Oz definitely 'sold' on Falkland

FALKLAND, B.C. -- Oz Leaf reminds me of Ol' Man River. He just keeps rollin' along.
While challengers come and go, Leaf, at 77, remains the King of Falkland and that fact became clear this past fortnight as the lanky Leaf could be seen all over the village, nailing up signs and getting the rodeo grounds ready for the 87th edition of the Falkland Stampede, which opens up Saturday with the rodeo at 1 p.m.; followed by the parade and rodeo on Sunday and winds up with the heavy horse pull plus the rodeo finale on Monday afternoon.
But there are many facets to this ultimate volunteer as the Ol' Columnist found out some years back.
Oz wasn't a cowboy, but a baseball man. In fact, he had a 25-year career as a baseball player and manager at the 'A' level and even president of the North Okanagan Baseball League for eight years.
Even today, Leaf looks like he could go a full nine innings on the pitching mound despite his injuries from October 2002 when he tumbled down the steps of the Community Church during the annual supper; breaking his hip and requiring stitches above his eye.
The one-time pitcher and first baseman plus owner of the hardware store, Leaf began life in the Vernon Hospital on June 21, 1928 and was named after the doctor, Osbourne Morris and his father, Emil.
Unfortunately, his dad died of cancer when he was only 1 1/2 years old. "My mother raised us kids on her own, with help from welfare, and some of her brothers and sisters helped out when things got tougher," he remembered in a bevy of notes he handed me about his life.
He attended school in Falkland until 1942 and when Oz was 14, he quit to work in McClounie's Store and worked there for the next 26 years and "when Mr. McClounie passed on, I was given the opportunity of purchasing the hardware department. The building was sold to Harold and Blanche Rose and I continued to work in the hardware part for another 19 years."
In 1987, the Leafs built the hardware store, now occupied by the public library.
Traveling back in Oz's history, he married Donna Graham in 1961 and they had a son, Scott, in 1966. A few years later, a daughter, Apryl Dawn was born. The Leafs, of course, are now proud grandparents.
Donna Leaf was a major part of Oz's baseball career, for she was among those who were with the women Broncettes, who held fundraisers for the Falkland Broncs. "It was a great time," Oz remembers, fondly. The Broncs won the North Okanagan championship in 1956, 1960 and 1964.
Leaf definitely could be considered the leading volunteer and community supporter for Falkland and, perhaps, the entire north Okanagan.
In a rundown, Ozzie was volunteer fire chief for 23 years; active, of course, with the Falkland Blackjacks, which became the Broncs; he has a lifetime membership in the Falkland Community Association; and even today he's a director of the FCA.
Heretired from the business world in 1994.
So what does Leaf do with all that spare time?
Well, of course, there's curling, horseshoes and before the NHL season-long strike, the Vancouver Canucks on the TV.
He's still a baseball fan during the major-league season, but his interest somewhat after the Toronto Blue Jays traded John Olerud to the Seattle Mariners. Olerud has since retired from baseball.
Known for his enthusiasm for the community, Leaf once told me he is sold on "rural living and Falkland is a good place to live."
Although he and others have heard of the demise of the annual Falkland Stampede, he definitely believes it will continue because "there's no reason it can't."
Another "treasure," he, enthusiastically, supports is Falkland's museum. "It's quite an asset." His wife, Donna, has been an integral part of the museum's growth.
As for his volunteerism, Leaf admits he has been president of almost every community group, with the exception of the cemetery committee.