Oyen Briefs: Rocky Mountain House

By Diana Walker

I accompanied Don Ball to Rocky Mountain House February 3 where we attended the funeral of our cousin Gerald Melvin Carson, born April 3, 1940 in Meskanaw, Saskatchewan and died January 24, 2025 at the age of 84. He was the son of our Grandma Hazel Ball’s sister Marie and Seth Carson. Gerry worked for a time operating caterpillars in the oil/gas field and digging dugouts in the Oyen area with my dad.

I attend the Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies in Edmonton from February 6 to 8 at the River Cree. I went a day early stopping in Camrose to visit briefly with Sandra Dorosz. Then I spent the afternoon and night with cousin Lynn (Edwards) and Harold Boyd.

Before I left the convention hotel, Bernie Krewski and Pat Siferd visited, bringing me four books to donate to Oyen’s Crossroads Museum written by former Oyenite Stan Dragland – Journeys Through Bookland, Stormy Weather/Foursomes, Apocrypha Further Journeys (Alberta, Ontario, Newfoundland) and The Drowned Lands. Bernie included a book entitled Empire of Dust (settling and abandoning the Prairie Dry Belt) by David C. Jones who writes of the fate of the doomed town of Alderson, Alberta.

I remained in Edmonton for two days visiting my cousin Kay (Anderson) Schmidt. We spent one afternoon at the University of Alberta Hospital visiting Kay’s husband Al who was recuperating from a heart attack. He has now been moved to Leduc for rehab.

Sympathy to the family of Erak Chrysler, husband of Nicole Creurer of Calgary, Alberta, who passed away peacefully in Calgary on February 4, 2025 at the age of 82 years. Condolences also to his twin sister Budz Crace as well as locals brother-in-law Ken Helm, and sister-in-law Sharon Dahl and their families.

Municipal election will be held in October of 2025. Have you considered running for the seat of Council or Mayor? Is there someone you feel is fitting. Stop at the Town office to get that nomination form.