1937 – 2023
Mr. Robert Pollock ‘Roy’ Graham of Red Deer County, Alberta passed away at home on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at the age of 85 years, just shy of his birthday.
Roy was born on July 12, 1937 to Alexander and Annie Graham and raised in Griggy, Monaghan, Ireland. He was the fifth child in a family of seven; he had five brothers and one sister. For a few years, Roy lived with his grandmother Jeannie Pollock and later on around the age of ten, he went to live with his aunt Kathleen and her husband William in Belfast, Ireland where Roy attended the Strandtown School. Upon leaving school in Belfast, he returned to the family farm at Griggy.
He was around fourteen when he left school to work in ‘Crawfords of the Diamond’, a hardware shop in Monaghan town, until he was twenty-seven and decided to follow his brother, Dr. Kenneth Graham, to Canada. Roy’s first job was at ‘Parsonage & Holmes’, he always said it was tough work. Later on, Roy met Estella Lewis and they dated for five years, they were married on November 30, 1973. Roy and Estella expanded their farm considerably and started a feedlot.
Roy was proud to raise funds with his good friend, Art Marshall, for the Cattle Round-Up, raising funds for Senior’s Care. He was presented with the Trail Boss honor and bronze and was a top raffle ticket seller for several years following on the heels of event founder, Tom Towers, and fellow cattle feeder, Art Marshall, as well as bidding on cattle for various people and businesses to raise funds for the Red Deer Hospital. Roy and Estella also received an award for ‘Farm Family of the Year’.
Roy will be lovingly remembered by his sister, Dorothy (Wesley), his stepdaughter, Diane Lewis, his son-in-law, Jim (Eileen) Laverick, his daughter-in-law, Barb Lewis, and his sisters-in-law, Ruth Graham, Isobel Graham, Joyce Graham, and Elizabeth Robinson. He will also be deeply missed by his step grandchildren and numerous special nephews and nieces.
Roy was predeceased by his wife, Estella, his brothers, Bertie (Ruth), Dr. Ken Graham (Phyllis), Sam, Eddie, and Maurice, a brother-in-law, Edgar Robinson, and his stepchildren, Darlene Laverick, Bill, Steven, and Kevin Lewis.
A Funeral Service will be held at the Innisfail United Church, 4720 – 48 Avenue, Innisfail, Alberta on Friday, June 30, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. If desired, Memorial Donations in Roy’s honor may be made to the Central Alberta Cancer Centre, 3942 – 50A Avenue, Red Deer, Alberta, T4N 6R2. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed at www.heartlandfuneralservices.com. Arrangements in care of: Heartland Funeral Services Ltd., 4415 – 49 Street, Innisfail, Alberta. Phone: 403.227.0006
