brother, Earl in infancy; brother, Gerald; mother-in-law, Edna Quenett, sister and brother-in-law, Lois and Al Baffo; and childhood friend, Zenon Pohorecky. After the heartache of losing Beth, Neil found love and joy again with his second wife, Evelyn. Sadly, Ev predeceased Neil in 1997.

Neil is survived by daughter, Arline and son-in-law, Greg Trew; son, Mark Neil Upshall; sister, Shirley (John) Corman; sister-in-law, Pat Upshall; sister-in-law, Shirley (Ward) Mortenson; and brother-in-law, Robert Terrance (Connie) Quenett. Also surviving Neil are his stepchildren, Dale (Edna), Allan (Crystal) and Garry Hinz, Carol MacCallum and Judy (Scott) Mackie. Neil and Ev were devoted to their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Ashley Andres was especially close to her Grandpa and the two spent many happy hours together. Neil also enjoyed the company of Aunt Roberta Tamke, Uncle Byron (Dorothy) Benjamin, special cousins, nieces and nephews. He felt very fortunate to have caring neighbours and a circle of close friends, including school chums, Alex Sokalofsky and Howard Stensrud, and life-long friend, Mary Cone.

Neil took his schooling at King George School and Bedford Road High School. Neil's work career started at age 13. After school he cleaned bottles and filled soft ice cream and milkshake machines at Ford's Drugstore on Avenue H. Neil considered Mr. Ford as a second father, although 65 years later he still protested being fired by Mr. Ford as a young fellow for wearing a plaid shirt to work. Neil worked at Fords on and off for 25 years and was proud to help establish the Marguerite and Winnard Ford Mineral Collection at the U of S. Neil also worked at the Quaker Oats, Midwestern News Agency and Prokop's Drugs, retiring as a Scott Bathgate (Nutty Club) city salesman in 1990.

Neil will be lovingly remembered and deeply missed by all who knew him. Arlie, Mark and Greg express their gratitude to Drs. Billington, Haug, Swamy and Vogt of RUH Academic Family Medicine, Dr. Worobetz, Palliative Home Care, Dr. Reeder and the nursing staff at SCH 6300, Shelley Jolly and the rest of the SCH Palliative Care Team.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Meewasin Valley Authority and Saskatoon City Hospital Foundation would be appreciated. Condolences can be sent in care of [email protected]. A service of remembrance and celebration will be held on Thursday, July 14, 2005 at 2:00 p.m. from Hillcrest Funeral Home (east on 8th St., turn right before the railway tracks) with cremains to be scattered at a later date. Arrangements are in care of David J. Schurr, Hillcrest Funeral Home (477-4400).