1940 – 2023
The family of Harvey Earl McLachlan, of Olds, Alberta, is deeply saddened to announce his passing on Thursday, September 21 after a brief hospital stay at 83 years of age.
He is survived by his current wife of 19 years, Margaret Willert, his children from his first marriage; daughters Marilyn McLachlan and Michele (Stu) Wheeler and son, Bryan (Connie) McLachlan, four grandchildren - Marla, Gabriel, Kyla and Joshua, his sisters Oma and Barbara, as well as many sisters and brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews. Marg’s children, Jane Milson (Joe Bass), Jim (Laura-Lee) Willert and Scott (Rhonda) Willert, her 10 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren will also miss Harvey.
He was pre-deceased by his parents, Frank and Dorothy McLachlan, special Auntie Edna and Uncle Ford Norman, brother Bill and his first wife of 37 years, Margaret (Pemberton).
Harvey was born in 1940 and raised in Fairview, Alberta. After being orphaned at age 6, he chose to live and be raised by his Uncle Ford and Auntie Edna along with cousins, Shirley, Lea and Garry. He attended the University of Alberta along with his brother, Bill, attaining a B. Sc in Agriculture in 1963. He began teaching at Fairview College shortly thereafter. Through his sister Oma, he met his first wife Margaret Pemberton, and they were married in April 1964. They settled in the Scotswood area to raise their family until 1988, when they moved to Olds where he continued to teach at Olds College, after 25 years teaching at Fairview College. Along with teaching, he farmed both grain and cattle. In the early 1970s, he (along with friends Lou Beaulieu, John Milne, Jim Henderson and George Webber) began importing purebred Gelbvieh cattle into Canada, including the first bull, “Canadian Pioneer”. That cattle lineage continues to this day.
Harvey enjoyed sports. He was active in sports throughout his lifetime, playing hockey with the Fairview Monarchs/Elks in the winter and baseball in the summer. After 30 years of teaching, he retired in 1994 and took up golf. He celebrated his only hole in one in a golf tournament, earning him a new Ford Mustang car, his first and only sportscar. He was an avid Edmonton Oiler and Elks (Eskimos) fan, enjoyed watching the Blue Jays, the Masters and, on a more personal level, his grandchildren’s judo and ringette events. The real sport he excelled at during retirement was meeting his buddies for coffee at the local A&W, sometimes twice a day!
Funeral services for Harvey will take place on Saturday, September 30th, 2023, at 1 pm at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 5026 – 52 Street, Olds, Alberta with a fellowship tea to follow.
If desired, donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Mountain View Food Bank Society (www.mountainviewfoodbank.com) in Olds or to a Royal Canadian Legion of your choice. Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed at www.heartlandfuneralservices.com
