Neil Strachan 2009

Forty Years – How time flies! As requested I am submitting a quick summary of what I have been up to over the years.

After graduation from Agriculture, I enrolled in a summer session in the Faculty of Education thus beginning my career as a teacher. I started out in Wawanesa, Mb. and the following year I returned to my hometown of Carman, Mb where I taught for 35 years at Carman Collegiate teaching Biology and History. I also taught an Agriculture course offered for a few years! In August of 1969 I married Dorothy (Kirkpatrick). She too taught in Carman for many years as a kindergarten teacher. We are both retired now but continue to substitute teach.

Throughout my teaching career I enjoyed coaching and coached Girl’s Fastball at Carman Collegiate. In1977 I had the privilege of coaching the Manitoba JR. Girl’s Fastball Team at the Canada Summer Games in St. Johns Nfld.
Coaching the High School Hockey Team at Carman Collegiate for many years as well as coaching our sons in the Carman Minor Hockey system was something I enjoyed.
In 1999 I was awarded the Manitoba High Schools Coach of The Year Award for Manitoba High School Hockey.

Other community involvements include being a 4-H Leader for many years with the Graysville Light Horse Club, an interest that all three of our children pursued. I was also President of the Dufferin Agricultural Society for a two-year term. Presently I am Chair of The Carman Community Pathway Committee responsible for maintaining and building our beautiful walking path through the town of Carman.
In 1973, Dorothy and I built our home on the farm site where my grandfather Strachan lived. This land lies just outside the Town of Carman and it was here that we started a U-Pick Strawberry operation for 11 years. Although we continue to live on this property we no longer operate the strawberry farm. Instead, I enjoy gardening and each spring look forward to planting many vegetables and picking fruit from the apple trees we have grown...

Dorothy and I were blessed with 3 children all with whom we share a special bond. Our eldest, Brady an Agriculture Grad of 1997, spent 10 years traveling the world and teaching English. It was during this time that we visited him in Prague. After spending 4 ½ years in The Czech Republic he returned briefly to Canada and then was off to Japan to teach. Here he met his wife, Yuki. They have returned to Canada and are presently residing in Vancouver where Brady is pursuing a career in broadcasting. So it was Brady who introduced us to the love of travel.
Next came a daughter, Shaelyn who married Casey Jones and now resides in Ottawa. Shaelyn completed her PhD at the University of Waterloo, a post doc at the University of Saskatchewan and then took on a position as a professor in the Human Kinetics Department at the University of Ottawa. On March 6th of this year their daughter Bryn was born. So Shaelyn and Casey have made us proud Grandparents of our 1st grand child!

Our youngest son, Morgan is a pilot in the Canadian Air Force and is presently stationed in Moose Jaw, Sask. Morgan also started out with a Degree in Agriculture (2002) and after working for CIBC for a few years became interested in flying and pursued this dream to where he is today. Morgan loves adventure and we enjoy following his career wherever it leads him.
Since retiring, Dorothy and I have enjoyed traveling and have visited Japan, Hawaii, Ireland, Southern France, and China. We have also visited Vancouver and Ottawa where our children are living and last fall fulfilled a long time desire to visit the East Coast.
In the summer I play slow pitch softball and during the past two winters have curled. Up until two years ago I played recreational hockey. I became interested in running later in my life, inspired by my daughter Shaelyn who has run the Boston Marathon twice. I have completed 5 half marathons in the last few years. I continue to run when my body will allow me.

I am looking forward to seeing as many as I can at the up coming Aggie reunion and to read all about your lives in the last 40 years.