KREW KUTS: Calgary Connections 1966
By Bernie Krewski
“Feeling forgotten,” I have observed, often occurs among people living in small communities many kilometers from a larger community or city. One of the lessons I have learned in researching local history is that their communities are acknowledged in news accounts much more than they realize. Oyen’s connection with the Calgary Herald in 1966 is an example.
“Oyen Farmer To Be Buried Here Today” was the headline in the Calgary Herald on January 24, 1966. Funeral service will be held today for Rupert S. Snell, 71, a resident of southern Alberta for 56 years who died at Honolulu Hawaii January 19. Born in Harriston, Ontario, he moved to Melfort SK in 1902 and to Oyen in 1910. Mr. Snell farmed at Oyen until his retirement to Calgary in 1945. He was a member of Crescent Heights United Church. Mr. Snell is survived by his wife Effie; one brother William, Oyen, and one sister, Mrs. Beatrice Mallory, North Bend, Oregon. Burial will be at Queen’s Park Cemetery.
Obituaries were published in the Calgary Herald as well as the Oyen Echo regarding the passing of Charles Gilbertson on February 6, age 82 years, at Cereal. He was born in Chicago, Illinois June 11, 1883, and at the age of two moved to Valley City, North Dakota. On March 2, 1908, he married Sarah Ryerson and their union was blessed with ten children. They came to Three Hills Alberta in 1911 and homesteaded southwest of Oyen in 1913, farming in the Oyen and Excel districts until retiring in Cereal in 1960. He accepted Christ as his savior January 25, 1939. Charles leaves to mourn his wife Sarah, three sons – Cliff of Bow Island, James of Oyen, and Morris of Edmonton; six daughters – Mrs. Luella (Ves) Klein, Vancouver; Mrs. Leslie (Bill) Lee, Calgary; Mrs. Ruby (Neils) Neilson of Rosebud; Mrs. Ruth (Ben) Hangs, Stettler; Mrs. Mabel (George) Cordell, Oyen; Mrs. Doris (Heinz) Hanke, Donalda; and 27 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. He was predeceased by a son Clarence in 1929. Funeral services were held at the Oyen United Church with Rev. Knox of the Lutheran Church of Hanna officiating. Interment was in the Oyen Cemetery. His family history is recorded in MTCH 1, 96-98.
Mr. Clarence Garfield Peterson, age 72, passed away in the Oyen Municipal Hospital on February 27. His obituary was published in The Oyen Echo. Mr. Peterson arrived in this district in 1913, served in WWI, and farmed until 1937. Upon moving to Oyen, he became secretary-treasurer of the Acadia School Division until his retirement. Predeceased by his wife Ethel Mary (1898 – August 9, 1941, MacLean Records), he leaves to mourn sons Allan and Vernon, sister Eva Miller of Calgary and eight grandchildren.
The Echo published a brief report on February 22 announcing the death of Charles Stringer, 78, at Ridgeville Manitoba. Mr. Stringer left this district twelve years ago to be near his family.
There is also an Echo record on March 8 regarding the death of Christian (Chris) Helm on February 28, but unfortunately, I do not have a copy in my archives. He was born November 21, 1912. Mary Helm, his wife, has written a fine family history in MTCH, v. 2, pp. 332 – 33.
The Calgary Herald reported the death of Steve Holosko, age 60, on May 11, a former resident of Oyen. Born in Poland, he came to the Oyen district in 1922 and farmed there for many years. Mr. Holosko is survived by a brother in Ukraine. Services were held at the chapel of Jacques Funeral home and interment followed at Queen’s Park Cemetery.
Joseph Marsden, age 71, passed away on May 5th in the Oyen Hospital (Oyen Echo). Mr. Marsden was born in England (Feb. 9, 1895), apparently the eldest of six children to parents who arrived in Canada about 1897. They initially homesteaded south of Medicine Hat before moving to the Excel district in 1911. Joseph Marsden graduated from the Olds School of Agriculture in 1917, moving to the Hoadley district near Ponoka in 1922 and farming there until 1955 when he retired in Oyen. He is survived by three sisters – Mrs. Banks of Oyen, Mrs. C.I. Coote of Edmonton, and Miss Edith Marsden of Jasper. The funeral was held in the Pentecostal Church with Rev. Boymer officiating. A brief family history in MTCH, v. 1, indicates
“Mr. and Mrs. Marsden, (Joseph’s parents), were the grandparents of Albert and Charlie Banks” – well known residents of Oyen.
“Rites Held for Oyen Pioneer” was reported in the Calgary Herald on June 24. Funeral service was held recently for Mrs. Annie Smith McCallum, 93, a district pioneer. Born in Scotland, Mrs. McCallum came to Canada in 1904 and settled in the Sunnydale district. She was deceased by her husband, Robert, in 1936, and is survived by a nephew, Robert of Sunnydale, and a brother, Andres of Blantyre, Scotland. A memorial service was held at the Oyen United Church with Rev. R.D. Barnum officiating. Burial was in the Sunnydale Cemetery. I don’t know how or if Annie McCallum was closely related Matthew and Eileen McCallum in MTCH 2, pp. 402-403.
To be continued in a later issue.