Edward (Ted) Alford Lander

Edward (Ted) Alford Lander

June 8, 1935 – December 12, 2023

     Ted passed away at the Sundre Alberta Hospital.  He was born at Oakville, MB on the farm just north of school to Vern Lander and Alice (Nelson), the second son and third child of eight.   His middle name was after Dr. Alford, who delivered most of us. 

     Ted always did well in school; was as tough as nails, workaholic and always a good provider.  He butchered with Frank after Dad died and even made his own headcheese.  He dug the hole for a new house on the farm with horses and a scraper, and helped build the house in the early 50’s.

     Ted joined the army in the PPCLI in the early 50’s, but his training was interrupted when Uncle Cecil Nelson broke a leg and Ted came home to do Cecil’s chores at Rossendale.

     Ted was pleased to be on Honour Guard for Prince Philip and some royals from the Netherlands while he was stationed in Germany.  While on leave in England, Ted met and married Jean Crabtree of Southampton. 

     On their return to Canada, Ted worked at Angle, Maple Leaf Construction, Swift Current, SK, and finished up as manager of the laundry at MDC while living at the Peony Farm.  Ted also farmed at Edwin, living on the Hood Road, and briefly at Austin and Gainsborough.  While at Edwin, he saved Clifford from a near drowning in the pond in the early 60’s.

     Ted, Jean and boys provided a safe home for his brother Kerry for several years and five years for Sandra.  Ted was briefly married to Doris Dick in the early 70’s.  He left MB in 1976 to homestead at Rocky Mountain House, AB with Kerry.  When that partnership failed, Denise Wales stepped in as a partner in life and farming.  They later moved to Caroline for a longer growing season. 

     Ted drove Sandra to Prince George, BC, so they could split wood to keep Kerry warm as he was dying.  Ted enjoyed hunting, fishing, doing crosswords, reading Westerns, and visiting family and friends.  Through the years he survived several farm accidents and strokes, bowel cancer and battled esophageal cancer all summer and fall.  Ted had just recently sold off his share of the cattle herd. 

     He is survived by sons; Clifford of Sunnyvale, CA, Rodney and Magda and family of Osgoode, ON, Rod’s daughter Carrie-Anne Lander and her daughter Carlyrai, Phillip and Jill and daughters Amanda and Jenna, all of Portage.   All four sisters; Doreen Hart & family; Cindy White & family, Marilyn McKenzie, David & Nicole Hart & family, Bruce Hart and Patti Hart all of Portage la Prairie.  Verna Collins of Battleford, SK and her family across Canada, Shirley Galbraith of Prince Albert, SK and her family, Sandra & Fred Tait of Rossendale and their sons; Garry of Brandon and Ethelbert and his children and Chris Tait of Dauphin. 

     Also survived by sister-in-law Fern in AB, and her daughter Joan of SK, along with former sisters-in-law; Theresa Thiele of Portage and her children Todd of AB and Kendra Toews of Killarney and her daughter Shayla of BC, and Penny Dell of Milk River, AB, Shane, Shauna and Kevin and Kerry’s second family of Ryan and Kurtis of BC, many nieces, nephews and cousins across Canada.

     Ted is survived by Denise Wales of Caroline, AB, her brother Don & Rita of Red Deer, her niece Elona & Quentin Evans, sons of Caroline and 3 nephews, predeceased by Donna & Slim of Rocky Mountain House and Helen Wales of Caroline.

     Ted was predeceased by grandparents, parents Vern in 1949, Alice Corkener in 1985, infant son Stephen in 1957, youngest brother Kerry in 2001, younger brother Keith in 2011, and old brother Frank in 2021, and nephews Brian (Verna’s), Vernon (Shirley’s) and niece Louise Moren (Frank’s) in 2023, first wife Jean and second wife Doris, and all 8 beloved Nelson aunts and uncles and their spouses, brothers-in-law;  Jim Hart, Jim Harvie and Art Collins.

     Thanks to Bob and Germaine Roper for their visits and doing laundry and to Verna for all her work, visits and driving.  Also thanks to all staff at Sundre Hospital (Dr’s, nurses, cooks and cleaners) for their excellent care.

     Ted’s ashes are to be buried in the family plot at Oakville Cemetery in summer.

Messages of condolences can  be made online at www.omegafuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Edward (Ted) Alford Lander, please visit our floral store.