Lorne Edward Trenholm
14 March 1940 – 18 May 2023
Grandpa
“A Grandfather has ears that truly listen, arms that will always hold, love that’s never-ending, and a heart that’s made of gold.”
On May 18th, surrounded by family and close friends my/our Husband, father, and Grandfather Lorne Edward Trenholm, finally closed his eyes and drifted off to a well-deserved rest. His final days were filled with family and friends, endless stories, and tears that turned into laughter. The hardest part is admitting that we lost our counsellor, auto mechanic expert, and one of our biggest cheerleaders in every adventure we began. Going forward it’s heartbreaking knowing that endless wisdom is no longer just a phone call away, even though we know what he would say, we’ll always miss his voice on the other end of the phone. He was a man that loved to provide for his family, he loved it very much and was very proud of the life he was able to give to us, especially his Grandchildren. There aren’t many people who can say they had a Grandfather who made dreams come true, but he truly did. Watching the happiness in his eyes as he granted our wishes could light up a room, and it will continue to light up our memories.
Born on May 14, 1940 and raised in Oxdrift ON, Lorne had a slightly different upbringing than most. Being raised on a farm was not uncommon in those days, but Lorne was lucky because he got to be raised by his favourite person in the world, his Grandma Oberg. Every story of her dripped with love and adoration as he retold their hardships and struggles as new immigrants from Sweden, and he swelled with pride every chance he got to speak of her. Even at a young age, it was obvious that Grandma was his “person” and that he missed her terribly. We know the last few days he was surrounded by past loved ones, and animals passed, but we also know that Grandma was right there with open arms to welcome her baby home.
To say he was opinionated was an understatement this was often the root of most of the disagreements over the years with friends and family alike. Regardless of what was said, you could always expect an apology a few days later. Usually in the form of a full tank of gas, or your favourite chocolate bar.
When most people think of Lorne Trenholm they think of his beautiful and devoted wife Ella, not only because he always lovingly bragged about how lucky he was to have her; but because, unless you went to the farm you wouldn’t have seen him. Truly loving his Farm more than anything Grandpa always waited for visitors to arrive and come to him. The odd venture out of town was few and far between, he truly loved the home they had created together surrounded by animals and family. His love for his wife wasn’t unknown, and even in his final moments, he spoke of his gratitude for her love and friendship. Rewinding time, you could find the two of them floating across the dance floor at one of the Oxdrift Hall “ coffin dodgers dance”, as Grandpa always referred to them. As the old-time country music filled the air you would find yourself immediately drawn to them as a couple, and it wasn’t just because Grandpa always had the best hair. Being 6”2 and shy people wouldn’t normally expect someone of that size to be graceful, but watching them dance could only be described as floating. Each one seemed to know what the other was doing and continued throughout the evening with effortless grace. Always the social butterflies in their younger days Lorne and Ella could be found surrounded by a crowd of people, laughing, and with food always available. It wasn’t long until most family events were held at the farm in Grandpa’s prided garage. From family get-togethers, reunions, weddings, and even birthdays, the farm was the place to go. Lorney always ensured everything was ready and in working order for whatever the occasion called for.
Growing up Lorne always had a passion for vehicles and running heavy equipment and his interests soon turned into his obsession as he began to work for “ The town” The City of Dryden, at the age of just sixteen years old. With his natural ability and his dedication he very quickly became noticed as an asset and he loved his job more than most people are lucky enough to. After years of working his dream job, he happily accepted early retirement knowing he would be able to focus full-time on his true calling, the Farm. Even years later after his retirement his legacy still held as his former coworkers remembered him as “ the best operator”, a title he took very seriously and it gave him great joy and pride to know how appreciated he was.
“The Farm” quickly became a place where family and friends would gather, sharing good food, the best company, and old Honkey Tonk music to set every occasion. His children grew and thrived on the very soil that his family owned before him. Nothing made him more proud than looking over his rolling hills and watching his horses graze contently. You always had to make sure that you had a clear schedule before you headed out to the farm, even if you got there nice and early you weren’t leaving the property for at least three hours, and usually another catch-up phone call later that evening.
Lorne delighted in the passions of his loved ones always making sure they had the best of the best, and of course, he still managed to get a deal. We will miss his haggling and bartering skills. He was thrilled in the excitement of the sale but was always most proud of how much he saved his loved one. No matter if it was dirt bikes, snow machines, vehicles, or horses, Grandpa /Dad always wanted us to have the best.
As much as his words were sharp in situations, in the same sentence you would be overwhelmed with love. So much so conversations often ended with tears( happy ones) and walking away with another life lesson within a precious memory. The lessons he gave us were endless and it didn’t matter what we were going through, we could always talk to Dad/Grandpa and Dad/Grandpa would always give us the best advice. Even when we didn’t want to listen, deep down we knew we should have. This is usually followed with the classic “ well… I tried to tell you… listen to Grandpa” I’m sure those words will continue to ring through our heads as we stumble through these next adventures without him. Even though you prepared us Grandpa, we know that the void we feel will be for the rest of our lives and we will always wish that we could “ tell Dad/Grandpa” Just one more time.
Keeping his sense of humour until the end Lorney was always a fan of a good practical joke or finding the humour in all of life’s surprises. He delighted in playing jokes on unsuspecting visitors always causing him to throw his head back, letting out the loudest chuckle. Sometimes the humour was delivered in the way of his favourite stories. They were told on repeat and he laughed just as hard the last time as he did the first. We know that we will continue these stories because they’re our favourites too.
When his daughter developed a passion for riding horses at a very young age there was no one more committed to making sure that his animals were not only taken care of but loved. It didn’t matter if it was a big dog or a tiny kitten, Grandpa stood very strongly for ethical treatment of any animal. That carried on strongly through his children and then onto his grandchildren. Along with his daughter, Joy, her knowledge and love for the sport grew Lorne’s passion and love for supporting her grew as well. And when His first Granddaughter, Kirsten came along he was more than ready to spoil her in every way manageable. Always known to be seen in a shiny red truck, big sunglasses, and a white T-shirt. Grandpa could always be found supporting his favourite riders parked at the end of the riding ring with his coffee mug in one hand and his little dog riding shotgun.
His love of caring for his things showed through the hours of hard labour he would pour into absolutely every piece of equipment and every vehicle he owned. He made sure everything on the farm shined like a new penny, even if it was a little older, if it was broken he always knew how to fix it. Taking pride in what you have was always a big message that Grandpa made sure to teach each one of us, and spending the time to walk through major life lessons, overflowing with advice and sometimes corrections.
His interest and natural skill in mechanics and repairs were so strong that it was passed to his gifted son Randy, Lorne’s youngest grandson Randy Jr and his oldest grandson, Michael. No people carried on more of Lorne’s work ethic than his Grandsons, which was always a topic of conversation. We knew when we couldn’t figure something out “ Ol’ Lorney knew.” And he’d probably save us some money and a wasted trip at the local garage. He loved nothing more than working away on a car or having a truck put up in his beautiful heated shop especially if it meant taking a coffee break with his son Randy, or anyone else who needed a break or life lesson.
Patience was a virtue Lorne often admired, but admittedly, it was a virtue he regularly needed to work on. It would only make sense that his youngest granddaughter, Brianne, not only possessed the virtue but encompassed it. Using it frequently as she creates her beautiful art pieces and her recent calling, working with children. Lorne was very proud of the talents of all of his children/ grandchildren and bragged about them to no end. Whether it was a recent grade, a new job, or even a new car, Lorne beamed with pride as he spoke the names of all his children and grandchildren and everyone always knew how proud he was of us and our accomplishments.
Lorne not only leaves his legacy behind but also his beloved family, friends, and animals. He is survived by his loving wife Ella, as much as he drove her crazy she will miss her life partner, best friend, and Husband. His children Joy Trenholm, and Randy Trenholm, grandchildren Kirsten (Tim), Michael (Jana), Brianne (Nick), and Randy Jr. (Lena). He loved and cherished his wonderful dogs until his very last day Cornel and Eli. Younger Sister, Roberta Bauer (Harvey), and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins as well. Remembered fondly by his many friends we would like to give a big thank you to Ron Parson, Wayne Smith, Carol and Mike Kirwin for their cherished friendships. Your visits and phone calls truly made his last few weeks memorable. Special thanks to Bruce Thomson who knew exactly how to plow our driveway “the Lorney way” knowing that it was someone so close to him doing one of the jobs he loved most brought him a lot of peace. We will never forget the kindness that all of you showed to him, and we know he won’t either. Predeceased By his favourite people, Grandma (Hilma) and Grandpa (Jonas)Oberg, His mother Anges and stepfather Bob Cunningham, older sister Lenore, younger brother Huey, and baby brother Ritchie. Grandpa always spoke highly of his family and we know that he was welcomed with love when he made his last journey, and we know he was never alone.
Going through life’s ups and downs will never be the same, knowing we all had the luxury of having the best advice, support, or ideas for the years we did is nothing short of a blessing. Moving forward without you feels like it almost isn’t real, your lessons and stories are now carried by our memories instead of hearing them on the other end of the phone. How we wish there could have been one more phone call, one more visit, just one more. We know we will spend the rest of our lives wishing for just one more. Even though you’re no longer here, no matter what, you will always be our first call.
Cremation has taken place and no formal services will be held at this time.
If friends and family so desire, memorial contributions may be made directly to Second Chance Pet Network, PO Box 343, Dryden, Ontario, P8N 2Z1
Arrangements entrusted to Dryden Community Funeral Home
249 Grand Trunk Avenue, Dryden, Ontario, P8N 2X3
