Buelow, Walter Howard

Written by ECA Review

Singing with Wilf Carter, high moment in Buelow’s life

March 1918 –  Sept. 2014
Walter Howard Buelow was born March 25, 1918 in Mirror, AB, to Edward and Hilda Buelow.  A little brother to two year old sister, May, Walter had some health complications as an infant, spending his first few months in an Edmonton hospital.  With a farm to run, a two year old daughter and Walter in hospital, his parents contracted the Swine Flu.
Ed recovered, but Walter was eight months old when his 25 year old mother passed away.  Ed remarried later and Walter became a big brother to Victor, Bill and Edna.
Walter attended George School, which was three miles away and recalled seeing the prairie chickens dancing on a ridge on the way.  He told how, in the school barn, the boys would tie two horses together that didn’t get along.  When the squealing started the boys would have to leave class to straighten out the horse fight!
Walter grew up farming and helped with all the jobs that farming requires.  He learned them all and loved farming, especially with horses, which were a big part of his life.
He spent many hours behind five horses on a plow and it was here that he learned to yodel and sing.  He also taught himself to play the guitar and enjoyed using these talents throughout his life to entertain people.  In Bashaw, many years later, he was able to perform on stage with his idol, Wilf Carter.  This was a high moment in his life.
Walter bought the northwest quarter of the section he was born on, and lived and farmed there all of his life.
On November 21, 1940, Walter married Mary Stenerson from Bashaw.  They were married almost 74 years and had four sons, Wilf, Ted, Cliff and Wayne.  They made their way through many tough times as well, including the death of an infant son, Philip, and Mary getting Polio.  They both told repeatedly, that if it wasn’t for their faith in the Lord, they wouldn’t have made it through.  Their faith was very important to both of them.
Walter was known far and wide for his yodelling, singing and clean jokes.  He had a love for people and had friends in the USA, Germany and Switzerland, as well as his community, province and country.
He was also well known for his horses.  He raised Grulla Quarter Horses and his bloodlines are still prominent in Western Canada today.  He was one of the last in his area to give up farming with horses, and was still threshing with horses in the ‘70s.
Twenty years later, he started breeding Norwegian Fjords and once more used teams on the farm with his grandsons.  He was 87 when he used his old Massey Harris plow once again.  Using the teams brought back many memories that he was able to share about farming, his family and the horses they used.
Walter passed away September 23, 2014 in Lacombe, AB at the age of 96.  He was laid to rest on September 29, 2014 in the Mirror Cemetery.
He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends.  Walter is survived by his wife, Mary; sons Wilfred (Marlene), Ted (Linda), Clifford (Becky), and Wayne (Holly); grandchildren Kenneth (Donna), Kevin (Brenda), Karen (Warren), Terry (Glenda), Maryann (Rollin), Bob (Heather), Kelly (Christie), Leanne (Troy), Phillip (Laurie), Samantha (Allen), Jessica (Stuart); 24 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; sister May, brother Bill (Doris), and sister Edna (Jim).
He was predeceased by his parents Edward and Hilda, son Philip, daughter-in-law Louise, grandson Daniel, brother Victor, and step-mother Edith.

“I liked farming…if you like it, it ain’t hard work!”    – Walter Howard Beulow

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