if attachments work, please accept this obituary, but if not, well, go = suck face... (and thank you so much for your emails) shane Eldon M., Q.C., beloved husband of Erva L. , after suffering congestive heart failure. He is missed by his daughter Elda, her husband Ray Rodger, his son Shane, and his sister Sybil (Conley). He was predeceased by his parents Frank and Gertrude from near Rosetown, Sask., where Eldon was born on April 12, 1916. Eldon was raised on a prairie farm, attending a one room schoolhouse and he completed his matriculation by correspondence. He had worked to afford his education in agricultural and construction jobs, such as the air training base in Moose Jaw. After a Saskatoon Normal School diploma, he taught school, especially Dublin School, near Zealandia. Eldon won a Leonard Foundation Scholarship to the University of Saskatchewan, graduating in arts and law in 1942. Then he married Erva L. , from Eatonia. They went to Regina, where he articled for the Hon. Frank Bastedo. After being called to the bar, he practised law in Melfort and Tisdale until moving to Calgary in 1952. In Calgary Eldon founded his own law firm, eventually known as _________. It later included Brian Phillips, son of the senator from Ottawa. Eldon had many cases establishing precedent, and reported in law reports and journals . He had argued cases in the Supreme Court of Canada. Some cases were fought alongside the Rt. Hon. John G. Diefenbaker. Eldon was first elected to parliament in 1958, representing the people of Bow River. In 1962, he was appointed Queen's Counsel. By 1968, he represented Calgary North. He won eight consecutive elections and served in parliament for 22 years, serving prominently on the front bench of the House of Commons as Conservative justice spokesman, and then as Chairman of the Standing Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs. He was well recognized across the country as a guest speaker, often speaking out for victims of crime. He often realized the tremendous help of his wife Erva in attaining his electoral and professional achievements. He attended many international conferences and was a lecturer at the International Conference on Peace Through Law, in Belgrade. He produced many private members bills to assist the disadvantaged, voted to increase minimum wages, and soften penalties against personal marijuana users. All during his career in politics, he brought pressure to bear on successive justice ministers in his desire to see a safer country against hardened criminals and terrorists. He worked diligently on behalf of individual constituents, farmers, and those who suffered injustices. Eldon was President of the national Junior Chamber of Commerce, President of the Board of Trade, Vice-President of the Jaycees and a Shriner. He was a member of the Calgary Country Club, the Calgary Petroleum Club, and the Albany Club in Toronto. He liked to golf and fish, and frequently returned to his prairie farm roots to ride horses or help with the farming. He was always known by his friends and advisors as a man of integrity, honesty, and character, who would not serve special interests, but fight for the individual citizen. He will be sadly missed. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Foothills Hospital Heart Clinic. Funeral services to be held on Monday Oct 1, 11am at the Cathedral Church of the Redeemer.
