Work 25 years, get a side-by-side: Turnbull Excavating

By Brian Zinchuk

ESTEVAN – At some employers, you work 25 years, they give you a pin. At Turnbull Excavating in Estevan, they give you a side-by-side. Or a boat.

That’s what happened last week when Clarence Molyneaux, a truck driver with Turnbull Excavating, hit his 25 year mark. The company threw a supper and Ed Turnbull handed Molyneaux the keys. Several other long service awards were also given, including travel vouchers for two of the other longest service workers who had previously received either a side-by-side or a boat.

Terry Schwartz, who now has 38 years in, got a boat 13 years ago. And Glen Buettner, with 35 years in, got a side-by-side ten years ago. Several other long service awards were also recognized, with about a quarter of the 60 staff members being acknowledged during the July 31 supper.

“We’re pretty proud of them,” said Tyson Turnbull, general manager and co-owner. “It means a lot to have the same faces, year after year. We put a lot of emphasis on trying to make that happen. We just really appreciate everybody that sticks around.”

“Your work doesn’t go unnoticed,” said Katy Turnbull.

Ed Turnbull, co-owner, said, “Clarence has gone above and beyond for the company and our customers. And it’s been noticed many times. We’ve had a lot of calls, over the years, requesting Clarence to come. That tells you something. So that’s been good.

“Clarence has been kind of my anchor over the years, if I need to call someone at night over the weekend, or just to get him into some equipment to help someone else out, or out of a bind. Clarence is always there. He still answers his phone, he still comes to work. So I really appreciate that.

“I figure Clarence has driven over 2 million miles for this company. I figure he’s hauled over half a million yards, a lot of back and forth from the pit to all sorts of jobs sites,” Ed said.

Molyneaux told Pipeline Online he’s originally from Bienfait, and he now lives in Estevan. He principally drives trucks, but runs loaders, too.

Asked how he ended up working for Turnbull’s, he said, “Ed caught me in a coffee shop one day and asked me if I was working. I said, ‘Not right now, it’s too wet.’

“I ended up going to work for him, once in a while when he needed someone. And then we were going to be finished working for SaskPower for a subcontractor. I talked to Ed and he said, ‘As soon as you’re done, come back.’”

Molyneaux had previously worked in reclamation. As a younger man he spent time on drilling rigs and worked at a car wash for a while.

These days, you’ve got to wake up really early to catch him. He’s at the yard by about 5:40 a.m., checks over his truck and fires it up. He’s rolling before 6 a.m., at the crack of dawn.

Asked if he considered anything else, Molyneaux said, “I never really looked. I liked what I was doing.”