Harold Bismark Einarson

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Harold Bismark Einarson. Harold was born on the family farm in the Tantallon district, November 21, 1929, and passed away peacefully January 14, 2022 at the Pasqua Hospital, Regina, Saskatchewan.

Harold lived in his family farmhouse for all 92 years of his life except the final 6 weeks. The farm was originally homesteaded by his maternal grandfather Hjalmer Erickson in 1900.

His early years were spent going to school in Tantallon and helping his parents on the mixed family farm, with his older brother Elmar, and older sister Viola. When he got to his teenage years, he joined his brother to help with the Ingie Olafson threshing gangs that were necessary to bring the crops in during the fall.

The trip to school was a 7-mile trek in a horse drawn wagon in the summer and closed in sleigh in winter. Card games were played during that extensive ride to pass the time.

Harold joined the Holar Baseball Team as an original member in 1946, that was the brainchild of Vilmar Magnusson and managed by Ingie Olafson. It started out as a team of local Icelandic boys in the area. Over its eleven successful years, there were many players from other areas that came to play on the team.

Harold continued to play baseball with the Spy Hill Combines after the Holar team disbanded. A highlight in his baseball days that he fondly remembered is when the great Satchel Paige was touring around with a team, after his professional career was over. They would challenge local teams to a match, including the Spy Hill team. Harold was proud of the fact that he got a base hit off Satchel Paige.

Baseball playing continued later with the Spy Hill Oldtimers baseball club. He was a member of the Tantallon Curling club and could be seen playing third for his good friend Oliver Olafson as well as Oscar Olafson. Harold was a solid defenseman for many years with the Tantallon Eagles. Many of those years as defensive partner with Oliver. If there was a game of horseshoes to be played, he would be ready to participate.

Harold remained on the farm after he graduated high school. His father, Bismark passed away in 1963 and Harold joined his mother in managing the farm until 1978 when she passed away. He farmed on his own until 2004 when he scaled back his operations. He continued living in his house until December 2021.

Harold contributed generously to his community. He was a member of the Agricultural Society that put the annual fair on each year. He was on the rink board and was a large part of the operation of the rink which was a central part of winter activity in Tantallon. He was a member of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool committee for 30 years, many of which were spent as Secretary. He was on the United Church Board and sang in the choir. When regular services ceased in Tantallon, he joined the choir in the Spy Hill United Church. He was a participant in the Tantallon Seniors Group activities whenever there was something going on.

Harold very much enjoyed playing guitar and was often willing to play his guitar and sing during church services. It was a major source of entertainment for him to practise and play at home.

In his later years he hardly ever missed a morning at the Co-op store. Often, when he came to the store, a game of cribbage would break out with various members of the community. His Tantallon friends were his family in every definition of the word. The community would check on Harold whenever he was not where he was expected to be. This is what families do.

Harold never married and had no children of his own. He did, however, have seven nieces and nephews that looked up to him and even though he might not have realized it, was a huge part of their development in growing up. He set a fitting example of how to be a gentle man and a genuinely nice and generous person.

He impacted Viola’s children in a unique way because they stayed with him and his parents for their early and formative years. He provided an incredibly good father figure whether he knew it or not.

Harold was predeceased by his parents, Bismark and Jennie Gudrun Einarson (nee Erickson), his brother Elmar, sister in-law Frances (nee Husnick), niece Karen Zeebeck, nephew in-law Gerald Ziegler, and grandniece Kendra Ziegler.

Harold is survived by his sister Viola Zeebeck, nieces Dale Ziegler and Debra (Kevin) Faul, nephews Brian (Linda) Zeebeck, Carmen (Pam) Einarson, Gary (Sherry) Einarson, Scott (Denise) Einarson, as well as twenty grand nieces and nephews and twenty-three great grand nieces and nephews.

A public memorial service will be held in the spring for community and family.