It is with profound sadness that we, the family of Robert James Grant Neil (Bob), announce that he passed away with his family by his side on July 3, 2022, after a fast and furious battle with cancer. He left the same way he lived, quietly and with grace and dignity. Dad leaves to grieve his loving wife of 57 years, Cherry, daughter Angie (Randy Emmerson), and son Mark (Kathy Woods). Grandchildren Kylie (Dustin Wrubleski), Dalyce and Mackenzie Emmerson, Braden (Haley Roach) Middlebrook, and Lexus Neil. Dad also leaves behind his brother Raymond of Nanaimo, BC., sister Sharon (Tom) Cursons of Yorkton, Sask. sisters-in-law Kris (Wally)Wawro, Beatrice Ruszkowski, Anne Dmyterko, brother-in-law Bill (Pam) Nikolaisen, and several nieces and nephews.

Family that passed before Dad include his parents Alex and Mary Neil, brother Sonny, sister Hellen and husband Bob Benjamin, sister-in-law Shirley (Ray) Neil, parents-in-law Peter and Maude (Bailey) Nikolaisen, brother-in-law Neil Nikolaisen and wife Pat (Dufour), brother-in-law Hank Nikolaisen and wife Paulette (Umperville), brother-in-laws Frank Ruszkowski and Edward Dmyterko. Nephews Wayne Nikolaisen and Kelly Dmyterko, niece Darlene Nikolaisen, and great-niece Rebecca Tkachuk.

Dad was born November 5, 1942, in Yorkton, Sask to Alexander and Mary Neil of Springside, Sask. He was the fourth of five children. He attended elementary school in Springside and high school in Yorkton. Growing up he enjoyed playing ball and hockey. Dad spent much of his time on the farm with his sister Hellen and brother-in-law Bob.  Dad claims it was on the farm that he learned many of the skills we all benefited from over the years.  After Dad graduated from Yorkton High School, he moved to Moose Jaw to become a Civil Engineering Technician. During the summers, he moved to Prince Albert to work at Parkland Builders with his brother Ray. This is where he met the love of his life, Cherry, on a blind date in the summer of 1963. A year later, after many weekend trips from Moose Jaw to Prince Albert, Dad proposed, and they were married on February 27, 1965, at the Courthouse in Saskatoon.

When Dad completed his schooling in Moose Jaw, he was hired by the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Association (PFRA) and he and Cherry moved to Cutbank, Sask.  Mom and Dad lived in a tiny trailer on a very meager budget while he worked with the team building the Gardiner Dam.  In later years, he would return to this project, inspecting and mapping the Dam to identify areas in need of repair.

While living in Cutbank, Mom and Dad had their first child Angela who was born on a stormy night in February 1967. Shortly after that, the family moved to Russel, Manitoba. and stayed for about 18 months while Dad worked on the Shellmouth Dam.  In late 1968 they moved to Saskatoon and remained there for the next 40 years. In February of 1969, their family was completed when Mark was born.  Since then, Mom and Dad have devoted their lives to raising and supporting their children and grandchildren.

In the midst of a recession and high-interest rates, Mom and Dad managed to save enough money to move our family from low rental housing to a beautiful bungalow in 1972.  This was when “Bob the Builder” flourished as there was no repair or renovation Dad couldn’t tackle and we are all blessed to have had an opportunity to learn from him.

While growing up, Dad coached Mark in hockey, ball, and soccer for many years, while Mom cheered in the stands or on a lawn chair. Dad maintained and managed the community skating rink at John Lake School. He also designed and helped build the Creative Playground at John Lake School, which remains to this day.

Dad retired from the PFRA in 1995. Following his ‘retirement’ he kept busy working at Lakeview Suds Car Wash in Saskatoon and then part-time at Home Depot. During that time, he was always available to help us kids with home renovations or other projects. He would even drive up to Prince Albert just for the day to babysit his grandchildren.

When Mom retired from the University of Saskatchewan Bookstore in 2008, Mom and Dad sold their home in Saskatoon and built a new home in Prince Albert so that they could be closer to our families. They settled in nicely to their new community and quickly established a routine. Apparently, Dad was not quite ready to ‘retire’ so he began working with his nephew Perry and Brother-in-law Ed at Dmyterko Enterprises. He did whatever was needed on any particular day and remained working there until March of 2020 when the COVID 19 pandemic hit.

Prior to moving to Prince Albert Mom and Dad held season tickets to the Saskatoon Blades and when they moved to PA, Mom and Dad were able to get behind the Raiders and have held season tickets for years. They have enjoyed cheering for the Raiders with their family and friends at the rink.

Dad loved to play golf and especially enjoyed playing with his grandchildren.  Whether it was 9 holes at one of the courses in Prince Albert or playing in the Huskie Women’s Basketball Annual Fundraiser in Saskatoon, he was happy to share his Big Bertha driver with his girls. He was a loving and devoted Dad and Grampa, and although he wasn’t a huge fan of air travel, he happily journeyed all over the province and country to watch his grandchildren play soccer, volleyball, and basketball.  On one trip he even kissed the cod in St. John’s, Newfoundland!

Above all, Dad was a devoted husband, dad, and grandpa. He would have become a great-grandpa for the first time this November when Braden and Haley have their baby.

Dad was kind, gentle, quiet, loving, and wise. He didn’t say a lot and his words were chosen with intention, but when he did speak it was worth listening to. He will be greatly missed, every day.

Our family would like to express our sincere thank you to: The Victoria Hospital- Emergency Room staff – Dad was admitted twice in the last month and both times received prompt and efficient care, Level 6 staff on his first admission who cared for Dad and assisted us in taking him home, Level 5 staff who provided the most compassionate end of life care we could have asked for. Level 4 staff for supporting our family from the beginning. Thank you also to the Nursing Supervisors who somehow managed to find Dad a bed. Finally, thank you to our family and friends who have generously supported Mom and Dad through this journey, you know who you are.

At Dad’s request, there will be no funeral. We invite family and friends to join us in celebrating Dad’s life on July 24, 2022, for a come and go social from 2:00-4:00 at the East Hill Hall, 290 23 St. E., Prince Albert.

• Date : 2022-07-06
• Location : Prince Albert