George "Tony" Anthony Halyung

George Anthony (Tony) Halyung passed away Thursday, February 27, 2020 at 88 years of age. A dear brother of Peter, Joe (Evelyn), and predeceased by brother John (Shirley), and sister Ethel. Uncle Tony will be sadly missed by Paul, Eileen (Rob), Warren (Carol), Faith (Dwayne), and Josh.  Great-Uncle Tony will also be fondly remembered by Fawn, Wyatt, and Ryder. Tony loved his family deeply.

Tony was born on April 1, 1931 on the family farm at Arena, SK. to parents John and Mary (Liptak) Halyung.  Being born during the Great Depression and then followed by World War II, this era shaped his life and made him, like so many others of his generation, resilient, resourceful, with an ingrained ability to make do. All qualities which would serve him well throughout his life.

He grew up on the family farm which instilled in him a passion for farming and caring for livestock. It was just natural for him, as a young man, to purchase his own farm also at Arena, SK.  He would often comment how standing in his farmyard, looking out across the expanse of prairie, and seeing the Bear Paw Mountains, the Cherry Ridge, and the Old Man On His Back never got old. This 360 view from his farmyard would forever be Tony’s definition of “Home”, even after having to move into Maple Creek in 2012, and then on to Medicine Hat in 2015 due to declining health. While on the farm he could always be found wearing a blue denim shirt, jeans, and on a cool day a denim jacket with a fleece collar. He was proud of being a Saskatchewan farmer.

The old adage that “Still water runs deep. There is more than meets the eye.” truly applied to Tony.  The quiet rural Saskatchewan farmer had a strong wanderlust for travel and a strong desire to see what else the world had to offer. As a result, thanks to Wardair Canada, Tony became a jet-setter, from the mid- 1960’s through mid-1970’s. Flying to various destinations in; Mexico, England, Scotland, Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark. He also made numerous road trips within Canada and USA, most notable; to Expo 1967 in Montreal, and then a trip down the coastlines of Washington, Oregon, California and into Mexico. The San Diego Zoo left him with a lifelong appreciation and awe for the vast diversity of the animals of the world.  

Tony had a love of music and especially enjoyed dancing. In his younger years, it was nothing for him to jump in his car and drive two or three hours just to attend a dance. Even in his later years, when he was no longer able to dance, his feet would still start tapping to the beat whenever he heard a good old dance tune. He used to play the accordion for his own personal enjoyment and for small groups of friends.

Tony was a kind and gentle man, with a caring soul and big heart. He had an infectious smile and twinkle in his eyes that made his whole face light up, and when he laughed it was deep and effortless. He very much enjoyed visiting with friends and truly heard what others had to say.   

He very much enjoyed reading, until his diminished eyesight no longer allowed him to do so. He always had subscriptions to various magazines, the Western Producer, and all of the local newspapers. He would read these newspapers from front to back and then to the front again.  

Tony had a strong faith in God. His Bible was well read with many notations. He devotedly said prayers of gratitude, and requests for blessings unto others. “Give thanks to God – He is good and His love never quits.” – 1 Chronicles 16:34

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