Remembering our roots ~ Mardelle Bazant

Times Contributor

 

Mardelle’s father’s family were amongst the pilgrims who sailed from Plymouth, a port on the south coast of England, for America on the Mayflower in 1620. This family, whose surname was Platt, originally settled in Ohio, then moved to Iowa, then Oklahoma, where Mardelle’s father, Raymond was born. They moved to Rimbey, just north and west of Red Deer in 1905. Raymond’s father Charles Merritt Platt farmed north of there for a number of years, then seeing the need and opportunity, opened a machinery/garage establishment in town. He worked there with his son for many years, before his son eventually took over.

On her mother’s side, the Irwin family originated in Ireland, with records going back as far as 1659, where an early relative – Christopher of Castle Irwin – was the M.P. for Fermanagh County, in Donegal. Her grandfather on her mother’s side was born in Indiana, and moved to Kansas before settling in Rimbey in 1906. Besides farming he also worked as a well-driller and a local preacher.

Mardelle was born in Rimbey, the second child of seven, which included three sisters and three brothers. She attended school in Rimbey through Grade 12, before attending the University of Calgary in 1948, in the building now known as SAIT, where she took classes to become an elementary teacher. This is where she met her husband-to-be, Charlie Bazant in 1948, and they were married a year later in 1949. One of Charlie’s brother’s had married Celene, one of Mardelle’s sisters. Mardelle taught school in Carbon for several years, before staying home to raise their three children – two daughters and a son, who have provided four grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. After the children were older, she returned to work as a substitute teacher at the original Samuel Crowther Junior High School, which moved and became known as the Junior High School. The site of the original Samuel Crowther school is now occupied by Christ the Redeemer Catholic School.

Charlie’s family originated in Posen, Poland and came to Canada in 1908, originally settling near the Orange Valley School, south of Strathmore. When they first arrived they had to stay in the old CPR Hotel until their house was completed on the small plot of land they had purchased. They had four children when the family migrated from Europe, which increased to 13 on arrival here. To provide money for food and other necessities, father worked for the CPR Irrigation system. After a brief period they moved to Jenner, where they homesteaded, before moving to a section of land northeast of Strathmore in 1926. At the time, this land was just open prairie, so Dad had to break it in. The younger children attended Hervey School, but had to help out on the farm when classes finished. The older children were already grown and on their own, when the family moved to the Strathmore area. As a young man, Charlie competed in many rodeos, mainly in the bull riding events. He rode in the 1937 Calgary Stampede, and his all-time favorite cowboy was Herman Linder.

From 1942 to 1945, Charlie served in the RCAF as an aircraft mechanic and was stationed in Brandon, Calgary, Montreal, and Northern Alberta. He was never posted overseas. Charlie returned to farming after the war, and operated a grain and cattle operation. He raised purebred Polled Herefords, and called the herd the “Battle Hill Polled Herefords” because he found so many Indian arrowheads and other artifacts on his land. Their two daughters often accompanied their father to cattle shows across Canada and the U.S. Their son became a heavy-duty mechanic and shop foreman for Wheatland County.

Mardelle has always been a stalwart volunteer in Strathmore and area. In the 1970’s the history book “Along the Fireguard Trail” was originated. As co-editor, Mardelle, along with others from Lyalta, Dalroy and area, spent many evenings getting the book completed. She was a founding member of the Strathmore Hospital Auxiliary, which was formed in 1984, the year before the Strathmore Hospital was opened. This year she will celebrate 30 years as a member. She has been an executive of The Strathmore District Health Foundation since its inception in 1996, and has served as Secretary-Treasurer. As liaison officer for the foundation, she has frequent meetings with the hospital management, who are currently planning what to do with the vacant space created by the move of Extended Care to Sagewood. For over 15 years, she organized and ran the Blood Donor Clinic in Strathmore. She’s been an active member for over 40 years in the Catholic Women’s League, and for over 25 years has coordinated the funeral lunches for the Sacred Heart Parish.

Regretfully, Charlie passed away in 2008, and earlier this year Mardelle started moving into town. She told me she has a full year to complete her move. She is a very busy lady.