Everyone at Cowsmopolitan wishes to pass on our most sincere sympathies and condolences to the family and friends of former Holstein Canada National Director Martin Carrico, of Alberta, who passed away December 20th.
CARRICO, Martin Roy
August 11, 1925 – Carstairs, Alberta
December 20, 2016 – Calgary, Alberta
Martin passed away peacefully in his sleep at Chinook Care Centre on December 20, 2016 at the age of 91, following a month in hospital with lung issues.
Martin was born on August 11, 1925 in Didsbury, AB and grew up happily on his parent’s farm in Carstairs. He always loved sports and won a school running medal and was a goalie for the All Stars team which won the Rosebud League hockey champs. He liked to help his father on the milk delivery route with the horse “Old Dan” pulling them. In grade 10, he was elected school President. When he was thirteen, his beloved mother passed away suddenly at age 54. As the youngest of six children, this changed his life, and after grade 12 he joined his sister Luvena and her husband Les in MB to learn and work with their dairy herd. He soon worked at the Trappist Monastery, where he was in charge of 350 purebred cattle, one of the top herds in MB. As President of the Saint Norbert Calf Club, he was selected to represent Manitoba in national dairy cattle judging in TO and came in 2nd place. Two years later, at nineteen, he was one of three Holstein judges in Manitoba and one of the youngest in Canada. He also took the Auctioneer course in Indiana. He was a pioneer of the single unit per man milking system, which was used by top herds, milking at 3 and 11 a.m. and 7 pm, a daily routine for the next 7 years. He married Lucille Benjamin in June of 1948. In 1949, he became the 1st AI (artificial insemination) technician in MB, driving about 180 miles a day, promoting AI to skeptical farmers. Three years and 2 children later, his twelve years in St. Norbert ended, when Rockwood Holsteins dissolved. At 28, he took his young family to Grand Forks, ND to be a herd manager. Two years later he managed a large dairy farm in Hallock, MN for Earl Glidden, who became a lifelong friend. Five years later, he brought a select herd, which by now he half owned, to Winnipeg and was awarded Premier Exhibitor at the Red River Ex. He then often judged at State Shows. When Earl sold the herd, Martin moved to Thief River Falls, to be the Northern Minnesota area Manager for Dale Carnegie courses. He had shown a talent for public speaking while a Carnegie graduate assistant in Hallock. A year later, he was invited to become an instructor. Due to a severe asthma attack he was unable to pursue it and took asthma medication the rest of his life. In 1963, a Vet from Selkirk, MB offered him a sales manager position overseeing 35 AI technicians in 3 provinces. Martin sold his herd and bought his first house in Selkirk when his children were 12 and 14. (He lived there until Lucille passed away 42 yrs later.) In 1967 at 41, he founded Elite Dairy Breeders and started Herd Management Services, a new dairy service program, which grew to over 100 client’s herds and 2 staff. He spent the next 26 yrs. doing the worked he loved and earned the respect of his peers, until his retirement at 67. He spent much of his time on farm service calls. He also judged dairy shows and represented Manitoba on the sire selection committee with the Department of Agriculture. A career highlight was having 80 cattle in the Wpg. Convention Center on the 100th Anniversary of the MB Dairy Association, followed by an evening of him auctioning top cattle. He was elected to Manitoba National Director to Holstein Canada in 1981. He was best known for upgrading grade status herds, to top end purebred status and to international status. Near his retirement, he received awards from the Department of Agriculture, Manitoba Holstein Association, Holstein Canada (Honorary Judge) for 46 years of service, and the Agriculture Business Award. He was “roasted” at appreciation night at the Manitoba Holstein Convention. During retirement he continued to enjoy his flowers, music, records, singing, curling and barbecues around the pool with family, friends and past clients. He continued to be involved in the 4-H Club, Knights of Columbus and had season’s tickets for hockey and football. He and Lucille spent 9 winters at their condo in S. Texas. They travelled to Hawaii, Jamaica, Florida, California, New Orleans, Mexico, Australia and Fiji. They made 3 trips to New Zealand to visit Norma and her family. When Lucille, his wife of 56 years passed away in 2004, he moved to Calgary, near his children. He lived in Hays Farms Apt for 9 years, the same location where he often stayed on his aunts and uncles farm in his youth. He then lived at Trinity Lodge in independent living for 3 years, until his health changed in October, 2016. The family wishes to thank the staff at Trinity Lodge and Dr. Nitchke for their kindness and care.
Martin will be missed by his children, Brian (Luce) of Innisfail, and their children, Theresa (Murray) Mulrooney, Jeanette (Kevin) Manser and Reid; Norma (Jeff) Mitchell of Calgary and their daughters, Emma (Evan) Barlow, Jessica (Cameron) Campbell and Sarah (Dan) and 7 great-grandchildren Todd, Gabriel, Olivia, Aden, Andrew, Hayden and Hudson and niece, Susan and her husband John Duckett as well as numerous extended family including cousin Gordon Hays. Martin was predeceased by his wife, Lucille his parents Nell (nee Hays) and Wes, two brothers Melvin and Bernard and three sisters Luvena (Millington), Irene (Alger) and Lillian.
Cremation has taken place. Relatives and friends are invited to Prayers and Eulogy at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY (Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive S.W. Calgary, AB) on Sunday, January 8, 2017 at 7:00 p.m.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Gerard’s Catholic Church (8944 Elbow Drive S.W.) on Monday, January 9, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. followed by Tributes in the Church Hall. Condolences may be forwarded through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. In lieu of flowers, in Martins memory, donations may be made directly to Covenant House, ph: 604-638-4438, Leprosy Relief or the Lung Assoc.
In living memory of Martin Carrico, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Park Memorial, 5008 ELBOW DRIVE S.W. Calgary, AB, T2S 2L5, Telephone: 1-800-661-1599