Oyen News Briefs, Apr. 1, 2021
By Diana Walker
Congratulations to Shelley Norris on her retirement at Chinook Applied Research Association. Shelley has been managing the front desk and accounting responsibilities at CARA for over 20 years. We hope her days are filled with love, laughter and fulfilment of life-long retirement dreams.
An excerpt from the Consort Enterprise, March 10 — Louise Christianson was in Oyen Thursday to see Dr. Hagens for an eye checkup. While there, she went to the Blue Mountain Crafts store, where she bought quilting material. So on the weekend, she made two baby quilts: one for a boy and one for a girl as she is going to be a great-grandma for the 7th time in the spring.”
April 1, today — the 47th anniversary of The Oyen Echo launching its first weekly edition with Helen Ball and Diana Walker at the helm under Holmes Publishing Co. Ltd.’s ownership with Ron Holmes as publisher. The Echo could not have served Oyen and surrounding communities without the support of subscribers, advertisers, correspondents and contributors. My hope is that all the above show the same support for new owner Kate Winquist.
Many locals, including Oyenites, experienced varying lengths of power loss between Sunday and Tuesday, with one of the worst snowstorms and winds we have had in many years. Trees split, and many had to be taken down. Out On A Limb (Angie Warwick and crew) of Hanna were seen in several yards clearing the debris.
J G Contracting is also reshingling the Oyen Evangelical Missionary Church this week, fortunately in much better weather conditions.
Lee Tucker and the crew cleared the ice from the Oyen & District Memorial Arena this week. Spring is surely on its way!
Condolences
Sympathy is extended to Jean Olds and her family on her husband Bernie’s death on March 25, 2021, in the Hanna Hospital at age of 86 years. He was a son, brother, uncle, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather. To Fred, he was a former colleague when they worked together at Acadia Seed Processing Plant. To me, he was a chosen uncle. He was one of my ‘babysitters’ on my dad’s house moving crew until I went to school. He paid his Oyen Echo subscription in person (if possible), one year at a time, so he could be sure to remind me what a ‘brat’ I was growing up and share a couple of stories to prove his point—all with a smile. And he always asked how Fred was doing and what he was up to. As a child, I enjoyed stopping at his parents’ farm south of Oyen for a ‘quick’ cup of coffee on our way to or from Grandpa and Grandma Balls. Bernie was usually there when we stopped. Louie and Gordon made you feel welcome. Bernie made you feel special.
Condolences to former long-time Oyenite Carol Hurley of Wainwright and her family on the death of her husband Rufus on March 29, 2021, at the age of 77 years. While living in Oyen, Rufus was a businessman, trucker, Kinsman and community volunteer.
I need help
NOTE: I have had positive feedback from readers about Oyen Briefs, but I need your help!
If you have club or personal news you would allow me to include in this column please email fwalker1@telus.net. Especially during COVID shut-ins tell me they look forward to reading history in the making between the Echo pages, but we can’t be everywhere, and some of us do not frequent flyers on Facebook.