Frank Mark Kuchinka, age 101, a long time Macoun resident and farmer, peacefully passed away at his home, Hilltop Manor, Weyburn on Friday, November 25, 2011. Frank was born April 22, 1910 to his Czech parents, John and Anna, in Montgomery, Minn., USA. Almost 98 years ago Frank came with his family to the farm at Macoun, he was fascinated with the activities around him to establish a new farmstead: well drilling and building construction not to mention farming. 10 days after their arrival, the hotel in Macoun blew up and took everyone away to help. The family moved from their temporary home in a granary to a temporary home in a garage at a site one-half mile north where water was found. He remembered the steam engine coming and moving the thirty foot barn from the original site to the new location. In the fall, the new house was completed and the family moved into the house Frank was to occupy until the brick house was built in 1947. In the early days, ties were maintained with Minnesota and with the USA: Crosby, N.D. often serving as their trading center even though they crossed prairie to get there. Frank's life on the farmstead revolved around family: brother George (Cook), Jack, Barney and sister, Marcy. He expected Marcy to help operate his toy thresher with appropriate noises and proper straw stacking. Over time Barney becomes part guardian, looking out for younger brother, and friend, leading to a long term farming partnership. Speaking little English, Frank started school in Macoun and with the help of some of his pretty classmates and sympathetic teachers, he progressed. In those days farmers did not expect school to interfere with farming. Frank and several classmates showed up near the end of October to start grade seven, and the professor promised them, they would not pass and he was true to his word. Frank pled his case the next year and his charm worked. The professor was willing to help and Frank received extra tutoring when he got six weeks detention for smoking behind the barn. Frank got his Grade 8 diploma. Grade 9 required the payment of fees to write the final exams. Frank was advised to save his money. It was then he became a full time farmer. Frank loved steam engines, hated horses and threated his father that he would leave farming if they didn't get a gasoline tractor. The tractor arrived, and he continued his lifelong affair with the land. The great depression brought problems. No one had solutions, Jack moved away. Frank and his brothers became involved with co-ops and politics. He was an early supporter of the CCF and became proud of T.C. Douglas and was proud of any association he could establish with him. Frank noticed Mamie when taking her ticket at Cook and Barney's movie business at Macoun Town Hall. He soon took a greater notice at house parties and dances. Mamie, a school teacher, spent the summer at her parents in Halbrite and they burned up the CPR tracks with letters. Being on the Soo Line, it was possible to send a letter in the morning and have a reply that afternoon. It was not quite the speed of "You Got Mail" but quite unique for the time. It was the thirties. Money was scarce. Mamie did not receive the promised salary one year: nothing but room and board. Frank trucked stock to the Regina stockyards, but prices didn't always cover the freight and in bad winter driving it might be an eight hour trip one way. Frank and Mamie were married on October 23, 1935 by T.C. Douglas in Weyburn. They had a three day honeymoon in Regina then moved into a bedroom in Frank's mom and dad's house on the farm. The marriage lasted 62 years until Mamie passed away in 1997. When Ron was about to arrive, Frank's dad built a small house half a mile south and Frank, Mamie and Ron had the farmhouse all to themselves. Cary came along four years later. Frank bought his first new car, a 1948 Chevrolet. He rationalized that with depreciation and expected maintenance costs, he could afford the incremental costs of a new car every two or three years and he bought new cars in 1951, 1953, 1956, 1959 and this continued on for some time. Frank had a fascination for automobiles from the first time he saw one: a lifelong fascination. He took pleasure in Sunday drives to look at oil wells, construction sites, rivers flooding or just to check the crops. Frank loved automobiles. Frank always wanted something to do: from preschool when he built himself toy threshers with wood blocks and spools to the basement shop in Weyburn where he built creative toys with intricate movements and wooden steam engines he might have wished for as a boy, he always wanted a project. As a farmer he often had plenty of work, but there were many unique projects, sometimes with brother Barney, including stone pickers, snow blowers and swath turners. He built a closed-in plywood cab for his John Deere before anyone had seen one. Frank used a vehicle rear-end to make a wire winder that was used to spool all the barbed wire that had been strung across his farm in earlier days. SaskTel borrowed it to wind telephone lines when they put the lines underground. Frank always wanted a project. Frank drank coffee, black and strong, from morning until four o'clock. At least three fresh pots a day were made on the farm. At the end of the working day, Frank drank one beer before supper. From the farm he went to many movies in Estevan. He also read extensively until his eyes failed him. More than anything, Frank loved the company of family, friends and neighbours. Frank also loved to tell stories from the past and the latest jokes he had heard. Predeceased by many, Frank is survived by his family; in-laws, Marvin and Mary Larson (Outlook), Fern Adair (Watrous) and Peggy Larson (Victoria, BC); many nieces, nephews and their progeny and at least the descendants of his claimed forty cousins in Minnesota. A celebration of life was held at the Grace United Church, Weyburn with Reverend M. Barnabas officiating. The family would like to express their gratitude for your many kindnesses evidenced in thought and deed, and for your attendance at the funeral service. A special thank-you to the staff at Hill Top Manor for your care and dedication. In lieu of other tributes, donations in memory of Frank may be made to the CNIB or to a charity of donor's choice. Arrangements entrusted to Fletcher Funeral Chapels, Weyburn 306-842-5432. Condolences may be left at: www.fletcherfuneralchapel.com.
