Floyd Russell Checkley
1933-2015
Floyd Russell Checkley of Carman, MB passed away peacefully with his immediate family surrounding him in the Palliative Care Unit at the Carman Memorial Hospital on Nov 26, 2015 after suffering a non recoverable stroke.
Floyd will be sadly missed by his son Myles (Shirley) of St. Albert, AB., granddaughters Melissa (Clark) Thompson of Athabasca, AB., and Theresa of St. Albert, AB. Son Brad from Edmonton, AB. Daughter Dawn (Brad) Sanders of Delta, BC, grandsons Ryley (Brianna) Sanders of South Surrey, BC and Tarran of Delta, BC. Daughter Tricia (Kirby) Bateman of Stonewall, MB and grandsons Carter and Peyton Bateman also from Stonewall, MB. Floyd became a Great-Grandfather on May 19th, 2015 as Ryley & Brianna Sanders became parents of Kaylee Ann Candice and his newest great granddaughter Avery Rae Checkley Thompson was born on Nov 13, 2015. He will also be sadly missed by his only surviving brother Tom (Edith) Checkley of Winnipeg, MB, Sister-in-law Hellen (Alvin) of Manitou, MB, brother-in-law Brian (Marg) Hodgson of Brandon, MB, and many cherished in-laws, nieces, nephews and special friends.
Floyd was predeceased by the love of his life Patricia Betty Checkley on Oct 30, 2014. Also by his father Ephriam Checkley, mother Elsie Checkley Beckett, brothers Fred and his wife Helen Checkley, Alvin Checkley, mother in-law Madeleine Hodgson, father in-law Clarence Hodgson, step mother in-law Ethel Hodgson, sister in-law Jan and her husband Myron Hryciw, sister in-law Bae Milne/Nordquist and her husband’s Leask Milne and Hugh Nordquist, brother in-law Bill Hodgson and sister in-law Valerie Brown. He was also preleased by two nephews Daryl Checkley and Darren Milne.
Floyd was born in Morden, MB and grew up in the Middleton District as a true farm boy. He took his schooling in the Middleton School and then completed his high school in Manitou, MB. While he was attending high school in Manitou a young vibrant girl named Patricia Hodgson caught his eye and they started dating. Floyd was 17 and Patricia was 14. Upon graduation Floyd thought he would like to try teaching so started teaching on a permit at the Riverdale District School and also drove a school bus for the Manitou School District... Finally on May 24, 1954 Floyd and Pat where married and had chosen Manitou, MB as their place of residency. Being a prairie farm boy he decided to start farming the family homesteads (Checkley and Johns) with his older brother Alvin Checkley. Floyd and Pat’s oldest son was born on Feb 21, 1958, Brad was born on April 10, 1959, and Dawn was born on Myles’s third birthday Feb 21, 1961. Tricia arrived into the family in Dec of 1968.
Floyd was very content at farming but he also wanted to continue his education, receiving a Diploma in Agriculture from the University of Manitoba. After his graduation, in 1974, he landed the position of Rural Water Technician with the Provincial Government and the family moved to Dauphin, MB. They stayed in Dauphin, MB until the three older children graduated from high school. The Rural Water program eventually was phased out and Pat had begun her career with the MLCC so accepted a full time position in Brandon in 1980. While living in Brandon, Floyd worked many positions: Water Technician for The Village of Forrest. MB, Armored Guard for Brinks Canada and eventually representative for Auto Trader Magazines, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
When both Floyd and Pat retired they thought they would like to live closer to the kids and began a short journey of stays in BC towns of Windermere, Invermere, Golden, Tsawwassen and White Rock. Then discovered they were truly prairie people and were happiest in Manitoba. They moved back to Winnipeg and eventually decided that Carman would be their home.
Throughout Floyd’s life journey he was very involved with many community activities like hockey (which he played as a child), Kinsmen, AA and Square Dancing. He found a truly lasting group of friends in the coffee gang in Carman who kept him interested after the passing of Pat. He also cherished his time with his friends in the apartment block in Carman. He enjoyed fishing and was an avid flyer in the Manitou Flying Club. He also was a tinkerer and loved to spend time in his shed of tools to fix things.
If we could write a story,
it would be the greatest ever told.
We would write about our daddy,
for he had a heart of gold.
Our dad, he was no hero
Known around this world.
He was everything to us,
for we were his babies.
We would write about the lessons.
He taught us right from wrong.
He instilled in us the values
that one day we would be strong.
He taught us to face our fears,
Take each day as it comes,
for there are things that we can't change.
He would say what's done is done.
He would say hold your head up high,
Carry yourself with pride.
Thanks to him, we are somebody,
we will never run and hide.
If we could write a story,
it would be the greatest ever told.
We would write about our daddy,
for he had a heart of gold.
A celebration of Floyd’s life journey will be held on Dec 1, 2015 at 1 pm in the Carman United Church with luncheon to follow. Floyd has donated his body to further the human sciences field, therefore interment will be postponed. Doyle’s Funeral services are in charge of all arrangements. If friends or family so desire, donations can be made to the Carmen Palliative Care Box 610, Carman, MB R0G 0J0.
