Person Page - 1965

MRS. ORILLA FORSYTH
ASQUITH.--The funeral service of Mrs. Orilla Forsyth, 74, and pioneer of the Eagle Creek district, was held on Tuesday afternoon in the St. George's Anglican Church, Asquith. Rev. T. W. Kirkbride of the Biggar Anglican church, an old friend of the Forsyth family, officiated. Interment was made in the family plot at the Langham cemetery where she was laid to rest beside her husband who predeceased her 14 years ago. The pallbearers were Messrs. H. J. deWinton, A. T. Calder, George McCoy, J. F. MacSorley, F. E. Woodside and William Sweet. Floral tributes and a large cortege of cars testified to the esteem in which the deceased was held. Born at Pickering Township, Ontario, in 1859, Mrs. Forsyth was before her marriage Orilla Winnacott. In 1878 she became the bride of W. J. Forsyth and in 1896 the family came out west to Boissevain, Man. They moved in 1902 to what is now known as the Eagle Creek district northwest of Asquith where they were among the first settlers, and their home was one of the few on the old Battleford trail. The tradition of its hospitality is well known to old timers who traveled in the early days between Saskatoon and Battleford. Later the family resided for ten years at Langham where Mr. Forsyth was postmaster and following his death Mrs. Forsyth lived at Arlee and latterly with her son, Ben, of Asquith, at whose home her death occurred. She leaves four sons, Andrew F. of Saskatoon, Alfred E. of Sonningdale, William J. of Arelee and B. N. of Asquith; one daughter predeceased her several years ago. A brother, Richard Winnacott of Oshawa, Ont, also survives her.¹