Obituary of Miles Francis Logan

Miles was born July 20, 1929, in Oyen, the first of Edna and Frank Logan’s three children. He and his siblings, Gladys and Esler, grew up in a two-room house near the banks of the Alkali Creek about 23 miles southwest of Oyen.

In the Oyen history book Miles wrote, “A small farm, dry years and the ‘30s made money very, very scarce, but Dad was a handy, dandy kinda guy, did a little farming, broke land, had a small thrashing outfit, dug water wells, played for dances and we managed to survive.”

When he started school in Cappon, taught by Dorothy Yake, he stayed at the Yakes’. The rest of his education was at the Lewis school, two miles west of his home, taught by Georgina Yake. Grade 10, his last year, was by correspondence.

Over the next couple of years, Miles helped his dad farm and dig wells. At 18, he became the second man at the Alberta Wheat Pool in Oyen, under agent Don Ward. At 21, the Pool moved him to Athabasca to work in the #2 elevator. Three years of grain dust plus the fact that his Dad and Esler needed help on the farm brought him home. With the purchase of a three-ton truck, F.J. Logan and Sons Trucking came into being. They opened a gravel pit in the home quarter, purchased more equipment and expanded their business.

On July 6, 1955, Miles married Rita Johnston. From that partnership came three girls and a boy—Deborah, Vida, Gloria, and Frank. They began raising their family in a small trailer in Oyen.

The gravel business became too much for Miles. Machinery was sold and Esler took over the gravel business. Miles became a sales rep for Scory Motors. He enjoyed the travel and being involved with the farmers.

Searching for a new challenge, he went to Billings, Montana March 1962 and took an auctioneering course. He never did a lot of auction sales, but having the portable sound equipment he announced at sports days and for the pony chuck wagons locally and for the Saskatchewan and Alberta associations. For many years he announced the pony chucks at the Medicine Hat Stampede evening shows, at Pioneer Days in Saskatoon and Swift Current.

In 1967, Miles and Rita purchased Bob and Nan McCallum’s farm in the Sunnydale area.  In 1981, they bought the Charlie Greenwood farm south of Cereal. By this time, Frank was involved with farming and supplied most of the labour.

After Rita’s death in 1997, Miles lived in Oyen and turned the farming over to the younger folk. In 1998, he was facing a lonely, hard winter. His sister-in-law, Vallery Schulze, came to ensure he didn’t starve. She worked for a short time at Don’s AG Foods, then began working in the kitchen at the hospital on January 5, 1999 – a job she held for 15 years. They moved several times before living in condo #1 and then at the Lodge. Their commitment to each other and love grew. They married on December 27, 2008.

Over the years, Miles was involved in the Cappon Curling Rink, president of the Oyen Curling Club when it moved to the new location and an Oyen Kinsmen when the first swimming pool was built. He became the Worshipful Master of Oyen Crocus Lodge in 1991 and served as organist for the Lodge for many years.

One consistency during Miles’ life was his love for music. He learned to play the guitar as a youngster. While he was living in Athabasca, George Sauer offered to buy him an accordion if he would join their family band. After a crash course and a week of practice, he began playing for dances. He travelled to many places during his lifetime to play music. For more than 20 years, Lorea McAllister and her husband Bob had the “Old County” Band. Miles was their keyboard man. Miles, Vallery, Bob and Lorea had many great adventures together. From the years of camping with big groups of fellow musicians at the Blood Indian campsite to heading down the road to jams, dances, parades and rodeos in places as far away as Lloydminster, Consort, Oyen, Cereal, Hanna, Provost and Big Stone with more in between, big and small; they had such fun. While living at the Lodge, Miles entertained with Ralph and Marvel Jorgenson on many occasions. After moving to Extended Care, he especially looked forward to musical entertainment when Rob Shields played and sang.

In his 96th year, Miles passed away on December 9 at Oyen Extended Care with Val and Vida by his side.

Miles leaves to mourn: his wife Vallery; Debbie Logan (Brian); Vida VanSickle (Gord), Lance VanSickle (Natasha), Eric, Jasper, Zander, Dayna & Waylon, Myla Strasser (Kyle), Arya, Kane & Koen, Kurtis Benson, Levi Benson; Carson Benson (Vanessa), Deegan & Payton; Gloria Tilbert (Stu), Lynette Wheale (Phil), Grady, Kecia & Corbin, Candice Bennink (Jason), Cayden, Lexi & Keanen; Frank Logan, John Miles Hogan (Tristyn), Travis and Rory; step-children Kurt Schulze (Rae-Ann), Emma & Jordon, Michelle Sideen (Paul Budding), Leo Budding; sisters-in-law Mary Johnston, Margaret Gette, Carrole Fordham & Ann Larson; brother-in-law Robert Johnston; numerous nieces, nephews & cousins.

He was predeceased by his first wife Rita (1997); parents Frank (1958) & Edna (1995); sister Gladys (Ted) Scarff; brother Esler (Nettie) Logan; brothers-in-law: Raymond Johnston, Allan Johnston, Wayne (Darlene) Johnston, Gordon (Cec) Johnston, Kenneth Johnston and Lennard Johnston; niece Linda Breland.

Memorial tributes may be directed to Oyen & District Health Care Foundation (subject line: Resident & Family Council), Box 1, Oyen, AB T0J 2J0.