FRANK and AGNES and FAMILY
Submitted by Cecilia Komadoski

Frank Reiniger came to Saskatchewan from Minnesota, U.S.A. in 1907. He took up a homestead five and one-half miles southwest of Carmelheim. He built and lived in a sod shack for the first while. One day he came home to find it had been destroyed by a prairie fire. After sowing his crop, he worked for other farmers. He experienced working with oxen. On several occasions he walked from Battleford to his monestead, a distance of about 60 miles. He also worked on the construction of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad, now known as the Candian National. He worked on the construction of Carmelheim church and St. Mary's rectory at Handel.

Around 1918 he built a house which is still standing at the old farm site. In 1918 he married Agnes Jarmin, who came to the Carmelheim area with her parents from the St. Cloud area of Minnesota, in 1906. She attended Medina school for a short while. She passed away April 25, 1950.

During the 1920's three children, Aloyses, Cecilia and Henry were born.

Aloyses took his first year of schooling at the then-new Notre Dame Convent in Leipzig. After completing grade X in Medina, he helped Dad farm. On different occasions, he helped neighboring farmers. In the 1940's farm excursions were available for western laborers to go to Ontario. Aloyses went two different summers for about two months, each time helping with haying and harvesting, in the Bellville area of Ontario. He found this an interesting experience. He loved nature and animals. He suffered from asthma for a number of years. It was while in a Saskatoon hospital for observation and treatment, that he suffered a massive heart attack and passed away on Nov. 24, 1960, at the age of fourty years and six months.

Henry completed grade X in Medina and grade XI in Handel school. One summer he took a six-week welding course in Edmonton. He also loved farming and was the mechanic of the family. After Aloyses' death, he continued farming until 1963, when he went to manage a 'Pacific 66' service station near Crossfield, Alta. In about 1970, after experiencing severe back troble, he left the service station work and moved to Calgary where he went into selling real estate. In June, 1971 he married Alma McCuene. In March, 1974, he contacted chiken pox upon which com;ications set in and he succumbed to double pneumonia on April 4, 1974, days short of his 45th birthday.

I Cecilia, completed grade X in Medina. After that I went working at St. Margaret's Hospital on 2nd Ave. E. in Biggar, Sask. and continued working at the time the move to the new building located on 7th Ave. W took place, in Dec., 1943. While there, I contacted a severe case of German measles along with five other girls working there. This left my lungs in a weakened condition. After recovering from this at home for a time, I worked for some years keeping house for priests. In 1969 I took up residence in Biggar and worked at the Diamond Lodge Senior Citizens' home. After some time I met John Komadoski, a widower and we were married in June, 1974. We reside at 303-4th Ave. W. in Biggar. I am involved with the activities of St. Gabriel's Parish C.W.L. and Biggar New Horizon's Association.

After Henry moved to Alberta, Dad made his principal home in Biggar. He was always interested in people and events. He enjoyed travelling. He passed away quite suddenly on January 21, 1979 at the age of 91 years and four months.





Last Updated: Tuesday, February 12, 2002