Memories o f my

father:
Eddie Jedeon SHANK
by I s r e a l C. Shank

Eddie Jedeon Shank was born i n the P a r i s h o f Beauce,
P r o v i n c e o f Quebec, Canada, October 15, 1879» the second son
o f George CHINGUE and Marie Adele DOYON.
I t i s e v i d e n t the name SHANK must have gone through some
changes t o become what i t i s today. I n a f e d e r a l government
p u b l i c a t i o n "Genealogy o f the F a m i l i e s o f La Beauce", the name
appears as f o l l o w s : CHINK, CHINCK and CHAINK. The name CHINQUE
was o b t a i n e d by S i s t e r M.M. Champagne from a church source i n
Quebec. A l l b e g i n w i t h the l e t t e r "C" and i f spoken do produce
a s i m i l a r v e r b a l sound to SHANK. I can o n l y s p e c u l a t e how t h i s
came about but i t seems to me t h a t the name was not F r e n c h , and
as the f a m i l y c o u l d not r e a d o r w r i t e , the p a r i s h p r i e s t had to
e n t e r the uncommon name as i t sounded, hence the v a r i a t i o n s .
My
f a t h e r thought the name might be o f German o r i g i n such as George
SCHENK. That branch o f the f a m i l y may have come from A l s a c e L o r r a i n e i n France where a name might be German but the mother
tongue was f r e q u e n t l y F r e n c h . When the f a m i l y moved from Quebec
to M i n n e s o t a the name became a n g l i c i z e d to SHANK, a l t h o u g h f a t h e r
thought i t may have a l s o been r e c o r d e d under the name o f SHAINK.
My f a t h e r ' s second name was o r i g i n a l l y Gedeon but he changed
i t to Jedeon when o t h e r members o f h i s f a m i l y , presumably w i t h
names b e g i n n i n g w i t h the l e t t e r "G", had r e c e i v e d and opened some
o f h i s m a i l . To a v o i d s i m i l a r d i f f i c u l t i e s i n h i s own f a m i l y he
would not p e r m i t any o f h i s c h i l d r e n to be named a f t e r him, mother,
o r any r e l a t i v e s . When my second s i s t e r was b o m , I c o n s p i r e d
w i t h my mother, t o name h e r Edna, which was a c o m b i n a t i o n o f the
f i r s t two l e t t e r s i n my f a t h e r ' s name and the l a s t two o f mother's.
I don't know i f f a t h e r ever r e a l i z e d we had c i r c u i t o u s l y t r i e d to
circumvent h i s i n f l e x i b l e r u l e .
My f a t h e r went to s c h o o l , i n M i n n e s o t a , o f f and on, u n t i l he
was 14 y e a r s o f age. As much o f the time they l i v e d on a farm
and were o f t e n t a k e n out o f s c h o o l to h e l p put i n the crop and a t
h a r v e s t t i m e . To augment the f a m i l y income, a f t e r 14 o r 15 y e a r s
o f age, the boys were expected to f i n d work i n the woods and the
g i r l s h i r e d out as domestics and m a r r i e d e a r l y . A f t e r working on
the farm and i n the woods as a lumberjack f o r s e v e r a l y e a r s , f a t h e r
when he was 18 r e t u r n e d to s c h o o l , and a c c o r d i n g to him, took h i s
grade e i g h t . As he was s t u d y i n g w i t h a group o f s t u d e n t s much
younger t h a n h i m s e l f t h i s must have t a k e n a good d e a l o f d e t e r m i n a t i o n on h i s p a r t , and i n d i c a t e s t h a t he understood the importance
of education.
The lumber i n d u s t r y i n M i n n e s o t a had a t t r a c t e d q u i t e a number
o f immigrants from Quebec and S c a n d i n a v i a . The two groups d i d not

have much i n common and c o n s e q u e n t l y t h e r e was c o n s i d e r a b l e
h o s t i l i t y between them. F i g h t s i n bars and a t dances were a
common o c c u r r e n c e . F a t h e r , a l o n g w i t h the o t h e r boys i n the
f a m i l y , earned a r e p u t a t i o n f o r p u g n a c i t y and a w i l l i n g n e s s to
s e t t l e d i f f e r e n c e s p h y s i c a l l y . He and h i s b r o t h e r D o l o r
( A d e l a r d ) o f t e n c a r r i e d r e v o l v e r s to p r o t e c t themselves a g a i n s t
the p o s s i b i l i t y o f b e i n g a t t a c k e d by a group o r crowd. L i f e was
hard and rough i n those days.
I t i s not s u r p r i s i n g t h a t boys
h a v i n g to work i n lumber camps a t the e a r l y age o f 14, 15 o r 16
s h o u l d l e a r n to defend themselves.
This included l e s s desirable
a d d i c t i o n s l i k e smoking, d r i n k i n g and gambling.
A s h o r t time a f t e r h i s w i f e d i e d , G r a n d f a t h e r Shank d e s e r t e d
h i s f a m i l y , and i t was l e f t up to the o l d e r c h i l d r e n to b r i n g up
the younger ones. Around 1902-3 G r a n d f a t h e r Shank a d v i s e d the
f a m i l y he was l i v i n g a t Athabasca L a n d i n g , 100 m i l e s n o r t h o f
p r e s e n t day Edmonton, A l b e r t a . I n 1902, my f a t h e r went to see
him a t Athabasca but a f t e r a s h o r t s t a y r e t u r n e d to M i n n e s o t a .
Two y e a r s l a t e r he l e f t Minnesota f o r good. He was n e a r l y 27
y e a r s o f age, and s i n g l e . A l t h o u g h my f a t h e r , by n a t u r e , was a
v e r y hard w o r k e r , a t t h i s time o f h i s l i f e , he was q u i t e u n s e t t l e d
and d i d not own much more than the c l o t h e s on h i s back. However,
I b e l i e v e , t h a t a l o n g w i t h o t h e r s , he c o n t r i b u t e d g r e a t l y i n
b r i n g i n g up the f a m i l y and i t was one o f the main reasons f o r h i s
s i n g l e s t a t u s and l a c k o f f i n a n c i a l means.
A f t e r h i s a r r i v a l a t Athabasca i n 1906 to j o i n h i s f a t h e r ,
he took whatever work he c o u l d f i n d . He went i n t o a p a r t n e r s h i p
o p e r a t i n g a b u t c h e r shop but t h i s was s h o r t l i v e d as the p a r t n e r s
proved to be v e r y poor businessmen. I n 1908, he f i l e d on a homes t e a d (160 a c r e s ) some
m i l e s s o u t h - e a s t o f the town. I n l a t e r
y e a r s , he o f t e n boasted t h a t he had borrowed the $10. fee to
a c q u i r e t h i s l a n d . T h i s t e l l s more about the s t a t e o f h i s f i n a n c e s ,
at t h a t t i m e , than a n y t h i n g e l s e .
I am g o i n g to i n t e r j e c t here the f a c t , t h a t a f t e r f a t h e r
s e t t l e d i n a t Athabasca o t h e r members o f the f a m i l y f o l l o w e d :
P h i l l i p , George, Beny, Raymond and Mary (COX). About 1910,
s e v e r a l d i s t a n t r e l a t i v e s o f my f a t h e r s e t t l e d i n Athabasca but
a f t e r the F i r s t World War emmigrated to the U.S., most o f them
s e t t l i n g i n the S t a t e o f Washington.
On J a n u a r y 9» 1909. f a t h e r m a r r i e d Rosanna G o u l e t . As I have
w r i t t e n up my mother i n a separate a r t i c l e , I w i l l t r y to a v o i d
repeating s i m i l a r d e t a i l s of t h e i r l i f e together.
The newly m a r r i e d couple moved to a s m a l l , one room house on
f a t h e r ' s homestead. As t h e r e was o n l y about t e n a c r e s o f l a n d
c l e a r e d f o r c r o p s on the p l a c e my f a t h e r had to f i n d work which
would b r i n g i n some cash. He was o f t e n employed as a foreman w i t h
r o a d b u i l d i n g gangs i n the a r e a . One o f the p r o j e c t s was b u i l d i n g
a road from Athabasca to Lac l a B i c h e . T h i s took a d i f f e r e n t
r o u t e than i t does now.
At one t i m e , the road passed on the south
s i d e o f our farm.

F a t h e r s t a r t e d out w i t h a team o f oxen, and s e v e r a l y e a r s
l a t e r purchased a p a i r o f mules but he d i d n o t keep them v e r y
l o n g as t h e y were n o t v e r y amendable t o guidance o r d o m i n a t i o n
by t h e owner. He t r a d e d these i n f o r h o r s e s , and t h i s was the
m o t i v e power used on the farm u n t i l the 19^-0's. He hand c l e a r e d
the l a n d h i m s e l f , w i t h some h e l p from h i s c h i l d r e n , b u t o c c a s i o n a l l y h i r e d o t h e r s whenever he had money from working on the r o a d s .
At one time t h e r e was a s m a l l slough i n the middle o f our
farm where the l e a d i n g c i t i z e n s o f the town would come out i n
the f a l l f o r a day's h u n t i n g . He a l s o t o l d us t h a t he t r i e d on
numerous o c c a s i o n s one summer to shoot a p a i r o f whooping cranes
who n e s t e d around the margin o f the s l o u g h , but they were too
c l e v e r f o r him. As you know, whooping cranes a r e now c o n s i d e r e d
an endangered s p e c i e s .
He e v e n t u a l l y purchased the q u a r t e r - s e c t i o n a d j o i n i n g us on
the n o r t h s i d e . T h i s had a muskeg which was l o w e r than the s l o u g h ,
so by d i t c h i n g he was a b l e to d r a i n the s l o u g h . T h i s produced
heavy crops o f hay f o r a number o f y e a r s u n t i l i t became d r y
enough to c u l t i v a t e and sown to o a t s and wheat.
F a t h e r purchased a n o t h e r 80 a c r e s o f l a n d a d j o i n i n g on the
e a s t which made up h i s t o t a l h o l d i n g o f 400 a c r e s . The s o i l ,
except f o r the s l o u g h a r e a , had o n l y a few i n c h e s o f humus and
a f t e r a few y e a r s o f c u l t i v a t i o n t h i s was r a p i d l y d e p l e t e d . I n
p l a c e s , the r o c k s , l a r g e and s m a l l , were q u i t e numerous. I should
know as I h e l p e d to p i c k and move many o f them. We p i l e d them on
the b o u n d a r i e s o f o u r l a n d , and I have o f t e n thought o u r n e i g h b o r s
were p r e t t y t o l e r a n t as many o f o u r r o c k s found t h e i r way on t h e i r
s i d e o f the f e n c e .
I n many ways, my f a t h e r was a v e r y p r o g r e s s i v e farmer.
He
d i d n o t a l l o w manure to accumulate i n a p i l e b e s i d e the barn l i k e
most farmers but had i t spread o u t on the f i e l d s . The manure
t h e r e f o r e r e t a i n e d most o f the f e r t i l i z i n g n u t r i e n t s and were not
l e a c h e d o u t as i t would by b e i n g l e f t i n a p i l e . As b o y s , i t was
one o f o u r weekend jobs t o c l e a n the barn and h a u l the manure away.
He c l e a n e d and t r e a t e d h i s seed b e f o r e p l a n t i n g . I n the summer,
we boys had t o go through the f i e l d s and p u l l up the mustard and
w i l d o a t s . When n o t i n u s e , he k e p t as many o f h i s implements
under c o v e r . He i n s i s t e d t h a t they should be o i l e d every day when
i n use. He was a f a i r to m i d d l i n g b l a c k s m i t h so was a b l e t o make
most o f the r e p a i r s n e c e s s a r y t o h i s equipment.
Around the age o f 14 I s t a r t e d to borrow books about f a r m i n g
from the E x t e n s i o n Branch o f the U n i v e r s i t y o f A l b e r t a . I t was
from t h i s source t h a t I l e a r n e d t h e r e was a School o f A g r i c u l t u r e
a t O l d s . F a t h e r agreed t o l e t me e n r o l l i n t h i s i n s t i t u t i o n when
I was 16 y e a r s o f age (1927). As a r e s u l t I was a b l e t o b r i n g to
f a t h e r ' s a t t e n t i o n new methods o f f a r m i n g and g r a i n v a r i e t i e s .
The s c h o o l had an E x p e r i m e n t a l Union which d i s t r i b u t e d to i t s
members samples o f g r a i n and v e g e t a b l e seeds.
I obtained several
pounds o f Reward wheat i n 1929 which f a t h e r i n c r e a s e d to 15

b u s h e l s i n 1931«
He screened t h i s and had i t handpicked a t home
u n t i l i t was reduced to a 30 pound sample. He sent t h i s o f f t o
the Canadian N a t i o n a l E x h i b i t i o n i n T o r o n t o , and was awarded
f i r s t p r i z e f o r the b e s t sample o f s p r i n g wheat i n Canada. The
same sample won a f o u r t h p r i z e a t the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Show a t
C h i c a g o . He was honoured by the Athabasca Chamber o f Commerce
w i t h a framed i l l u m i n a t e d address which i s now i n the Athabasca
A r c h i v e s . He was a l s o p r e s e n t e d w i t h a l e a t h e r t r a v e l i n g bag
which he gave to me.
I n a d d i t i o n to t h i s award he a l s o won a
p r i z e f o r the b e s t t e n a c r e s o f wheat, n o r t h o f the Red Deer
r i v e r i n A l b e r t a . T h i s was judged as a s t a n d i n g c r o p .
My f a t h e r l o v e d t o compete a t a g r i c u l t u r a l shows and h i s
e x h i b i t s o f wheat, o a t s , peas and p o t a t o e s won p r i z e s , a t T o r o n t o ,
C h i c a g o , R e g i n a , C a l g a r y and Edmonton. He a l s o took numerous
p r i z e s a t the l o c a l f a i r s a t C o l i n t o n and Athabasca w i t h c a t t l e
u n t i l t h e s e events were d i s c o n t i n u e d .
Of course i n a d d i t i o n to growing f i e l d c r o p s , f a t h e r , always
had c a t t l e on the farm. As l o n g as I can remember, w h i l e I was
a t home, t h e r e were always cows to m i l k . When I was young i t was
one o f my j o b s , to b r i n g the cows i n f o r t h e i r morning m i l k i n g .
Mother used to get me up a t s i x o ' c l o c k and I would round up the
cows w i t h a h o r s e . We kept 4 to 6 cows f o r m i l k i n g . T h i s p r o v i d e d
cream which was s o l d a t the Athabasca Creamery, and a l t h o u g h the
cream cheques were p r e t t y s m a l l a t t i m e s , n e v e r t h e l e s s , they
p r o v i d e d r e a d y cash f o r g r o c e r i e s and o t h e r s t a p l e s when t h e r e was
n o t h i n g e l s e t o s e l l . We always had a few p i g s . T h i s p r o v i d e d
f r e s h meat and s a l t p o r k . Mother always had s e v e r a l dozen hens
which p r o v i d e d us w i t h the eggs we needed. O c c a s i o n a l l y , she
would r a i s e some t u r k e y s to s e l l . On one o c c a s i o n , two c o y o t e s
k i l l e d 12 young t u r k e y s o u t o f a brood o f 14.
F a t h e r had h i s share o f s m a l l h a r v e s t s and on two o r t h r e e
o c c a s i o n s we were n e a r l y h a i l e d o u t . A few times f r o s t s came
e a r l y and damaged the c e r e a l c r o p s which reduced grades and the
p r i c e r e c e i v e d f o r them when d e l i v e r e d to the e l e v a t o r s . I t would
t a k e many more paragraphs to d e t a i l my f a t h e r ' s f a r m i n g e x p e r i e n c e ,
and as t h i s i s supposed to be o n l y a b r i e f a c c o u n t , I w i l l have to
leave i t here.
My f a t h e r was always i n t e r e s t e d i n p o l i t i c s and f o r most o f
h i s l i f e v o t e d L i b e r a l . He would have a p p r e c i a t e d a government
appointment m a i n l y f o r the p r e s t i g e t h a t went w i t h i t .
Around
1920, f a t h e r approached the l o c a l M.L.A. George M i l l s f o r a job as
a B a i l i f f . A p r e t t y modest p o s i t i o n but he d i d not get the a p p o i n t ment and he n e v e r f o r g a v e George M i l l s f o r i t .
He worked v e r y h a r d
i n the n e x t e l e c t i o n to e l e c t the nominee f o r the U n i t e d Farmers o f
A l b e r t a , a Mr. John A n g e l o . I n f a c t , he n e a r l y wore o u t h i s Model
T. F o r d i n the campaign but to no a v a i l as George M i l l s was r e e l e c t e d . Our house was o f t e n d e s i g n a t e d as one o f the v o t i n g
s t a t i o n s d u r i n g e l e c t i o n s , and f a t h e r would get the appointment as
one o f the s c r u t i n e e r s . I n one f e d e r a l e l e c t i o n f a t h e r was asked
to be the r e t u r n i n g o f f i c e r f o r the Wabasca p o l l . He t u r n e d i t

down because the job was c o n t i n g e n t on h i s e n s u r i n g t h a t the
government c a n d i d a t e won a l a r g e m a j o r i t y i n t h a t p o l l - i n o t h e r
words he was expected to s t u f f the b a l l o t box.
He d i d agree to
p r o v i d e a team and s l e i g h to t r a n s p o r t the r e t u r n i n g o f f i c e r to
t h a t p o i n t , and d i d so. Mother a l s o f i l l e d up a 'grub box' f o r
the t r i p . The horse and s l e i g h were r e t u r n e d but f a t h e r never
got p a i d f o r the team. I t i s q u i t e l i k e l y t h a t the r e t u r n i n g
o f f i c e r put i n f o r the c o s t o f t r a n s p o r t a t i o n i n h i s own name.
He l i v e d i n Edmonton but f a t h e r was unable to l o c a t e him a f t e r wards. I t i s e v i d e n t t h a t the rewards f o r p o l i t i c a l involvement
were l e s s t h a n p r o f i t a b l e f o r f a t h e r but i t d i d not seem to d i m i n ish h i s i n t e r e s t i n p o l i t i c s , e s p e c i a l l y at e l e c t i o n time.
Before
I l e a v e t h i s s u b j e c t , I might mention t h a t f a t h e r a c h i e v e d p u b l i c
o f f i c e by b e i n g e l e c t e d to the l o c a l s c h o o l board - Tawatinaw
S c h o o l D i s t r i c t - on q u i t e a few o c c a s i o n s u n t i l h i s son Leo
became i n v o l v e d . He never became a p u b l i c speaker due to h i s
i n a b i l i t y to conquer what i s known as 'stage f r i g h t ' . T h i s i s
s u r p r i s i n g f o r a man l a r g e l y u n a f r a i d i n a r e a s , where o t h e r s l e s s
c o n f i d e n t , would be.
My f a t h e r was n e a r l y 5'H"
t a l l and weighed around 185 pounds
i n h i s p r i m e . H i s good l o o k s had been s l i g h t l y s p o i l e d as a r e s u l t
o f a horse k i c k i n g him i n the face when a young man.
He had grey
eyes which seemed to become p o i n t s o f f i r e and s p a r k s whenever he
became angry. A good a t h l e t e , who was a b e t t e r than average
b a s e b a l l p l a y e r , boxer and w r e s t l e r . He was a l s o w e l l known f o r
h i s f e a t s o f s t r e n g t h and endurance. He and h i s o l d e r b r o t h e r ,
w h i l e l i v i n g i n M i n n e s o t a , o f t e n a c t e d as c a l l e r s a t square
dances. A c a l l e r i s one who through a s i n g i n g p a t t e r d i r e c t s the
dancers through v a r i o u s p a t t e r n s and s t e p s . He never demonstrated
a g r e a t d e a l o f i n t e r e s t i n music but I can remember when we were
v e r y young he would take us on h i s knee and w h i l e b o u n c i n g us
around would s i n g an accompaniment o f French-Canadian songs.
The above are some o f h i s good p o i n t s but l i k e most o f us he
had weaknesses t o o . One o f these was a v e r y q u i c k temper which
got him i n t o t r o u b l e , on many o c c a s i o n s , when under the i n f l u e n c e
o f a l c o h o l . He was a l a w - a b i d i n g man except f o r a p r o p e n s i t y ,
e s p e c i a l l y as a young man, to get i n t o f i g h t s . As he r a r e l y l o s t
he d i d not have any inducement to a v o i d them. H i s motto might
w e l l have been "No one impugns my honour w i t h i m p u n i t y " .
On the
o t h e r hand, he would a d v i s e h i s sons not to get i n t o p u b l i c
f i g h t s but t o a c c e p t the c h a l l e n g e and f i x a p l a c e f o r the m a t t e r
t o be s e t t l e d a t a l a t e r d a t e . As a l l the boys, i n c l u d i n g L i d i a ,
c o u l d box t h e y were r a r e l y c h a l l e n g e d to prove they were a c h i p
o f f the o l d b l o c k . A f t e r h i s m a r r i a g e , he l a r g e l y overcame h i s
weakness f o r a l c o h o l a l t h o u g h as the s a y i n g goes he would
o c c a s i o n a l l y ' f a l l o f f the wagon' but our l i v e s were never
a d v e r s e l y e f f e c t e d by these o c c a s i o n a l l a p s e s from s o b r i e t y .
He
used t o b a c c o , i n v a r i o u s forms a l l h i s l i f e , but he would c a u t i o n
us not to smoke u n t i l we reached the age o f 16 as i t would i n t e r f e r e w i t h our p h y s i c a l development.
He was

not a r e l i g i o u s man

but I can remember him

telling

us

t h a t on E a s t e r morning, when we had the slough on our p l a c e , he
would go and immerse h i m s e l f i n i t as a form o f w o r s h i p , even i f
i t meant b r e a k i n g the i c e to do i t . He was brought up a Roman
C a t h o l i c but he d i d not go through the c o n f i r m a t i o n ceremony
u n t i l he was 44 y e a r s o f age.
Mother once t o l d him she doubted
he a d m i t t e d a l l h i s s i n s i n the c o n f e s s i o n a l box.
He r e p l i e d ,
"Oh, I don't t e l l him e v e r y t h i n g . " I n the l a t e r p a r t o f h i s l i f e ,
he was a p p r e h e n s i v e about the p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t the c l e r g y would
have so much i n f l u e n c e o v e r mother t h a t a f t e r he d i e d she would
g i v e e v e r y t h i n g to the c h u r c h .
As i t turned o u t , he need not
have w o r r i e d .
As a f a t h e r , he demanded immediate compliance to h i s o r d e r s
o r i n s t r u c t i o n s , which he never r e p e a t e d .
I f disobeyed i t was
sure to b r i n g about some form o f c o r r e c t i o n f o r the o f f e n d e r .
On
o c c a s i o n , t h i s was i n the form o f a t h r e s h i n g w i t h a w i l l o w
s w i t c h . B e f o r e the punishment was meted out he o f t e n asked the
o f f e n d e r to go i n t o the bushes and c u t h i s own s w i t c h .
This
r e q u i r e d a l o t o f good judgement, as a s w i t c h too t h i c k would
l a s t l o n g e r and i n f l i c t more h u r t , One too t h i n would mean i t
would break and he might have to go and get another one.
On r e f l e c t i o n , i n s o f a r as I am concerned, i t does not seem
t h a t we were t r e a t e d h a r s h l y o r u n j u s t l y . Mother had a g r e a t
i n f l u e n c e here.
We were from an e a r l y age r e q u i r e d to do chores such as
b r i n g i n g i n wood and water; m i l k i n g cows and f e e d i n g the farm
l i v e s t o c k , and as we grew o l d e r working w i t h t i l l a g e and h a r v e s t i n g implements. He never imposed upon us i m p o s s i b l e j o b s o r
overworked us. He demanded t h a t our work was o f an a c c e p t a b l e
standard.
I n o t h e r words, no l a z i n e s s o r c a r e l e s s work was
approved f o r i t would be sure to i n v i t e immediate censure.
He saw to i t t h a t h i s f a m i l y always had enough to eat and
was p r o v i d e d w i t h adequate c l o t h i n g , a l t h o u g h he was p r e t t y
i n d i f f e r e n t as to what he wore. Mother used to say he had no
p r i d e . He i n s i s t e d t h a t h i s c h i l d r e n a t t e n d e d s c h o o l p u n c t i l i o u s l y up to the e i g h t h grade but a f t e r t h a t i t was up to the
i n d i v i d u a l . He was always w i l l i n g to h e l p out f i n a n c i a l l y i f
t h e y wanted to go on. My own case i s an example.
D u r i n g World War I I , my f a t h e r s u f f e r e d an i n j u r y to h i s h i p
but as i t was h a r v e s t time he f e l t he c o u l d not stop work to
c o n s u l t a d o c t o r . He s u f f e r e d a l o t o f p a i n and when he got
around to see the d o c t o r , i t was found t h a t he had s u s t a i n e d a
f r a c t u r e which had h e a l e d i m p r o p e r l y , and c o u l d not be r e d r e s s e d .
A f t e r h i s r e t i r e m e n t from f a r m i n g , he found i t n e c e s s a r y , i n
o r d e r to w a l k , he had to use a s e t o f canes. To s i t down comforta b l y , he a l t e r e d a c h a i r to h i s own d e s i g n . I n o r d e r to reduce
the p a i n i n h i s h i p and l e g he r e s o r t e d to u s i n g A b s o r b i n e I i n a ment n o r m a l l y used f o r l i v e s t o c k purposes. At the t i m e , i t
seemed a p r e t t y d r a s t i c form o f treatment but i t l a t e r developed
t h a t the company came out w i t h a brand o f linament much s i m i l a r
i n s t r e n g t h but l a b e l l e d f o r human use.
S h o r t l y a f t e r h i s r e t i r e m e n t , f a t h e r and mother moved to
Edmonton but they o n l y s t a y e d there f o r a few y e a r s . He c o u l d
not get around because o f h i s h i p i n j u r y , and he was a l s o j e a l o u s

t h a t mother seemed to be e n j o y i n g h e r s e l f i n t h i s urban e n v i r o n ment. They moved back to Athabasca i n t o a s m a l l house which was
i n mother's name. He o f t e n r e g r e t t e d , e s p e c i a l l y when he was
a n g r y a t mother, t h a t he put i t i n her name, o t h e r w i s e he might
have s o l d i t o v e r her head. He was somewhat h a p p i e r as he c o u l d
v i s i t w i t h h i s f r i e n d s and o l d a c q u a i n t a n c e s , u s u a l l y i n the
beer p a r l o u r .
Towards the end o f h i s l i f e , he was
A l i v i n g legend.

regarded as a

"character"

He d i e d a t the age o f 83, and i s b u r i e d i n the Athabasca
cemetery b e s i d e h i s w i f e , Rosannao

Gange s, B.C.
J a n u a r y 20,
1982.