Origin Active Lifestyle Communities is excited to highlight Bert in our July Community Member Spotlight! Bert moved in with us in April 2014 and has been an exceptional part of our community ever since.
Born in 1927, in the town of Waldeck, Saskatchewan, a small town with a population of 50 people. Bert’s father was a grain buyer, so his parents and three brothers travelled and moved around a fair bit: from Woodrow, Saskatchewan to Alberta then Magrath. As a kid, Bert had an interesting and active life. His first job was to go door to door and sell all kinds of magazines, and he also collected junk and sold it. He prides himself on being quite the salesman considering he was only eight years old! At the age of ten, Bert worked as a red cap at the Greyhound terminal, carrying luggage. He was making $7 in tips while full-grown men were making only a dollar a day! After the first day at Greyhound, Bert celebrated by buying a two liter of pop for 20 cents.
When Bert was about eight years old, he would go swimming in the Bow River, then across from the entrance of Bow to Prince’s Island Park, then walk to Reconciliation Bridge and back to the swimming hole. Back then everyone he knew was a fairly strong swimmer, but if someone needed help, they helped them.
As a kid, Bert played hockey, baseball, and soccer. His dad was a scoutmaster, so he went to cubs and scouts, and a couple of Bert’s uncles were pugilists! Most of the time, as kids, his family went on picnics to Bowness Park where they would ride the train, merry-go-round, and the Ferris wheel.
Bert met his then-future wife when she 14 yrs old; her sister and brother-in-law rented a suite from Bert’s parents. In July 1946, Bert took his brother’s kids to the stampede parade. Afterward, he took them to the Wave Café downtown, and she walked in, so Bert asked her to sit down with them. He asked her out to the stampede, they began dating and were married on September 21, 1946.
Unfortunately, Bert quit school in grade nine, but after he got married, he picked up high school at adult college to continue his education. During this time, he found myself interested in religion and went to a seminary school for four years and graduated in 1950. He moved back to Calgary and worked for the government in the Department of Agriculture and retired when he was 58 years old.
Bert and his wife’s lives were busy with taking their children to hockey and other sports practices - sometimes at four o’clock in the morning! All of their boys played hockey, and their daughter had a talent for leading girls groups and she still works for the Boys & Girls Club of Calgary.
Bert heard about Whitehorn Village from a friend living in the community. Their recommendation really sold Bert and his wife on the place, and they both decided to move in!
In Bert’s words, “Whitehorn Village is a nice place to be, all of my neighbors are very nice and friendly. The staff here is very friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful.”
We are so fortunate to have community members like Bert as part of our Origin family. If you are interested in learning more about our active lifestyle communities throughout Canada, visit our website and schedule a visit today!
