Obituary of Ernie Harach

Ernie Harach passed away suddenly on Saturday, August 28, 2021.

Ernie was deeply connected to farming, the prairies and Saskatchewan. The cycles of nature created a thread throughout his life where spring was a time of excitement, hope and new beginnings, and now as the crows gather and harvest begins, Ernie is in our hearts.  Vivid images come to mind accompanied by the sound of stubble crop against the car while taking supper to Dad in the field.  Dad would have the biggest smile as he stepped off the combine to be greeted with sealers of hot coffee wrapped in newspaper and a delicious meal.

The hardships and struggles of farming molded Ernie to become hardworking, determined and, of course, stubborn.  As a young boy growing up in Radisson, SK, he was already working like a man where he was expected to plant the crop to help support the Harach family.  Expectations were high to succeed, and this continued throughout his life as a farmer and, as he dedicated many years to the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Member Relations.  Ernie was passionate about farming and felt deeply the importance of farmers having a voice in this industry.

Ernie married the love of his life, Jean, in 1960. Through Jean, a new world opened for Ernie. Together they enjoyed university classes, music, and even poetry readings with his sister Marlene.  In later years, singing with Jean became part of their daily routine when words could not be spoken.

Ernie and Jean enjoyed living in many parts of Saskatchewan but were most fond of cottages that they owned at Anglin Lake and Echo Lake.  Ernie loved being connected to the Qu’Appelle Valley and the lakes of northern Saskatchewan.  Fishing was a passion which was always accompanied by elaborate shore lunches and hot dog roasts.

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting -
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
                        Wild Geese by Mary Oliver

We love you, Ernie, and you will be deeply missed by family and friends.

Ernie is survived by daughters Janet (Stewart) and Tamara (Michael); grandchildren, Hannah and Sam; and the extended Harach and Wainwright families.

A Celebration of Life for both Ernie and Jean Harach will be held on Friday, October 1, 2021 at St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral 1861 McIntyre St., Regina, SK at 11:00 a.m.