MARTIN
Terry Elam
“Ole” or “Rocky”
July 25, 1955 – July 21, 2024
Terry passed away peacefully and comfortably at the Drumheller Health Centre the evening of July 21, 2024 due to complications from diabetes, heart and recent surgery.
He was the second child of Elam “Ollie” and Alice Martin of Morrin. Terry grew up on a farm in the Sunbeam community east of Morrin where he gained two lifelong friends, Bob Grenville, and Brian Montgomery. It was a great life growing up in the 50’s and 60’s without computers and cell phones. Terry took all his elementary and secondary schooling in Morrin concentrating more on all the sporting activities than academic. He played baseball, volleyball, basketball, badminton, curling, hockey, fastball and his first love – golf. If you golfed at the Dinosaur Trail Golf Course, you probably met him there, either on the course or Hole 19.
After high school he worked at many jobs, for farmers, in the oilfield, Starland County, Calgary and the Morrin Arena. In 1975 he decided to start farming with his parents and then off to Olds College where he enrolled in the Agricultural Equipment Technology Program. This is where he gained another group of lifelong friends. They called themselves the “Bearcats” and included people from British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and many parts of Alberta. They have maintained this friendship for almost 50 years. They were a fun-loving group who enjoyed the pranks and social aspects of college.
Terry continued to farm until 2010 and worked in the oil patch from 1986 until 2005. He then worked for a brief time at Walmart when it first opened stocking shelves at night. His last job was working for the Canadian Corporation of Commissionaires at the Drumheller Penitentiary.
Over the years Terry was able to spend time travelling to Scotland, Dominican Republic, Hawaii, Hilton Head, Maritimes, Toronto, Caribbean and many golf courses through Canada and the USA.
Terry started spending his winters in Phoenix, Arizona in 2006. In 2011 he and his mother bought a condo and spent their winters in Mesa where of course he spent time doing the thing he loved most – golf. In 2023 he had to come home for health issues and unfortunately had not been able to return.
Terry is survived by his sister, Diana Wolf of Morrin, cousins and many friends throughout Canada and the USA. He was pre-deceased by his father “Ole” in 1982, mother Alice in 2018 and brother-in-law Rick in 2022.
There will be no formal funeral service or celebration of life for Terry. He would wish that you all enjoy a great game of golf with storytelling and a beer or cocktail at Hole 19.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Drumheller Area Health Foundation or any charity of your choosing.
Courtney-Winters Funeral Home in care of arrangements. 403-823-2666.
