Obituary of David Melvin Thulien

David Melvin Thulien was born Sept 30, 1930 to Otto and Hilda Thulien.  He was the youngest of 9 children including a sister Rose who died at 9 months and a baby brother who died at birth.

David was good natured and was such an agreeable child that his older sisters came to call him Buddy around home.  The name stuck and would soon become the name everyone knew him by.  Years later it was shortened to Bud, but the older generation continued to refer to him as Buddy.

Bud was a sturdy little boy who ran everywhere he went and despite the fact that his Mom and his teenage sisters spoiled him, he never lost his agreeable disposition.  

1930 began the decade of the devastating “Dirty Thirties” drought and the “Great Depression” both of which would mark a generation for life.  Small children still played and had fun but the atmosphere in the homes changed during the 1930’s.  These seasoned pioneers had experienced droughts and downturns before and their focus was to sustain their families until things improved.  National incomes had fallen to one half of five years earlier and prairie farm incomes to almost one quarter.

On September 10, 1934 Bud’s father Otto decided he had to move where there was rain.  Bud’s Mom Hilda would write, “In September we loaded as many belongings as we could into two boxcars….to a destination almost one hundred miles northeast of Edmonton in the Boyle area”.  It was in this northern area Otto had purchased a small farm with a rundown log house that needed attention before winter arrived.  The oldest Thulien daughter Ruth, now newly married, stayed behind to care for the Veteran farm with her new husband.

From the time Bud was four until he was seven, he adjusted to living in the unfamiliar northern bush country where there were new dangers to consider like bears, something a young boy at Veteran didn’t think about.  It was during these years that Bud began attending school.  Two neighbour families lived across the road from the small Thulien farm and Bud’s mother Hilda wrote that “we had many good friends there, though the land was poor and we made very little”.

Ruth’s husband was killed in the fall of 1937, an event that prompted the family to return to the Veteran farmstead.  Back at the Veteran farm, Bud attended Northlands School a little over a mile walk northwest across the pasture.  It seems Bud’s school year was interrupted by the return move to Veteran and he would repeat some of the grade he started before the move.  

The post office was a mile to the south of the family’s farm yard.  Often it was Bud’s task to run for the mail….and run he did, not needing to stop to catch his breath.  

His last year of school Bud attended Rae school which was a two and a half mile horseback ride northeast of home.  During the long winters there were periods during which weather interrupted school attendance and at times there were weeks school was missed.  Challenging circumstances meant grade seven was the final grade Bud was able to complete.

Late in 1946 when Bud was 16, he and his parents bought a half section northwest of Veteran with a well-built house.  Bud’s older brother Obed and wife Anne took over the south farm.

Up to this time Obed had been doing all the heavy work as Otto was now over sixty.  Bud’s life from this time on was mostly work and little pay.

Eventually Bud took over the northwest farm and cared for his parents until his Dad died in 1974 after which his Mom spent much of her time with Bud and his siblings.  Later Bud joined his brother Obed and his nephews Lee and Eldon to form 4 Thulien Ranch to combine the operation to raise cattle and farm together.  During the mid years of the 1970’s Bud also began working in the farm machine shop up the road at Coronation Farm Equipment where he was also a shareholder with his brother and nephews.

Bud’s most rewarding year came in the summer of 1982 when he married Audrey Winn.  It was an adjustment for both of them as Bud was now 52, and Audrey had been widowed not long before, but they came to be good support to each other which was a joy to family and friends.   Audrey’s family was mostly grown up except for two very rambunctious 16 year old twins; Scott and Keith.  Bud now had his own family who fully accepted him and made him a part of their life; the younger twins affectionately referring to him as Pops.  Bud and Audrey liked camping and traveling and had many good outings with family from both sides.  Bud and Audrey enjoyed many good years together until Audrey passed in 2013.

Bud was loved dearly by his many nieces and nephews who couldn’t resist being attracted to his kind, gentle nature.  Bud’s niece-in-law Kris Thulien said it best…..” everyone should have an Uncle Bud!”  And we were all blessed that we did!

The Thulien family want to say a very special thank you to all of Audrey’s family who showed much care and love to Bud particularly these last few years.  Much appreciation to Dennis and Irene Hopper and Scott and Gina Winn who were close by and visited Bud often after he was no longer able to get out.

Funeral Service

Veteran Full Gospel Church, Veteran, Alberta

Saturday, March 9, 2024 at 2:30 P.M.

Memorial donations may be made to the Veteran Full Gospel Church .