Myrtle Varney celebrates her 100th birthday
BY DIANA WALKER
About sixty family and friends gathered at the Oyen & District Seniors Centre on May 18, 2024, to celebrate Myrtle Varney’s 100th birthday (May 17 was actual birthday). One or more
of Myrtle’s small paintings graced each table and each table featured a doily crocheted by Myrtle.
Younger daughter Janice Varney welcomed everyone and thanked attendees for joining in the celebration. She read seven citations from dignitar-
ies congratulating Myrtle on this milestone.
My wife and I are so pleased to be able to wish you a very happy 100th birthday. May your celebration be filled with joy,
From left, Lorna McCallum, birthday girl Myrtle, Janice Varney. Behind: Myrtle’s niece Kathleen Schmalz from East Sooke, BC. Kathleen’s mother Gladys Sirola (Myrtle’s sister) of Victoria will celebrate her 102nd birthday in July. PHOTO BY DIANA WALKER
McDavid the worthiest Hart Trophy finalist
BY BRUCE PENTON
What criteria should be used to determine the winner of the Hart Memo- rial Trophy as Most Valuable Player in the Nation- al Hockey League?
BY BRUCE PENTON Sports Columnist
The winner will be crowned on June 28, and the league has announced that Nikita Kucherov of Tampa Bay, Nathan MacKinnon of Colorado and Connor McDavid of Edmonton have been selected as the three fi- nalists. Toronto Maple Leaf fans were more than slightly annoyed to learn their team’s star, Aus- ton Matthews, was not included among the final three after his spectacular 69-goal season, 12 more than runner-up Sam Reinhart in that category.
Are we talking about the league’s best player? If so, then it’s probably McDavid, hands down. No one can do the things he does with the puck, offering up far more ‘wow’ moments than anyone else in the league. But how can one say Kucherov and his league-leading 144 points don’t represent the most value to his team, considering that the runner-up in scoring on the Lightning was Brayden Point, 54 points in arrears. Kucherov, however, was only able to pull his team to fourth place in the Atlantic Division. McDavid, on the other hand, racked up 132 points, but had team-mate Leon Draisaitl relatively close behind at 106. The Oilers’ pair would run away with the Most Valuable Duo award, but it’s a different story when talking solo play. And after a horrid start to the season, McDavid led the Oilers to a solid second-place finish in the Pacific Division.
Where would the Avalanche be without MacKinnon? He finished second in the scoring race with 140 points, sandwiched between Kucherov and McDavid, but he, too, had great support from team-mate Mikko Rantanen, who had 104 points, and high-scoring defenceman Cale Makar.
Try to envision the season results of the Lightning without Kucherov, the Oilers without McDavid and the Avalanche without MacKinnon. Which player would be missed the most? In my mind, the Oilers without McDavid would feel the most pain. His departure from the Oilers would render his team a middleof-the-road club. Draisaitl would still be a star, but would Zach Hyman be a 54-goal scorer, 20 of them on the power play, without the playmaking ability of McDavid? How far could Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evander Kane carry the McDavid-less Oilers?
SPORTS TALK
Perhaps the closest definition of MVP in the NHL is Kirill Kaprizov of the Minnesota Wild, who finished 11th in league scoring with 96 points (46 goals, 50 assists). The Wild had only one other player with more than 65 points (Matt Boldy with 69). Remove Kaprizov from the Minnesota lineup and there wouldn’t enough offence to scare any team in the NHL
McDavid has three Hart Trophies on his resume and if voters aren’t swayed solely by goals and assists, he should be presented with his fourth on June 28. Most points? No. Best player? Yes. Most valuable to his team? Definitely yes.
• Kendall Baker of Yahoo.com: “Astros’ pitcher Ronel Blanco was ejected after umpires found a foreign substance in his glove. He now faces a 10-game suspension. The Astros cheating? They would never!”
• Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com: “SI reports that on May 24 Joe Buck is set to call his first MLB Game in three years, with Chip Caray. ‘I’ve really missed hearing Joe Buck calling a baseball game,’ said nobody.”
• At a recent World Cup of soccer, the English team visited an orphanage: ““It was heart-breaking to see their sad little faces with no hope,” said João, age 6.”
• Comedy writer Torben Rolfsen of Vancouver: “The NHL announced it will hold the 2024 Draft Lottery Tuesday, May 7. I believe that’s a civic holiday in Chicago.”
• Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel: “The Jacksonville Jaguars will once again play back-to-back games in London this season. I’m not saying the Jags are spending too much time in England, but I’m hearing the they no longer take water breaks during practice and instead have opted for afternoon tea.”
• Headline at the Canadian satirical site, The Beaverton: “Kris Knoblauch flips big switch in office from ‘split up McDavid and Draisaitl’ to ‘play McDavid and Draisaitl together.’
• Comedy guy Steve Burgess of Vancouver, writing sarcastically about NHL officiating: “Nice to see the league bringing the legal two-handed slash back into the game.”
• RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: “Not that long ago, Toronto columnist Steve Simmons said the Maple Leafs are ‘closer to a Stanley Cup than many think.’ Right. And I’m closer to dating Gal Gadot than many think.”
• Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun, expressing dissatisfaction with Blue Jays’ GM Ross Atkins: “The next thing I want to hear Atkins say: ‘Anybody know a good real estate agent?’”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca
McDavid is running out of time in Edmonton
BY GREG BUCHANAN
As the Edmonton Oilers battle the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final, its pretty clear Oilers’ superstar Connor McDavid needs to win now, as the window to win is closing . He’s been one of the best players if not the best in the game. But are the Oilers the best team with McDavid in their lineup? This is a tough time to win. I still don’t think they’re the best team left in the Stanley Cup playoffs. I think Dallas is better than them. I think Florida is better than them. I think the Rangers are deeper than them. Nevertheless, McDavid is running out of time in Edmonton. So,
if Connor doesn’t win this year, it’s not the end of the world. But that window is definitely closing for his opportunity to win a Stanley Cup in Edmonton. It’s got to happen sooner than later.
With Leon Draisaitl set to become a free agent after the next season and Connor McDavid the season after that, the window is certainly closing in Edmonton.
Key players like Evan Bouchard and Stuart Skinner will also need new contracts in 2026. With those contracts up soon, the Oilers may face tough roster decisions. That’s why it seems that Subban is right to point out that the time to win is now.
But, saying all that, anything can happen and usually does in the
Shirley Clark looking for old family photos
BY DIANA WALKER
This week, I received an email from Shirley Clark of Calgary. Her grandparents Gustav Wessel Finstad and his wife Jennie homesteaded two miles west of Oyen, where Shirley’s mother, two sisters and brother were born. (Many Trails Crossed Here, page 105, shows Gustav, Sam and Jens owned land just south of Oyen.). Her great uncle Jens Finstad and his wife also homesteaded near Oyen. Through email and Facebook, Shirley and a cousin in Norway discovered Andrew Oyen was Gustav’s cousin.
In June, Shirley will travel to Norway to visit family from both sides of her grandparents. During the visit, her cousin will take her to Andrew Oyen’s birthplace. Her cousin is searching for pictures of the Oyen brothers when they lived in Oyen. Shirley’s mother and her siblings have passed, so the information trail is dwindling. Shirley’s mother and Mable Cordell were childhood friends.
“I have been in touch with my cousins here and everyone is surprised to find out that the Finstads and Oyens were cousins,” writes Shirley.
Alona Petriieva, Oyen Town Office, sent Shirley photocopies of the Finstad and Oyen families found in Many Trails Crossed Here, Vol. 1.
Shirley welcomes information and/or pictures of the Oyen brothers, her grandparents or Uncle Jens. Email her at smdclark@shaw.ca Oyen Echo contributor Bernie Krewski emailed Shirley saying the only photos of the Oyen brothers he knew of were at the
Oyen & District Museum and Archives. There were few cameras available in those days. He encouraged her to search Peel’s Prairie Provinces collection available online. Enter “Finstad” in quotation marks in The Oyen News brings 17 references. Doing the same for the full Peel newspaper collection produces 84 references - although many may not be relevant. The Hanna Herald is also searchable but is more difficult and time-consuming.
Beth Holland Barnett celebrated her 104th birthday on May 13, 2024. Coming for the festivity were Beth’s sister, Margaret Beare, 97 years young, and her son Jim of Logan Lake, BC; Beth’s youngest sister Carol Cyr, age 86, and her husband Jim of Brooks; a family friend Peter Day of Lethbridge; and two of Beth’s daughters, Brenda of Oyen and Barb of Calgary. They celebrated with a delicious birthday cake surrounding mini cinnamon buns. Beth’s daughters said their Mom’s cinnamon buns were the best, especially when coming home from school to a house filled with the delicious aroma.
After retiring from their farm in the Esther area, Beth lived in her home on the west side of Oyen until January 2021, when she moved to Oyen Extended Care.
Interesting 2023 Highlights in the Special Areas Spring Newsletter Roads & Transportation Services –
In 2023, Special Areas completed 34.0 km of road surfacing, 31.8 km of road construction, 30.8 km of road re-crowning and critical backtrail repairs. Over 590 km of local roads were gravelled. Major surfacing projects included base coursework on Hwy 561 (11.4 km) and Pollockville Road (12.8 km).
OYEN BRIEFS
Oyen Chamber of Commerce hosts bi-monthly meeting
CHARMAIN SNELL, SECRETARY / TREASURER Oyen & District Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber of Commerce had their bi-monthly meeting on May 15, 2024 at the FCSS Youth Centre. Cynti from Bakers Dozen provided a wonderful lunch of soup, sandwiches, and dessert for all those in attendance.
Helene Nicholson, Regional Development Coordinator of the Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta provided an update to the membership regarding the Prairie Crocus Fund and the Lanfine Wind Grant. If you are a non-profit organization that is in need of funding for a specific project, please make sure to contact Helene and she can help you through the intake process.
The Chamber is planning on hosting a FREE pancake breakfast on Saturday, June 22, 2024 during the Bike/Hot Rod/ Big Rig Rally from 8:00 am until 10:30 am in the parking lot outside Lijdsman Insurance.
We will also be hosting a FREE pancake breakfast on Saturday, July 13 du-
ring the Indoor Rodeo weekend from 8:00 am until 10:00 am. This event will also be in the parking lot outside Lijdsman Insurance. Everyone is welcome to attend; and don't forget to stick around for the parade which will start shortly after breakfast!
The Chamber members will be participating in the Meals on Wheels program during the month of June.
Kim Walker and Helene Nicholson have formed a Committee to help the community celebrate our businesses and the people who keep this commu nity alive. Stay tuned for more details and get ready to nominate your favou rite business!
Betty Walker has been working hard on a Community Telephone Directory. If you have a business and you have not been contacted yet, please contact 403-664-1404 to ensure that you are in cluded in the new directory which will be going to print very soon.
If you are interested in joining the Chamber, please check out our website at oyenchamber.ca for more information.
Consider the lasting impact of legacy planning with the Community Foundation
May is Leave a Legacy Month; a time to reflect on how you can leave a lasting impact on the causes that matter most to you.
A legacy gift is a donation to charity in your Will. While many people may not be aware of this option, legacy gifts play a crucial role in supporting charitable organizations that are local to you. When you leave a bequest, your estate receives a tax credit for the full value of the bequest, enhancing your final income tax return. This can help maximize the value of your estate for your beneficiaries. Beyond tax benefits, there are numerous other reasons to consider leaving a legacy gift.
“Leaving a gift to charity in your will is not just about financial planning; it’s about creating a lasting legacy of
Sibbald News
BY LEE SWITZER
Today’s (May 20) drizzle and rains have stopped seeding operations that are well underway in the area. The recent rains have made the countryside so green and lush. Buffalo beans wave their bright yellow blooms in the ditches. As the cow/ calf pairs are hauled to pastures, the pastures are greening up and look
South Central High School. Friday night was the Cap ’n Gown event and Saturday was the Banquet and Formal evening with all events being held at South Central High School. The Norris and Woods families hosted a delicious barbecue and gathering at grandma and grandpa Norris’ red barn on Sunday, May 19. The cool wind didn’t keep anyone away as family and the local com-
Dry Land Butchering
CUSTOM SLAUGHTER AND PROCESSING •offering quality slaughtering & processing of beef & pork •fully inspected facility with certified meat cutters •meat cutting, curing and sausage making
compassion and generosity. By including charitable giving in your estate plans, you not only ensure your values en dure beyond your lifetime but also empower organizations to continue their vital work for generations to come.”
– Chris Christie
Your contribution, no matter the size, makes a dif ference. Together, all gifts add up to create a significant impact.
Contact the Community Foundation of Southeast ern Alberta today, to learn more about how you can make a difference that lasts a lifetime – 403.527.9038 or admin@cfsea.ca.
CFSEA’s mission is to create meaningful connec tions between donors and local charities for the per manent benefit of Southeastern Alberta.
Classifieds
Jessie Battrum’s 80th Birthday
Come celebrate at the Oyen Seniors’ Centre Saturday, June 1, 2024 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Coffee and sweets. Your presence is your gift.
AUCTIONS
ONLINE AUCTION.
Unreserved Real Estate Commercial Building, 3.8 Acres. Redwater, AB. Bidding Starts June 24, 2024. www. mirterra.com. 780-784-2999.
BUILDINGS FOR SALE
INTEGRITY POST FRAME BUILDINGS since 2008 BUILT WITH CONCRETE POSTS. Barns, Shops, Riding Arenas, Machine Sheds and more, sales@integritybuilt. com 1-866-974-7678 www. integritybuilt.com.
CAREER TRAINING
BLANKET THE PROVINCE with a classified ad. Only $269/wk (based on 25 words or less). Reach almost 80 weekly newspapers. Call NOW for details. 1-800-2826903 Ext 225; www.awna. com.
EMPLOYMENT WANTED
GET YOUR MESSAGE
SEEN ACROSS Alberta. The Blanket Classifieds or Value Ads reach over 600,000 Alberta readers weekly. Two options starting at $269 or $799 to get your message out! Business changes, hiring, items for sale, cancellations, tenders, etc. People are increasingly staying home and rely on their local newspapers for information. KEEP people in the loop with our 80 Weekly Community Newspapers. Call THIS NEWSPAPER now or email classifieds@awna. com for details. 1-800282-6903, 780-434-8746 X225. www.awna.com.
FEED AND SEED
ALBERTA FEED GRAIN:
Forage or Grain. OATS –AC Juniper, AC Morgan, AC Mustang, Derby, CDC S01 Super Oat. PEAS – Very Early Yellow Pea Forage Peas. ALSO AVAILABLE: Polish Canola & Spring Triticale. mastinseeds.com; 403-556-2609.
WE BUY DAMAGED GRAINHeated, Mixed, Tough, Light, Bugs, Spring Thrashed.... Barley, Wheat, Oats, Peas, Flax, Canola. “On Farm Pickup”. Westcan Feed & Grain 1-877-250-5252.
FORAGE SEED FOR SALE:
Organic & conventional: Sweet Clover, Alfalfa, Red Clover, Smooth Brome, Meadow Brome, Crested Wheatgrass, Timothy, etc. Star City, SK. Birch Rose Acres Ltd. 306-921-9942.
HEALTH
HIP/KNEE REPLACEMENT. Other medical conditions causing TROUBLE WALKING or DRESSING? The Disability Tax Credit allows for $3,000 yearly tax credit and $30,000 lump sum refund. Take advantage of this offer. Apply NOW; quickest refund Nationwide: Expert help. 1-844-453-5372.
SERVICES
CRIMINAL RECORD? Why suffer employment/ licensing loss? Travel/ business opportunities? Be embarrassed? Think: Criminal Pardon. US entry waiver. Record purge. File destruction. Free consultation. 1-800-3472540. www.accesslegalmjf. com.
WANTED
COLLECTOR/ ENTREPRENEUR PURCHASING COINS & COLLECTIONS! CASH PAID! ROYAL CANADIAN MINT COINS, collections, rare & old coins, silver & gold coins, jewelry, nuggets, bullion, sterling, gold & silver! 306774-2420.
BEAUTIFUL SPRUCE
Gerhard Maxmillian Wulf was born in Tokemit, Poland, on March 23, 1935, to Franz and Rosa Wulf.
Gerhard had two sisters, Brigitta Straub and Eva Shlegel, and a brother, Norbert. At the age of 9, while his father was away at war, Gerhard and his family fled their hometown after tanks blew the roof of their home off.
They made their way west through harsh weather and firefights. He lost his grandmother to sniper fire and his baby brother Norbert due to the cold el ements. The family was shipped to Sweden, where they were rejected as immigrants and moved to northern Germany, near the town of Westerstede. The family was placed in a refugee camp. His mother Rosa died from cancer shortly after, resulting in Gerhard and his sisters becoming orphans. A local farm family whom his mother befriended took in Gerhard, while his sisters went to other homes nearby.
The family Gerhard lived with were the Wilkens and their daughter Erika, who would become Gerhard’s future wife. Anyone knowing Gerhard’s humour would laugh when he said he first slept with Erika when he was 10.
where he earned six different certificates over time. Gerhard then opened Wulf’s Plumbing and Heating for many years. He eventually moved on to work for the Acadia School Division as the maintenance supervisor, where he worked until he retired in 1995. Gerhard always had a hard work ethic and instilled in his family that when you do something, do it well the first time or don’t do it at all. He was a master at visualizing things he wanted to build and making them come to life.
He loved his family, and although he had personal struggles, they loved him too.
One event he would always remember was returning to his hometown of Tokemit after 65 years with his family. It was a trip of a lifetime that they will all cherish and never forget.
Gerhard was a great storyteller and led an interesting life. He loved music, played drums in a band, and was always whistling a tune. He also loved playing the harmonica. He was a volunteer fireman and also a member of the Kinsmen Club, volunteering many hours to build projects needed in Oyen. He could always be found at local dances and could easily be spotted in his famous white dress shoes.
Buying Oats, Barley, Wheat, Canola, Peas, Screenings, Mixed Grains. Dry, Wet, Heated, or Spring Thresh. Prompt Payment. In House Trucks, In House Excreta Cleaning. Vac Rental. 1-888483-8789.
BARLEY – * NEW-AB Standswell* Smooth AWN, High Yielding, Grain and Forage Great Lodging Resistance. 1st NITROGEN USE EFFICIENT CEREAL IN CANADA. OTHER BARLEY: Cerveza, CDC Austenson, CDC Maverick, Esma, Sundre. WHEAT – Pintail,
The war ended, and Franz returned to Germany after being held in a Russian prisoner-of-war camp. Through the Red Cross, the family was reunited. Franz remarried an old friend, Gertrude, who became Gerhards stepmother, and the grandmother we all knew. In his late teens Gerhard became a tailor by trade and also worked in a brewery. Wanting more, Gerhard decided to move to Canada with his friend Rudy. He arrived in Halifax in 1957 and travelled west via train to New Brigden, Alberta, to work on the Fred Tye farm under the Department of Colonization. He loved his time at the Tye farm, forming tight bonds with the family. He suffered along with them over the years through the tragic losses they had endured. Darrow and Gerhard lived in the bunkhouse and have remained dear friends ever since. Erika came to Canada, and eventually, they married on March 23, 1961. They had two children, Conny and Wayne. Gerhard loved his children’s spouses, Shane and Bobbi Jo, as if they were his own.
Gerhard worked at Dets Plumbing and Cec Mansfield Plumbing and apprenticed at SAIT,
Because our family was small, Gerhard loved his close friends like they were family. The Tyes, Jorgensons, Whites, Bruntjens, and Robert Vermeer, to name a few.
Gerhard left us on May 15, 2024, with family by his side. He leaves to mourn his wife of 63 years, Erika, and two children, Conny (Shane) Hertz and Wayne (Bobbi Jo) Wulf; grandchildren; Melissa (Daryl) Kroeger, Blake (Rebecca) Hertz, Kim (Brent) Curry, Doug (Kassie) Hertz, Sydney Wulf, and Gianna Wulf, great-grandchildren; Kennedy, Nataley, Hudson, Dallas, Sophie, Anthony, Hallie, Sawyer, and Nicholas. Sister Eva Schlegel and brother-inlaw Heinz (Anna) Wilken are in Germany.
A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, May 26, 2024, at 2 p.m. at the Oyen Seniors Rec Centre in Oyen, AB.
To leave a message of condolence, please visit ofsmacleans,com
MacLean’s Funeral Home in care of funeral Arrangements
Gerhard Maxmillian Wulf
March 23, 1935 - May 15, 2024