CALLENS, I.J. ((Ian Jules (Barney) Callens))
The Gallery
The Nameplates
Pillar Location: Pillar: 11 - XI, Row: 24, Column: B
Troop Number and Year: TR. A 1960/61
Pillar Location: Pillar: 11 - XI, Row:24, Column:B
Troop Number and Year: TR. A 1960/61
The Stories
Ian was born in Enderby on Feb 27, 1941. He attended school in Mara for his first years until his Dad joined the BC police, later the RCMP. The next years were spent in several different towns across the province including Clinton, Merritt, Kelowna and Grand Forks and then in Vancouver. Ian graduated from high school in North Vancouver and following in the footsteps of his Dad Jules and his brother Larry joined the RCMP on April 1st, 1960. Ian took his training at Depot Division in Regina when horsemanship was still a requirement. Ian found out these mounts were not to be taken lightly and suffered a broken wrist to prove that point.
After graduating from Depot he spent his first years transferring from small Saskatchewan town to small Saskatchewan town. Those were the days when there was no long discussion as to where you would be posted ...It was more like ..... throw your trunk in the car and report to the next detachment the following day. While posted in Estevan Sask he met and married his wife Marg. He met his two long time friends Ben and Les while stationed in Saskatchewan and they became the "three amigos,"
In 1966 he was transferred to Regina and that is where both his son Kelly and daughter Kathy were born.
New Year's Eve 1970 Ian and family settled into the detachment quarters in Craik, Sask where Ian was promoted to Corporal and was in charge of the detachment there.
In 1976 he finally made it back to his home province with a transfer to Prince George for a busy four years with General duty, Drug Squad and Emergency Response team and a promotion to Sgt. In 1980 he was off to Vernon where he was also involved with drug squad and Emergency Response team as well as GIS. It was while he was in Vernon he came to be known by the nickname “Barney” from the television series Barney Miller. There were many good times with members of his team and families at the yearly sleigh riding parties and the interesting times with his gang helping at haying time. It was at this time that he built the family home on the farm in Mara and commuted from there. The next and final transfer was to Kelowna where he was promoted to Staff Sergeant and finished his career as Watch Commander. He retired after 35 years Service from a career he was extremely proud of.
He then happily became a full-time farmer and spent many years selling hay and raising cattle. When his son Kelly joined the Armed Forces and his daughter left for Yellowknife and then Calgary to pursue a career in banking Ian and Marg were free to travel. They enjoyed many camping trips as well as travel to Europe, Australia, Cook Islands, Portugal, Mexico and Cuba and finally settling on Mexico as their winter destination with many Wells Grey tours around BC in between. One of his happiest travels was the several horseback, pack trips with Ben, Les, Rick and Lew, in which they travelled to assorted locations across both BC and Alberta and had many interesting adventures.
He was a devoted family man and enjoyed his many years farming first his father Jules and then with his brother Larry and the twin John Deere tractors. There were many family dinners and wiener roasts and days spent at Mara Lake with Larry, Alice and family and Jeanne and Rick and family. He was always so proud of both Kelly and Adriana and Kathy and Lance and loved his grandchildren Eline, Arie, Ian, Kassidy and Kayla with all his heart. Whenever anyone got upset his favourite remark to them was .."turn the page ...close the book.!" I am sure all the grandchildren will always remember it ... The only thing on his "bucket list" was to climb the Enderby Cliffs with all his grandchildren. He climbed it first with Eline, Arie and Ian and several years later he hiked it with Kassidy and Kayla. "Bucket list" complete! From the time he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in October of 2016 he was determined to live life to the fullest and taking one of his favourite sayings to heart ... "it is what it is". He fought hard to make that one more Christmas and as he told his Dr. .... he got to see all his grandchildren one last time. He passed away peacefully in his home on Jan. 11, 2018.
Divisions Served: Depot, F, E
Pillar Location: Pillar: 11 - XI, Row: 24, Column: B
Regimental Number: 21380
Training Division: Depot
Troop Number and Year: TR. A 1960/61
Home Town: Enderby, BC
Engagement Date: Apr 01, 1960
Regimental Number: #21380
Troop Number and Year: TR. A 1960/61