Death of Vankleek Hill hero

VANKLEEK HILL – A well-known beef farmer, and sometimes lay preacher, who was active in encouraging an open U.S. border to the Canadian cattle, was killed in a tractor accident in the afternoon of the same day that the U.S. border opened to all cattle born after 1999.

Rodney Maclaren, a cow-calf operator and father of five grown children, was killed accidentally Nov. 19 after his tractor rolled over him; it is unknown exactly how it happened. The tractor came to rest at the bottom of the hill close to where he was working.

A funeral for the 57-year old owner of 400 beef cattle was held at Vankleek Hill Knox Presbyterian Church, which overflowed with more than 300 mourners. A television monitor was set up in the church basement to accommodate the overflow. Witnesses say that more than 150 people waited outside the church in the cold.

"This was a shock for us. It was a freak accident," said friend and dairy farmer Al Nixon. "He would give you the shirt off his back. He was always encouraging. He was a super fella, a big loss for our community."

Nixon said that Maclaren helped keep the local United Church open when they lost their preacher. "They didn’t have a minister and he took right over as minister. He could preach right to you." Maclaren had been asked to preach at the Presbyterian Church, where his funeral was held, when the minister there was to be away next March.

Nixon also said that Maclaren had struggled through the BSE crisis with an encouraging smile and was optimistic on the morning of Nov. 19 upon hearing that the U.S. border had re-opened. This was promising for the Canadian beef industry to which he had been a long-time contributor.

Nixon’s sister, Susan Conway, was Maclaren’s closest friend and life partner for the past six years. "He was always the first person to offer help. He’d jump in with both feet," Susan said. "When he smiled it was like a ray of sunshine. He was my knight in shining armour. He was my hero. He was my reason for being. We were together all the time and it wasn’t enough for me. I’ll always want one more day."

She noted that Maclaren’s dream was farming naturally which he did for over 30 years with hopes of encouraging the agricultural community to follow his lead. "He was an intense man of God and his spirituality was as important to him as everything on this farm."

Friend, Dr. Allan Simpson, gave the eulogy and recalled Maclaren’s active involvement in the Cassburn United Church for almost 30 years. "He could preach, teach, manage the funds, BBQ, serve turkey, flip pancakes and bus tables with the best," Simpson said. "His big smile, sense of joy and apron that said, ‘God’s work needs many hands’ will be greatly missed."

Maclaren completed his degree in agricultural studies at the University of British Columbia. He learned to fly a plane and was a ski instructor. He bought the farm near Vankleek Hill in 1981 and became an executive member of the Ontario Cattleman’s Association.

Early on, Maclaren worked on his uncle’s Alberta ranch and brought new ideas to Vankleek Hill. While most farmers were housing beef animals in barns or erecting windbreaks through the winter, Maclaren was innovative, using the natural shelter of woodlots. He leaves behind an incredible legacy and will be sadly missed by family and all who knew him.