Earl Frances Chesney
January 27th, 2022
It is with great love and sadness we announce the passing of Earl Chesney at 87 years of age at Indian Head, SK on Thursday, January 27, 2022. He was born on April 10, 1934 and was the youngest of 11 children and predeceased by his mother and father, 6 sisters and 4 brothers. Earl was survived by his best friend and companion Elsie Lueck, oldest son John and (Suzie), Kevin and (Lela) Karen and (Brian) and Kelly and (Lisa), 9 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, and Phyllis, mother of his children; as well as many nieces, nephews, and close friends.
Earl worked in various locations from coast to coast. He was a welder/ fabricator by trade that involved pipelining, construction, oilfield services, as well as building tugs and barges for use in the Beaufort Sea. In the 1950’s and 60’s he installed water and sewer into many of the farms in the Yorkton and Waldron area. He spent most of his life in northern B.C., Yukon and a brief stint in the Arctic. His love of the north involved taking his family to the Yukon to mine for gold. Not a lot of money was made, but a pile of memories that were the topic of discussion around any get together. Earl’s greatest desire was to return to the Yukon - his spirit is now free to do so.
Earl moved to Indian Head to be close to his last remaining sister Evelyn who passed away shortly thereafter. Earl remained in Indian Head to share the beauty of the Saskatchewan sunsets with his friend and companion Elsie.
A Private Celebration of Life will be held for family and friends at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the Indian Head Hospital Foundation at: https://www.rqhealth.ca/directory-items/indian-head-hospital-foundation.
In the memory of a loving man, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend…..pass the Prairie lube.
Messages:
It was with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Earl. I have had the pleasure of knowing JR since the late sixties when the Richardson clan used to summer out in the Okanagan so of course had the pleasure of knowing Ralph through that time. Over the years John always indicated a desire to meet his natural parents and it was a very happy moment when he sent me the news via a voicemail that as I recall went something like this “hi John, my name is Earl, I believe that I am your father “. From that moment John wasted no time in connecting with Earl and would always keep us in the loop regarding his meeting/s and time spent together with Earl and Elsie. It was also with great pleasure that Alana and I got to meet them both when they were out visiting in the Okanagan and John brought them over to our place to spend an afternoon on the deck getting to know them both. John was thrilled with his new family and I believe that it filled a void in his life that he had been trying to fill for a great many years. Unfortunately it was not nearly long enough but we are so glad that he did get opportunity. Our sincerest condolences to all of the families and I for one have/will be raising a glass for both John and Earl in memory of their reunion and I am especially looking forward to doing the same with John when we next get together.
While I never met Earl personally, I have been blessed to have the privilege of a longterm friendship with his son John Richardson. I’ll never forget the sheer joy in John’s voice when he shared the story about finding his father and their first interaction. It seemed like John was a chip from the old block and quickly bonded with his dad. Wishing all who knew and loved Earl peace and joy as they celebrate his life.❤️❤️❤️☘️☘️☘️
I rejoiced with my dear friend, John, as he recounted having found and met his birth father. The stories we're heartwarming and he described a wonderful man. Of course I know how much he will mourn the loss but the treasure stays with him. Life did come full circle. May you rest in peace and, dear man, thank you for giving the world John Richardson
As a good friend of John. I so regret that I never got a chance to meet Earl but I know how much connecting with him meant to John. The family that he has found in connecting with Earl has meant to world to him and I know his loss weighs heavy on him as it does the rest of the family. I loved hearing all of the great stories of adventure that Earl shared with John. What a gem the world has lost but what a great legacy he leaves behind. All the best to the whole family and I hope your sadness is offset but the wealth of great memories you will always have of the one-of-kind Earl.
Unfortunately we never got the opportunity to meet Earl in person but we were able to participate in a phone conversation with him and Elsie. We could tell he had a great sense of humor and a zest for life. We are so glad that he welcomed John into his life at such a late stage; it demonstrates his true character. Condolences to Elsie and the rest of the Chesney family. RIP Earl.
My cousin John’s heart “grew two sizes bigger” when Earl came into his life. It’s a reminder to all of us about the power of unconditional love. John told me how blessed he was to have had two fathers, Ralph and Earl, whom he loved dearly. John felt privileged to be so warmly welcomed into the lives of Earl, Elsie, and the Chesney family. Although he came late into Earl’s life, John’s memories of conversations and the time they spent together will last forever. My sincere condolences to Elsie, John, and the Chesney family.
Ah, the world has lost a man who created memories and was obviously a joy to so many. He was certainly a joy to John Richardson. Thank you to the Chesney family for embracing JR - Earl's son and a friend of many of us writing our condolences. John's joy at connecting with Earl and the Chesney family was palpable. My condolences to you all - and, John, I'm sure you will raise a glass with a song in your heart and gleam in your eye. May Earl rest in peace and rise in glory. Blessings to you all -
My deepest sympathy Elsie and Earl's family. I didn't get to know Earl but I know he was a wonderful companion to my friend Elsie. May he Rest in Peace and Rise in Glory.
Dick and I are very sad about Earl's passing. He was such a loving man. We have nothing but wonderful memories ... I hope all of you are well and happy in your lives.. Be great to see you all. Love to you all.
So sorry to hear of the loss of your father Kevin and Kelly. Also my condolences to the rest of your family. I still fondly recall the golf day I thoroughly enjoyed with you two and your dad. That was the first time I met Earl and it seemed like I had known him forever. He was so easy to talk to and a ton of stories to share. It was just such a pleasant and fun day of chatter and laughs and it is something I will always treasure.
Our condolences to Elsie and all of Uncle Earl’s family. It is sad to know that the last remaining sibling of the Ben Chesney family is no longer with us. We are certain that Earl will not be forgotten. His interesting stories, colourful conversation and zest for life will always be remembered. We are also very happy he was able to connect with his son John. We know this reunion was such a blessing and filled Earl’s heart with such joy! May Uncle Earl Rest In Peace. Bruce and Janet Lemon.
We so enjoyed spending time with Earl. Loved listening to his stories which he could make so interesting. Are condolences to all the families.
It has been such an incredible privilege to be welcomed into Uncle Earl & Aunt Elsie’s family. My heart is beyond thankful to have had such wonderful visits with such a charming, vibrant and magnetic man that I’m so proud to call my Great Uncle. All our love to the entire family- especially you Aunt Elsie xoxo Teresa, Brandon, Alex & Nick
I send my condolences to Uncle Earls family, as well as to all my Chesney cousins. I know Earl will be sadly missed. He was the last of a strong generation. I come from strong stock and I am so grateful to have known them. I too, will always remember his laugh and those twinkly eyes. Please pass the lube!
Earl and the Chesney’s have been a new unexpected blessing in our lives. It saddens me that I personally never got to meet him, but my father (John) has been able to share some of the most heartwarming stories. I am beyond thrilled he was able to spend quality time with his own father. Earl’s spirit lives on in my dad and myself and will always be a part of my roots. I have the utmost privilege of having an incredible dad; and can say without a doubt that Earl will live on in my memories as the grandfather I never had. My dad and I will raise a glass to a life well lived. Sending all my love and sunshine from Texas. Love, Melanie
Fond memories of the mining days on Clear Creek. Condolences to you all. Im sure he's xatching up with my Mom & Dad (John & Heather), reminiscing about "the good old days" Much love, Melanie
Our sincere condolences to Elsie & Earls family members. We enjoyed many Thursday dinner’s in Indian Head with the two of them with many stories and laughs. News of Earls passing was a total shock to us. He was a good man and we’ll miss our get togethers. May he Rest In Peace.
Hello to Earl's family! I am so sorry for your loss. As a long time friend of John I know that he had a great relationship of love and respect with his parents Alice and Ralph who brought him up and had expressed he had no desire to search for his birth parents. It was a revelation to him to find out he had a father and siblings and extended family he didn't know existed. I also heard the recording of Earl when he found out he had another son and it blew me away. John was incredibly humbled and overjoyed (and lucky) to be unconditionally welcomed into his new found family. I think it is a testament to Earl's character to open his heart and find a place for my friend in a loving family.
I remember the day that John sent me the audio of his first conversation with Earl. I was taken back by the joy of it all, as well as by the similarity of voice and inflection! Pictures followed and wow, the resemblance was clear! I was delighted that Earl and his family were so very welcoming.That meant the world to John, as you can imagine. I'm sorrowful that the years they shared were too few, yet I know that those precious moments were such a blessing for both. John will cherish them forever. Thank you Earl and family for being so caring, accepting and wonderful! God bless you all. Earl, you will be deeply missed.
I am a friend of John Richardson‘s and I am so sorry to hear of Earl‘s passing. There was such a thrill and delight in John’s voice when he spoke of Earl and their connection over the past few years. In reading about Earl‘s life, it is no surprise that John is one of the nicest and kindest people in the world. Earl left quite a legacy behind. May Earl rest in peace and may his memory be a blessing to all who loved him.
I am a close friend of John Richardson. I had an opportunity to visit with Earl and Elsie by phone just over a year ago while John was visiting our home. Our conversation was delightful and they made me feel like one of the family myself… Rest In Peace Earl and know that you leave this earth beloved by John and, I am sure, many others.
Hello to all of Earl's family, relatives, neighbors, friends (and especially Elsie). As the newest member to the Chesney family (only took 60 years), it is with great pride and honor that I share my love and admiration for Earl and his family. I admit I’ve been quite taken with the acceptance, love and heartfelt joy I have experienced in my short time with the Chesney clan. As with many of you, I’ve delighted in being in Earl’s company and conversation -- listening to his stories, his jokes, his newscaster opinion of political figures (hello Trump!) and his infectious laugh and periodic colorful language (he can sure spruce up a story!). While my face time with Earl was short, it was enough to glimpse into his character through his stories on some of his work projects, exploits, family gatherings and more. He was easy to love and will be sorely missed. Earl, I thank you again for the courage you showed in accepting me as your son after all those years of not knowing, it has meant the world to me, and I’ve shared the story countless times with my family, friends and complete strangers – and will continue to do so. I will raise a glass to you frequently Earl, with a song in my heart, and gleam in my eye. Rest in Peace – Love John
Just learned of the passing of Earl and would like to ..send our condolences to the family on your loss of your dad. Rest in peace Earl