Obituary of Raymond Ledinski

Raymond Ledinski

(June 8th, 1935, to March 24th, 2023)

It is with great sadness that the family of Raymond Ledinski late of Medstead, SK announce his passing on Friday March 24, 2023, in North Battleford, SK.  A Funeral Service was held on Friday March 31, 2023, at 2:00pm in the Medstead Community Hall with Delores Beaulac officiating.  Interment followed in the Medstead Lutheran Cemetery.  

Charles Raymond Ledinski was born to Dorothy and Ferdinand Ledinski on June 8th, 1935. They lived in the house that Fey had built that some of you may have seen in the same yard as the shop. Raymond and Evelyn still live on the family farm as most of you know today.

When Raymond was 11, he became the man of the family farm as his father Faye had passed away. Ray and his mother Dorothy and siblings carried on with the farm duties and lived on the farm until Dorothy remarried in 1957 to John Siklenka and they moved to the farm just off Hwy. #3. Raymond and his siblings remained on the farm except Bernice who moved with her mom and stepdad. Raymond took over the duties with his brother Rich and sister Lillian.

Ray went to school in Saskatoon to take his grade 12 and his two years of mechanics which became his career of choice along with farming. He ended up getting a place to live in what they called at the time “the red-light district” and you could imagine a country boy being just off the farm experiencing that, he wasn't a fan. Ray continued with his mechanics and farming for the rest of his life becoming a very well respected and sought out man for fixing equipment or giving advice on what to do to fix the problem. You may have seen the picture of him with a motor which was the last motor that he ever rebuilt and when Jaryd installed it, it purred like it was brand new. His most consistent helpers being Walter Roske and Russell Works, with many of his grandsons becoming mechanics as well.

At the age of 21 Raymond traded his car in and bought a school bus which he continued upgrading to many different ones within the 50 years that he owned and operated the buses. Ray also used this bus to take his new girlfriend Evelyn, family, and friends on nights out.

Ray and Evelyn married in 1959. They raised one son and three daughters (Larry, Diane,Cindy and Sharon) which eventually grew into a very close large family today. Oh yeah and they also raised a few of their siblings that lived with them Rich, Jim, Pat, Betty, and David. At any given time while raising their three children (Sharon wasn't born yet) they had at least a half a dozen teenagers causing havoc constantly and somehow Ray and Evelyn seemed to stay calm. Even through Evelyn making 23 loaves of fresh bread only to wake up in the morning to find every crust cut off all 23 loaves. Evelyn made the comment “have you ever tried slicing bread without any ends on it”. Let's not even talk about making fries in the middle of the night when they all got home and causing a fire, putting it out and then just going to bed leaving the mess.

Raymond went into the business of crawler cats and did brushing and clearing all over the province employing quite a few different men. Ray and Evelyn's farm became an employment mecca for any young people who wanted a job especially university students. At one point there were a couple of young guys from Medstead who went to university for a year and swore they were not going back. But by the end of July and after picking rocks and roots for a couple of months they approached Raymond to ask for a couple of days off to go to Saskatoon to find accommodations and to book classes to take for the next year. It must have worked as they both became teachers to go on to promising careers in their field.

Raymond was very active in the community in getting the arena going and stayed on the committee to keep it going. He helped keep the ice plant running for the curling rink and the tractor for the hockey ice. He even had a close call once when working on the curling plant when it exploded spraying freon all over including on Raymond and him having to crawl on his hands and knees to find his way out with his eyes closed and his breath held. Ray and Evelyn along with a group of others in the community worked bingo in North Battleford for about 27 years raising money to keep the lights on at the arena. Volunteering was a way of life for Raymond and Evelyn which they instilled into their children as well.

Raymond is survived by his wife of 63 years, four children and spouses, 8 grandchildren and spouses, and 10 great grandchildren as well as many extended families and friends.

Donations may be made to the Medstead and District Recreation Association "MADRA" in memory of Raymond Ledinski as tokens of remembrance.  Family and friends wishing to send online condolences are welcome to visit www.beaulacfuneralhome.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Beau “Lac” Funeral Home and Crematorium, R. Mark Muir Funeral Director, Spiritwood, SK (306) 883-3500.