Leonard Pocock

Funeral Service

Saturday, March 21st

11:00 a.m.

Invermay Community Hall

Leonard Avery Pocock was the youngest son of Arnold and Rosina (Birch). He was born on May 4, 1916, in the Handsworth district of Saskatchewan. Leonard's childhood was adverse due to his mother passing away when he was 11. At this time extended family members were called upon to assist in raising Leonard and his siblings. During his childhood Leonard enjoyed fishing with his brother Jim, roaming the farm with his sister Hilda, and playing softball. He relocated to the Invermay area, along with his father and sister Hilda, in 1934. They settled on the S7-32-8. Leonard farmed with his father until 1939.
When harvest was finished in 1939, Leonard rode the boxcar from Invermay to Montreal in search of employment. He found a job at a research farm - wages were 25A� per hour and room and board was $1 per day.
When the cold winter weather set in, Leonard returned home in November 1939. In August 1940 after threshing was completed, he went to Calgary where he found employment with Bennett and White Contractors. When freeze-up came in 1940, work closed down.
Leonard then travelled to Toronto, where he enlisted with the Army as part of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. In September 1941 he was deployed overseas.
Leonard was part of the Dieppe Raid on August 19, 1942. Here he was taken prisoner of war. The prisoners were packed standing in boxcars at Vernul, France, and transported to Stalag VIIIB (Lamdsorf, Germany), arriving on September 1, 1942. In September Leonard's hands were tied and they remained tied until December 2, 1942, when they were chained and handcuffed until November 1943.
On March 1, 1944, he was sent to a farm work camp; but with the Allied lines approaching, the prisoners were set on a forced march from January 1945 until they were liberated by the American army on April 26, 1945. Leonard returned to Canada in July of 1945 and was discharged in September 1945.
These experiences had a large impact on his life.
In January 1946 Leonard, with the help of the V.L.A., purchased the WA½ of 28-32-8-W2 from the Thomas Condon family. The first winter was spent hunting coyotes, and in general getting used to civilian life again. When Leonard purchased the farm, the V.L.A. told him he would never be rich and he would never be unemployed. Leonard started farming with a 4A½-foot one-way and a little Cockshutt 70 tractor. He continued actively farming until the passing of his wife Etta in 2002. He actively farmed until 86 years of age. He continued to take an interest in farming till the day of his passing.
On December 25, 1946, Leonard married Etta Minhinnick. They celebrated 55+ years of marriage before Etta passed on January 26, 2002. To this union five children were born: Joyce, Carol, Darlene, Grant and Garnet.
Leonard was a cattleman to the day of his passing. He purchased his first four cows through the V.L.A. in April 1947. Although Leonard was known as a great cattleman, horses were his true passion. Leonard loved to hunt, trap and fish. He was also a hockey and baseball fan. He loved equine sports of any kind: rodeo, equestrian jumping and horse races. As a young man Leonard participated in the flat races at the local fair. Two of his favorite outings were the July 1st Rodeo and Sports Day in Sturgis and the Invermay Fair.
Leonard was predeceased by his parents; his loving wife Etta; sister Hilda; brother Jim; daughter Joyce; grandson Jeremey; son-in-law William; nephew Arnold; brothers-in-law, Victor, Ernie, Frank and Park; and sisters-in-law, Beatrice and Jean.
He is survived by his children, Carol (Bruce), Darlene, Grant (Brenda), Garnet; son-in-law Ken; grandchildren, Heather (Devin), Charlene (Marcel), Robert, Kevin (Michelle), Shaun (Crystal), Adrian (Amanda), Michelle (Jeremy), Clarke, Wendy (Noel), Kelly, Thomas and Brittany; great-grandchildren, Lauren, Stephen, Taylor, Megan, Ashley, Kaitlyn, Allanna, Darian, Brendan, Shane, Landon, Justin, Cadence, Madeline, Weston, Bronwyn, Ryland, Lennon; brother-in-law Chester (Kathy) Minhinnick; sisters-in-law, Eileen Knight and Margaret Knight; and numerous nieces and nephews.