When Harry and Jane met, it was love at first sight. Even though Jane could not speak a word of English and Harry a word of French, they managed to communicate and the relationship flourished. They were married at Aldina on May 27, 1914. For 35 years they raised cattle, pigs, chickens, ducks and wild geese on their homestead.
Harry and Jane had nine children:
William H. (born May 22, 1915);
Henry (born October 10, 1916);
Lawrence (born September 20, 1918);
Fred (born December 10, 1920);
Rene (born December 10, 1921);
Raymond (born March 4, 1925);
Myrtle (born May 30, 1927);
Lillian (born November 4, 1933);
Rose (born January 10, 1935).
There was always something exciting going on at the Diehl home – many happy memories stem from that little farmhouse on the hill. Holidays, birthdays and anniversaries were always celebrated with great fun and when the children displayed their musical talents, the parties really came alive with singing and dancing.
The Diehl boys were known to create some excitement (trouble)! It was a great day indeed when their Dad came home with his Ford Model T (in approximately 1925). Whenever Harry was away, the boys would push it down the hill to get it started, then have a grand old time driving it around – until they got caught that is!
They also loved to play tricks on the neighbour boys and vice versa. One example is when two young men from a nearby farm thought they would try to steal the Diehl’s jack-o-lantern perched on the gate-post. At the same time the Diehl boys thought that they would have a target practice and try to shoot out the flame from the candle in the pumpkin! Luckily, there were no fatalities, but those neighbor boys never forgot that Hallowe’en scare!
In 1949, Harry and Jane moved to the village of Marcelin. Harry continued to hunt, trap and fish until about his 90th year. Some of the highlights of their lives were their 40th, 50th and 60th wedding anniversary in 1954, 1964 and 1974. These were all great celebrations, and their children were very proud of this remarkable couple who looked so happy and youthful in spite of their years.
Indeed, Harry and Jane were two very special people and were loved by many. They were a fun couple – it was delightful just watching them, especially how they would fuss over each other. Even when they had a slight disagreement, it was amusing, as Harry just couldn’t be serious for very long. Our hearts were touched by their good nature – they always made you feel so at home whenever you stopped to visit. They loved company and Jane could somehow create a meal from nothing if an army just happened to drop by. Card playing would often last until the wee hours of the morning, and somehow Harry always managed to come out ahead. It was not easy to beat that man in cards, especially in “Dueces Wild.” And if you still hadn’t had enough, he’d show you all of his card tricks!
Many days and evenings were filled with laughter in Harry and Jane`s home. Harry was one of the greatest story-tellers, delighting young and old with his tales and jokes. Even when you might have heard the same joke ten times before, it was still funny just because of the way he could tell it and how he would laugh at it again himself!
Jane and Harry tried city life one winter in Saskatoon, but returned in the spring to their little house in Marcelin. Harry sadly missed his companion of 63 years when Jane passed away on June 26, 1977 at the age of eighty. He continued to live in Marcelin for a few years, then moved to the Oliver lodge in Saskatoon.
Harry was a proud man when he went to school for the first time in his life at age 92 during “Education Week” and spoke to the children about “The Good Ol’ Days.” He was also pictured on television and made quite an impression on all.
Even just a few days before he died, his sense of humour remained. One morning in the hospital when his daughter Myrtle and his daughter-in-law Florence were with him, he decided that he would have some scrambled eggs for breakfast. They tasted so good, he asked the nurse for more. She brought him another serving, which he ate, but he still wanted more. Well, there was no way that they were going to give him any more. Myrtle said, “Sorry Dad, but you just can’t have any more eggs, what do you want us to do?” He replied, “Go catch a hen!”
Harry died on April 7, 1987 at the age of 94 and is buried alongside Jane at the Marcelin Cemetery.