Obituaries to August 19th, 2003
Colby’s life ended tragically on August 24, 2002 due to injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident after a day in Edmonton with friends shopping for school clothes.
Colby was born on January 2, 1985 on a very cold winter day. His fast and impatient arrival indicated his personality. He was an active and curious youngster, always looking for something interesting and challenging.
Colby took all his schooling at the Hughenden Public School. Colby was a good student, quiet, hardworking and helpful. He was well loved and respected by the school community.
Colby played hard and excelled at all sports. He had lots of natural ability as well as the drive to play the game well. He played minor hockey out of the community for the last 3 years, in Coronation, Killam and Sedgewick. He made many friends. Golf was his summer passion; he competed in local tournaments as well as on the provincial level. Colby worked as a summer employee on the Hughenden Golf Course for 3 summers. He loved the course and took pride in how beautiful it was.
Colby was an excellent athlete, good at anything he tried. But he was not a boastful person; he never put on airs or tried to put himself above others. He was unpretentious and humble about his accomplishments and was always willing to share what he knew with others.
Colby liked pop; especially coke, tacos, angel food cake and fresh fruit cut up with lots of sugar. He loved sour soothers, music, stylish clothes, flip flops, and hair gel.
He never wanted to be alone. Through his younger years he spent a lot of time with neighborhood kids playing street hockey by the hour, snaring gophers in the school grounds, just hanging out. Colby had a huge circle of friends from many communities. He spent lots of time with his older brother Jason and they got along extremely well.
Colby had a very warm sensitive side, always ready to help out or to offer loving hugs. His sense of humor was subtle but very tuned. When he was sporting the trademark Hovde grin you knew he was up to something.
Our son was a risk taker, from climbing houses to the very peak at 2 years old, running full out in long distance runs for track meets, jumping off docks even before he was a competent swimmer, climbing rock walls, racing down main street in Hughenden with new roller blades, to climbing hoodoos on golf courses.
The service to honor and celebrate Colby’s life took place on Wednesday, August 28 at the Hughenden School. The impact Colby had on people showed in numbers at the service, to the outpouring of compassion for our families after the accident, up to this day.
He leaves to mourn his life here on earth to his parents John and Patti Hovde, sister Lindsay, brother Jason, grandparents, numerous aunts and uncles, cousins, his special girl Lindsey and loads of friends. Colby touched the lives of many and will be remembered by all as special in life and now precious in the heart. An angel.
arvey Johnson was born January 28, 1918 in Kellogg, Idaho. He was the youngest child of 4 born to Oscar and Ida Yarf. Dad’s father worked in the lead mines of Idaho and it was there that Oscar contracted miners consumption. Harvey was 10 months old when they decided to immigrate to Canada, and settled north of Hughenden. His father died when he was 2 years old.
In 1924 Ida married Oscar’s brother Peter and they had 3 children. Harvey had 3 sisters Svea, Ellen, Sylvia and 3 brothers Carl, Robert, and baby William who died at 9 months. Harvey took all his schooling at Hughenden. Some of his favorite memories were playing shinny and working with horses.
In 1941 he started dating the love of his life, Violet Holte, and they were married in 1942. From this union they had 4 children, Janet, Douglas, Sandra, and Rick. They farmed north of Hughenden and in the early years Dad sold wood, hauled feed to the buffalo and custom thrashed to help support his farm. With his team of horses he dug the basement for the Pentecostal Church. He was respected for his knowledge of farming and animal health and was always willing to lend a helping hand to his neighbours.
Dad was proud of his family, his community, his heritage and his faith. He was a hard worker and very particular, he was always the Mr. fix-it man.
He had a smile for everyone and a joke to laugh at. One of his favorite days was April Fools Day, and many a neighbour is familiar with his pranks.
One of the highlights of Harvey and Violet’s life was visiting Scandinavian countries and meeting many of their relatives for the first time.
He was widely respected for his beliefs and lived his life accordingly. His deepest delight was his personal faith in a loving God and Savior. This was evident as he continually prayed and praised God even through his times of suffering. He was deeply respected and loved by his entire family.
His wife and family, friends and the community will miss him.
Dorothy May Davis passed away Wednesday, July 9 at the age of 89, in the Wainwright Hospital after a brief illness. Predeceased by husband George, son Keith, daughter-in-law Doris, and grand daughter Tanya.
Survived by daughters Sheila (Frank) Dunkley of Hamilton. Carolyn (John) Ferguson of Kingston, Donna Frost of Edmonton, Bonnie (John) Rutledge of Wainwright and sons Ken (Nettie) of Valleyview and Barry (Leslie) of Altario.
Born to Herbert Coventry and Florence Beatrice Mockford, in a CPR railcar in the Crowsnest Pass, October 26, 1913. Raised in Lethbridge, Edmonton and Calgary, Clear Lake, attending school at Richie in Edmonton, then lived with her older sister Nora at Clear Lake and finally boarded in Wainwright to complete high school.
Married George William John Davis, eldest son of Leonidas and Elizabeth Davis, October 31, 1931 in Wainwright. Farmed at Arm Lake, then resided in Edmonton during the war, while George worked with RCAF Aircraft Repair Services, then the USAAF at the Edmonton base. Returned to farming after the war, then moved to Wainwright when George joined brother Oron in painting and construction. Dorothy started work at CFB Wainwright in 1957, retiring in 1977.
Known to her friends as ‘Dot”, Dorothy enjoyed her career at CFB Wainwright.
Starting work as a clerk at the Supply Depot, she advanced to the Headquarters, where over the years she became a senior clerk attached to the Commanding Officer.
She loved the work and the company she kept. For many years, Dorothy volunteered as secretary of the local Boy Scouts of Canada organization, for the local Red Cross and for the local public library.
Dorothy started life in the Crowsnest Pass, in the living quarters used by her dad, a foreman on CP’s track crew.
She had lots of fond childhood memories of brothers Ned, Leonard and Fred, and sisters Ruth, Nora and Gladys.
She and Fred were inseparable as youngsters. Due to childhood illness, Dorothy lived with Ruth in Vancouver for a year.
The family moved to grandpa Mockford’s retirement dream, the farm at Clear Lake.
Dorothy met and eventually married her childhood sweetheart, George Davis, whose family farmed by Arm Lake.
Dorothy raised her family of seven, starting out in her first home on the south side of Arm Lake.
She fondly reminisced of the adventures of Ken, Sheila and Keith, times of poverty and making do during the depression years.
Her years in Edmonton, among family and friends were marred by the accidental death of Keith, but gladdened by Donna and Barry to her family.
Over the years she was happy to have the company of grand and great-grand children, and formed close attachments to them. At the time of her death, she was a resident of the Battle River Lodge, where she enjoyed the services of the Lodge and the company of friends.
A funeral service for the late Mrs. Dorothy Davis was conducted on Monday, July 14, 2003 at 3:00 p.m. from the St. Thomas Anglican Church, Wainwright with Father Will Drake officiating.
Interment followed in the Wainwright Cemetery.
If so desired the family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Wainwright Public Library, towards the purchase of large print and audio books for the visually impaired.
Eva was born the 9th child of Frederick and Regina Bezaire on April 25, 1921 at Beaverdam, AB. Eva was raised and educated in Beaverdam then married her first husband Gerald Tipton Young. To this marriage were born four children, Mervin, Lyle, Denise and Duane.
In 1947 the family moved to Marwayne, AB then on to Wainwright where she settled for the next 55 years. They purchased a farm at Greenshields and Eva lived there until 2001 when she found it necessary to move into Wainwright due to her failing health.
In 2002 she moved to the Edmonton area to be closer to her sons, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She resided at Discovery Place in Devon, AB until her passing on May 13, 2003.
Eva was predeceased by her parents, eight of her brothers and sisters, her daughter, Denise Young in 1947, her first husband, Gerald Young in 1965, and her second husband, Philip Johnson in 2001. She is survived by two brothers Clarence “Slim” (Thelma) Bezaire of Vermilion, AB. and Oscar (Doris) Bezaire of Nanoose, BC. two sisters, Marie Young and Patricia “Eve” Levasseur of Bonnyville, AB, her three sons, Mervin (Alice) Young of Devon, AB, Lyle (Judy) Young of Sherwood Park, AB, and Duane Young of Edmonton, AB. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, thirteen great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
A funeral service for Eva Young was conducted on Saturday, May 17, 2003 at 1:00 pm from the Grace United Church, Wainwright with Reverend Ron Fletcher, M. Div. officiating. Interment followed in the Wainwright Cemetery. If so desired the family suggests memorial contributions be made to either the The Canadian Blood Services, 8249-114 St. Edmonton, AB, T6G 3R8 or to STARS Air Ambulance, Building 16, City Centre Airport, 29 Airport Road, Edmonton, AB T5G 0W6. Creech’s Funeral Home, Todd and Harry Creech directors in care of all arrangements.
May 12, 1910-
April 2, 2003
On Tuesday, April 2, 2003, Roy Burton of Irma, Alberta, passed away at the Wainwright Health Centre at the age of 92 following a long and eventful life.
Roy was born at Irma, Alberta on the homestead north of town. He attended school at Alma Mater and Irma. Following the completion of his formal education Roy began a lengthy farming career that lasted for over 75 years. He was well known in the community for volunteering his time and talents.
He is survived by three sisters Molly (Ted) Thurston, Connie Keller and Gwen Newman; two brothers Joe Burton and Don (June) Burton; and numerous nieces nd nephews.
Roy was predeceased by his parents Alfred and Edith Burton, sister Dorothy, and brothers Jack and Chris.
Funeral services for the late Roy Burton were held Monday, April 7, 2003 at 2:00 p.m. at the Irma United Church with Rev. Doug Coubrough officiating. Pallbearers were Roger Larson, Richard Larson, Ivan Bacon, Don Lukens, Dale Keller, and Ben Newman.
Interment was at the Irma cemetery followed by a gathering of family and friends at the Irma Curling Club for a visit and lunch.
Paul Marie Henry Lefebvre was born on March 4, 1914 to Paul and Marie-Louise Lefebvre in Calgary, AB, the eldest of two children. He grew up on the family farm south-west of Hughenden, AB and attended school at Poplar Site School.
Paul married his first wife, Grace Betts, in 1940 and 5 children were born to this union. Grace passed away in 1963, and in 1967, Paul married Mattie Campbell. In 1968, they retired from the farm and moved to Wainwright. Mattie passed away in 1982. In 1983, Paul married Laura Johnson and with this union gained 4 step children.
Paul dedicated his life to his church, his family and his community. He will best be remembered for his countless hours spent volunteering his time with the Lions Club, the Knights of Columbus, Theatre 75, and the Prairie Rose Old Timers Club. He enjoyed gardening and raised beautiful flowers, he loved singing in the church choir, and fishing was an enjoyable pastime. Dancing was another favorite of Paul’s and upon occasion, would call the old time square dance at community hall dances. Even though his health was failing in the last couple of years, Paul still enjoyed a lively game of cards.
Paul’s achievements were recognized with numerous awards: Wainwright Citizen of the Year 1993; Mounted Police Badge of Honor (for service as a guard from 1987 - 94); the Melvin Jones Award (Lions Club) for a life time dedicated to humanitarian service; was inducted into MD37 Lions Hall of Fame (1999); and had 42 years of perfect attendance in the Lions Club.
Paul passed away Saturday, March 22, 2003 at the Wainwright Health Care Complex at the age of 89 years.
He leaves to mourn his passing, his loving wife Laura; 5 children, Jacques (Gail) of Hughenden, Tony (Marge) of Leduc, Bob (Gail) of Edmonton, Phil (Helen) of Fredricton, NB and Kathleen (Randy) Seale of Wainwright; 4 stepchildren, Pam (Dale) Pioker of Wainwright, Tim (Dawn) Johnson of Millarville, AB, Gina Johnson of Camrose, and Judy Johnson of Calgary; 23 grandchildren, and 15 great grandchildren; one brother-in-law, Ev Black of Camrose, and one sister-in-law, Mary Meadows of Coquitlam, BC, and numerous cousins.
Paul was predeceased by his parents, his first wife Grace, his second wife Mattie, one sister Marie Black, one brother in law Harry Meadows, and a grandson Samuel Johnson.
Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Blessed Sacrament Church, Wainwright, on March 26, at 11:00 a.m. with Father Jozef Wroblowski officiating, Creech’s Funeral Home in care of arrangements. Pallbearers were the Knights of Columbus and the Lions Club. Paul’s favorite hymns were sung by the Men’s Church choir, soloists Donna Johnson and David Keohane. The eulogy was lovingly given by stepson Tim Johnson, and grandsons Keven and Doug Lefebvre gave a special tribute to their Grandpa. The CWL had bountiful lunch afterwards at the Legion Hall. Paul touched many lives during his lifetime and we will all miss him dearly. God Bless you until we meet again.
Oleva Lorine Gulbraa (Liknes) formerly of Irma, Edmonton and lately of Wainwright, born February 10, 1915 at Monitor, Alberta passed away suddenly on March 29, 2003.
Oleva is survived by her children, Sigmund of Edmonton, Edythe (Pat) Robinson of Wainwright, JoAnne (Nelson) McRae of Edmonton, and Arne (Bonny) Gulbraa of Irma, fifteen grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren.
Also mourning her passing are two sisters, Laura (Jack) Seatter of Westlock, Lillian Rac of Edmonton and two brothers, Albin (Alice) Liknes of Westlock and Leonard Liknes of Monitor, as well as many nephews, nieces, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law and friends.
Oleva was predeceased by her husband, Berge, in 1970, four sisters and one brother.
Funeral service was held Thursday, April 3, 2003 at 2:00 p.m. at Sharon Lutheran Church, Irma. Pastor Bart Eriksson officiated. Donations can be made to the Alberta Heart and Stroke Foundation, Sharon Lutheran Church, Irma, or the Peace Lutheran Church, Wainwright. Creech’s Funeral Home, Todd and Harry Creech directors in care of all arrangements.