Family Log-In

Click Here

In 1928 a small boy along with his father, mother and older sister travelled by boat from the Ukraine to Canada. As he stepped off the boat onto the platform he found a nail, putting it in his pocket knowing that it will serve a purpose later on. He then continued his journey by train to Kelvington, Saskatchewan where the family resided for about two years while his father walked to the Chelan district to prepare a homestead for the family. As a family they took the journey together to their new homestead north east of Chelan where they became a family of eight. As a young boy Raymond helped his mother peel the bark off the trees so they would dry up to be grubbed out for the use as farm land. Raymond attended Tall Poplar School which was only a mile and a half from home. As the family grew, Raymond left school at an early age to continue helping his father break new land and cut cordwood. Raymond always had the story of when they got their first tractor and as a little boy how he had to hang onto the steering wheel with all his might because when the plow hit the stump it would stop the tractor dead.
In his late teen years Raymond left the farm to work in Ontario in a logging camp at Kirkland Lake. He often spoke how times were tough and he only kept enough money for himself while sending the remainder home to his Mother and Dad. During the war he then took up work as a machinist in Ontario, making small parts for the war machines. He realized that this was not his passion and retuned home. There were always hardships. One story Raymond always told is when there was no meat to have with their meal on Easter so Raymond took the shot gun and the only shell there was and went to the river to get a duck. As he snuck up to the river onto a couple of ducks he fired and got them both. It made his day and a very good meal.
In the late 1940's Raymond bought himself a café in Chelan. He would always mention that the most popular item on the menu were the wieners and sauerkraut. His sisters helped out in the café while Raymond continued to cut cordwood and after hours in the evening the café was the place to try your luck at poker. Raymond liked cards but he always said he was never good at poker, sometimes losing his days profit from the café. He later then sold the café and bought a farm of his own.
On January 10, 1953 Raymond married Beatrice Wionzik from Porcupine Plain. They continued to live in Chelan then later started their own homestead not far from his parents. As a dowry Beatrice had brought along two cows, so they started mixed farming, raising livestock and growing crops. In 1953 they had their first son Douglas Lloyd and in 1958 they had there only daughter Terryne Jane. The young family left their newly started homestead to move onto his parent's second homestead in 1962. This is where Raymond had firmly set his roots and roots there were plenty of according to Raymond. He worked hard to look after the livestock, the land and still found time to trap. Raymond often told the story of how he bought a new shinny black truck from all the muskrats he had trapped throughout the winter, something that would be literally impossible to do today. In 1963 they had another son; Ross William Raymond Denys. Raymond Continued to farm and continued to do so for thirty years with his son Ross. He actively ran machinery till he was eighty eight and always enjoyed driving around the field in his straw hat picking rocks with the stone picker but harvest was his favorite time of the year. Farming was his life and he was always there to pitch in!! He was fascinated with the new inventions and new technologies and was often found reading at the table ready to tell you what he just learned. Raymond was never stumped for words he always had good advice or a word of caution. Some of Raymond's repeated phrases were "If you find it hard then walk away from it; you will find it easier when you come back to it" or " No use talking about it now, it's over and done with", but he was always open for any discussion and at the end of the discussion he always had the right solution.
Raymond and Beatrice quit farming livestock at an early age but still continued to grain farm. This gave them more time to travel. Raymond enjoyed camping and fishing in the summer and Sundays were usually a wiener roast at some nearby lake. Raymond travelled abroad spending many winters in Arizona but he always said "there is no place better than home and no better drink then a cold glass of water from his tap". He often spent countless hours on the lake ice near the yard trying his luck at catching a fish for supper. Sometimes he wouldn't even get a bite saying "I'm never going fishing again"!!! Only to see him out there again the very next day. Raymond enjoyed his family and was always happy when they came to visit and delighted when a new grandchild was born. He thought the world of his grandchildren and was very proud and protective of them. They always brought a big smile to his face. He would take them on the four wheeler or out to the field, sliding on the snow, fishing, camping or maybe just explaining the facts of life with them. The grandchildren looked up to him and thought the world of him. He always had the gift to make them smile or laugh. Raymond would always greet them with a big hello followed by the question "Sooo!!, tell me a story". Raymond was often found in the garden with Beatrice and the grandkids weeding or watering and when he wasn't, he was in the shop tinkering or making some kind of improvement. He was pretty handy at carpentry and any type of mechanics ready to tackle any task. Raymond always found time to watch baseball on T.V or sit on a chair didn't matter where as long as he was in the sun often petting the dog and cat. In the early morning it wasn't uncommon to see Raymond walking down the road with a parade of the dog behind him followed by one or two cats. He truly enjoyed his life on the farm and often said he wouldn't change it for anything.
A loving, caring farther, husband, friend and a true pioneer. Once upon a time that little boy who found a nail had bonded together in his life, a loving, beautiful family, a lifelong of memories, success and happiness. We thank you for everything you showed us, taught us, told us and given us. There will always be a piece of our heart missing you and you will never be forgotten and as you always said to us "Take care hey!! ". Love you forever, your family.
Raymond was predeceased by his parents Wassil (Bill) and Catherina; his sisters Anne and Sandy; brother George; and brother-in-law Bob. He will forever by remembered by his loving wife Beatrice; children: Doug (Enya), Terryne (Lorne) Levine and Ross (Valerie); grandchildren: Garrett, Melissa, Marshall, Jaclyn, Thomas, Larissa, Breanna and Makenzie; brother Bert (Lillian); sister Nancy (Larry); and sister-in-law Karen; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.