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| John Reed |
John Reed of Cowley passed away on May 31. His obituary is excerpted below. I wanted to say a few words myself about the man, who I considered to be a friend.
I first met John when I began working at the Cowley Co-op shortly after moving here about 7 years ago. My first delivery trip to his home with chicken feed was fraught with something akin to terror on my part, he was such a rattling presence. A garrulous man, he often arrived five minutes before closing time in a battered old truck, the decrepitude of which defies description. John would invariably begin complaining loudly about something before the door closed behind him. A situation that had the patina of a long history. One day John came through the door, 5 minutes to closing, and as he wound up for his usual expostulation I leaped into the breach and hollered at him for arriving so late, chastising him ungently, not unkindly, but loudly.
My coworkers paused in shock, possibly expecting the sky to open and thunder to rain on my head. For my part I knew they had been suffering for decades longer than I. John looked me in the eye for a moment. A very long moment. Therein he saw the twinkle, and in that moment it was returned with his own. His infamous gold tooth had a glint of its own as he roared with laughter (and yes, he was a man who often roared with laughter) and we became, if not friends, at least friendly from that moment on. It didn't stop the hollering, but it was from then on acknowledged as the game it was. Ornery and real, that was John Reed.
Sometimes we'd meet up in a Cowley alley, or some other place, either by happenstance or to a purpose, and end up talking about any number of subjects, about which he was either very well informed or very curious. Time would slip, almost unnoticed. He often asked about life in the city, the attitudes and mores of the people who lived there, how the world looked through my eyes. His curiosity was boundless and his storehouse of knowledge overflowing.
Several times Toni and I helped him load and unload his fruit truck. He'd call as he hit the Alberta/BC border and we'd make the short trip from Cowley proper across the highway to his barn. That was a serious business, full of expostulations and the occasional companionship of late-night shopping Hutterites. We took our pay in product, and John always had a fine selection of fruits and fowl, and he wasn't stingy with it, really, when it came time to do our shopping and go home. He'd find subtle ways to let us know if we hadn't taken enough for our troubles, or if we were reaching the limit. He'd often add some goodie to the mix from his immense stash of delectables.
I know many of you reading this probably knew John much better than I ever had the opportunity to. I feel inadequate to the task of properly giving an account of the man he was, and yet feel it must be done. He was a true character, a true individual, and one of the hardest working men I ever met. The last time I saw him was a few days before he died, outside the Post Office. I could see he was in pain, and he was engaged in a conversation with someone else, so we just nodded and smiled.
Goodbye John.
John William Reed Jr. passed away on Saturday, May 31, 2014, at the age of 75 years. He was born on May 26, 1939, to Maryllya and John Reed of Pincher Creek. His early years were spent on the family farm 17 miles east on Highway 507. He spent the first 9 years at the Springridge Country School. In grade 9, he came to town to continue his education at St. Mike’s in the old dorm.
He married Rachael Tschetter in the 1960s and they had five children: John, Roseanna, Chris, Lydia, and Maryanna. John had 5 grandchildren.
He developed a great passion for carpentry at which he excelled. He also worked at Jackson Bros. and the Pincher Creek Creamery. His desire to be independent led him to various occupations like carpet laying and later developed an interest in chickens, ducks, and eggs. He then added selling fruit in the summer months. From there he developed a widespread clientele from BC to Saskatchewan selling all matter of goods including the eggs and chickens.
In the late 1970s, he purchased an existing farm at Cowley where his dedication to hard work is on display everywhere you look. He built two large barns by himself, plus renovated the old house, all the while dealing in his varied produce. In his travels he made a host of friends in all walks of life, who encouraged him and enabled him to enjoy life among his “stuff”.
He is survived by his sister Margaret (Don) Afdahl; his brothers: Norman (Ginny), Pat (Brenda), Kenny (Margaret) and his children, grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews’. He was predeceased by his brother Lorne in 1968.
A graveside service was held was held on Friday, June 6, 2014 at the Cowley cemetery, officiated by Pastor Rudy Harnisch, followed by a memorial gathering at Cowley Community Hall.
My coworkers paused in shock, possibly expecting the sky to open and thunder to rain on my head. For my part I knew they had been suffering for decades longer than I. John looked me in the eye for a moment. A very long moment. Therein he saw the twinkle, and in that moment it was returned with his own. His infamous gold tooth had a glint of its own as he roared with laughter (and yes, he was a man who often roared with laughter) and we became, if not friends, at least friendly from that moment on. It didn't stop the hollering, but it was from then on acknowledged as the game it was. Ornery and real, that was John Reed.
Sometimes we'd meet up in a Cowley alley, or some other place, either by happenstance or to a purpose, and end up talking about any number of subjects, about which he was either very well informed or very curious. Time would slip, almost unnoticed. He often asked about life in the city, the attitudes and mores of the people who lived there, how the world looked through my eyes. His curiosity was boundless and his storehouse of knowledge overflowing.
Several times Toni and I helped him load and unload his fruit truck. He'd call as he hit the Alberta/BC border and we'd make the short trip from Cowley proper across the highway to his barn. That was a serious business, full of expostulations and the occasional companionship of late-night shopping Hutterites. We took our pay in product, and John always had a fine selection of fruits and fowl, and he wasn't stingy with it, really, when it came time to do our shopping and go home. He'd find subtle ways to let us know if we hadn't taken enough for our troubles, or if we were reaching the limit. He'd often add some goodie to the mix from his immense stash of delectables.
I know many of you reading this probably knew John much better than I ever had the opportunity to. I feel inadequate to the task of properly giving an account of the man he was, and yet feel it must be done. He was a true character, a true individual, and one of the hardest working men I ever met. The last time I saw him was a few days before he died, outside the Post Office. I could see he was in pain, and he was engaged in a conversation with someone else, so we just nodded and smiled.
Goodbye John.
John William Reed Jr. passed away on Saturday, May 31, 2014, at the age of 75 years. He was born on May 26, 1939, to Maryllya and John Reed of Pincher Creek. His early years were spent on the family farm 17 miles east on Highway 507. He spent the first 9 years at the Springridge Country School. In grade 9, he came to town to continue his education at St. Mike’s in the old dorm.
He married Rachael Tschetter in the 1960s and they had five children: John, Roseanna, Chris, Lydia, and Maryanna. John had 5 grandchildren.
He developed a great passion for carpentry at which he excelled. He also worked at Jackson Bros. and the Pincher Creek Creamery. His desire to be independent led him to various occupations like carpet laying and later developed an interest in chickens, ducks, and eggs. He then added selling fruit in the summer months. From there he developed a widespread clientele from BC to Saskatchewan selling all matter of goods including the eggs and chickens.
In the late 1970s, he purchased an existing farm at Cowley where his dedication to hard work is on display everywhere you look. He built two large barns by himself, plus renovated the old house, all the while dealing in his varied produce. In his travels he made a host of friends in all walks of life, who encouraged him and enabled him to enjoy life among his “stuff”.
He is survived by his sister Margaret (Don) Afdahl; his brothers: Norman (Ginny), Pat (Brenda), Kenny (Margaret) and his children, grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews’. He was predeceased by his brother Lorne in 1968.
A graveside service was held was held on Friday, June 6, 2014 at the Cowley cemetery, officiated by Pastor Rudy Harnisch, followed by a memorial gathering at Cowley Community Hall.
Honorary Pallbearers:
Ken Rudishhyn
Ray Banga Sr.
Ray Banga Jr.
Clayton O'Bear
Bill Elton
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