Obituary of Evelyn Dorothy Leighton

EVELYN DOROTHY (BECKMAN) BULLOCK LEIGTON 1925-2015 A lot of you know her as Evelyn. A lot of you know her as Pitt or Aunty Pitt. Some of you know her as Mom, Grandma, or Great Grandma, but we were all lucky to know her as a loving and caring person. My name is Lynn Oscroft. Pitt was my aunt and god-mother - which I was always very proud of - and a special part of my life too. And like Diane, Charlotte and Kathy and the others - who prepared much of this information - when I think of Aunty Pitt in an overall way, I think of music, laughter and family, her love of children; her interest in people; her sociability. Evelyn was born February 17, 1925 and grew up during the Dirty Thirties in the small community of Czar, AB -- where cowboys reign. Her early years were filled with the busy activities of a close family of her Mom and Dad, six sisters and one brother. My mom recalls that one of the jobs she and Auntie Pitt had as young children was keeping watch on the lambs - which they did from a treehouse in the pasture - and involved more playing with paper dolls than actually watching the lambs, much to the delight of the odd predator. Auntie Pitt later worked at a wide variety of jobs – from pumping gas, to telephone operator, cooking for farm or road crews, as a home care aide, for the Lloydminster Booster. And, through all the years, she always babysat kids. Music always played an important part in her life. She loved to sing - by herself, in groups and choirs. One of my favourite memories is Auntie Pitt and my dad at either the Bullock house at Czar corner or our house in Red Deer, both filled to gills with whichever of the extended family happened to be around: Herbie, she'd say - play Have I told you Lately that I Love You, or Little Green Valley, or Hey Hey Good Lookin' or any number of the old Hank Williams tunes - and the music would start, harmonies, instruments and all, and go to the wee hours of the morning. Aunt Pitt always talked about the fun of getting together with her sisters and cousins to sing. In later years, many an evening was spent “jamming” with the family and friends – even down to the person who played the spoons. Everybody had to participate. I think that's why most of the off-spring and off-spring in-laws and associates have a fondness for old time music. She was an instigator of sing-alongs, always ready for fun times. She could - and did - make a picnic in the pasture of a homemade green cake and with pink icing a lasting memory. This was when they lived at Pa Bullock's old place on the ranch - so it's a VERY OLD AND LASTING memory - and a very tasteful one! She married Rod Bullock in 1946 and they had five kids – Harry, Diane, Sandra, Charlotte and Kathy. Summers were spent attending stampedes at Wainwright, Ponoka, Red Deer, Cadogan and Calgary. Especially exciting was the time she and Aunty Ev cooked pancakes out of the back of the chuck-wagon on the streets of Calgary at the Stampede. After Rod’s sudden death in 1960, she married Arthur Leighton in 1961 and moved to Kitscoty. Evelyn and Art had one more son, Hugh, and adopted anther son, Steven. She was always active in the church, both in Czar and then in Kitscoty. She led Sunday school, sang in the choir, and led the Explorer’s group. She was a busy Mom who supported her kids in their many endeavors. Once the kids were in school, she and Art fostered several children and then she spent a few years as a home care aid. Once the kids were grown, she once again, went back to her babysitting career. Her true calling was kids. Her family once listed all the kids she’d cared for over the years and came up with an astonishing number that topped 100. As adults, whenever her own birth kids would call home they would be regaled with tales of whatever “her” other kids had been up to. She thoroughly enjoyed those years and all those kids. And we have to mention about how lucky Aunt Pitt always was. She won many MANY contests through her life, probably as a result of all those four-leaf clovers that she’d picked and pressed throughout the years. The day before she went into hospital, she scratched three birthday tickets and won $25! Her very good friend Jeanette would meet her at the mall and they’d have a coffee and scratch tickets. They’d laugh and swop stories and people watch. What fun they had! She and Art shared several travel adventures which resulted in scores of photo albums, scrap books and stories. Early summers were spent camping with the kids at Wizard Lake and throughout Alberta and to BC to visit Sandra and Ernie in Terrace. Some of their more significant trips were to Scotland in 1975, a cruise through the Panama Canal after Arthur retired in 1993, a bus tour to Deadwood, North Dakota in 1995, and another bus trip to Nashville in 1999. In 2005 they were accepted into the Choice day program for Seniors in Edmonton. They very much enjoyed their time at Choice right up to shortly before their deaths. In 2003, Evelyn and Art moved to Edmonton Then they were very excited to be invited back to Kitscoty to be the honorary Parade Marshalls for the Kitscoty Fair parade in August of 2003. That was such an honour for them. They enjoyed every moment. Thank you, Kitscoty! They made many new friends in their condo complex and spent most Friday evenings (well, until 7:00 anyway) with their kids in the “pub” at the Allen Gray – conveniently located a short walk through the pedway from their condo. Despite some health challenges, with the help of some very special home care aides, Evelyn was able to stay in the condo after Art’s passing in 2009. She enjoyed the monthly pot luck suppers, Bingo, scooting to the mall about three times a week, and weekly Sunday night suppers with Hugh. She eventually moved into the Lodge at the Allen Gray in 2011. The family especially thanks Jamie, Arsenia and Punam for their care and support for their mom. More health issues eventually led to a move upstairs to the Allen Gray Continuing Care facility where she settled in quite easily. She felt very lucky to be able to stay basically in the same place, still able to have Sunday night dinners with Hugh in the cafeteria, and go to church in the chapel on Sundays. When the kids met with the care team in February, the staff called her the social butterfly of the place because she was always up for whatever outing or activity was planned. She enjoyed visiting with many of her friends who were still in the condo, or had also moved from the condo to the lodge. She celebrated her 90th birthday with her family in the pub for a special dinner. So today, we pay tribute to a life well lived. Evelyn has joined those who have gone before – notably husbands, Rod and Art, and children, Sandra and Steven. She loved a lot, and was loved a lot. She was so proud of her kids, grandkids and great-grandchildren. She was lucky to share her life with two amazing, caring husbands who were the best of friends. And she was lucky to call many of you “friend”. And so – Mom, Grandma, Great-Grandma, Sister, Aunt, friend. We all feel blessed to have had you in our lives. But keep in mind the words of one of her favourite songs: Someday when we meet up yonder We'll stroll hand in hand again. Until then, we know she'll be keeping a watch over us all. May she rest in peace.