John Colville

In Loving Memory

John Colville

Memorial Service

Saturday, May 19th

11:00 a.m.

Wadena Baptist Church

John Evans ( Jack ) Colville passed into the eternal presence of our Lord  on April 20 following an extended period of declining health.

Jack is survived by 2 sons; Rod ( Carol ) of White Rock and Don ( Carol ) of Saskatoon. Also there are 6 grandchildren; Corey ( Jayme ), Evan, Shannon ( Evan ), Scott, Tim and Carly.  He also leaves to cherish his memory a brother-in-law, Sid White and sister-in-law, Ann Colville.  Jack was predeceased by his wife, Effie, his parents, Robert and Nellie and all of his siblings; Audrey, Mildred, Bob ( Barbara ), Olive ( Bill ), Charles and Bill ( Jean );  brother-in-law Herbert Hastings, sister-in-laws Merle Hanchuk ( Bill ) and Blanche White.

Jack was born in Canora on October 18, 1921. At the time, the family owned the hotel in Invermay, but later moved to Margo and had the hotel there. The hotel business seemed to be there calling as later on they also had the hotel in Asquith before moving back to the hotel in Margo.

Jack became an orphan in his mid-teen years, but the family pulled together and continued on with the hotel. Often times he would talk about the many men riding the boxcars across the country in the 1930’s looking for work. They would get off at Margo and come to the hotel where all would be looked after, fed and generally helped out. Perhaps this is where Jack developed a lifelong attitude towards helping those in need in society. In later years he was simply deluged by requests from various charities for contributions. As he said many times, “When you are able to give something to help another, the money seems to all come back to you and then some. Besides, it wasn’t mine in the first place. “One thing that Jack stressed to both sons as well as all 6 grandchildren was the value of an education. It seemed to work as all have some form of post-secondary degree.

Jack spent 7 years in the navy during WW II. During this time he saw a great deal of the world including Asia, South America, Europe and the coasts of North America. Many stories were passed along from this time. One that come to mind was leaving Pearl Harbor on a ship bound for Victoria on December 6, 1941. Of course we all remember what happened the next day. He was also in many violent storms aboard ships in places like the then Queen Charlotte Islands where the ship nearly capsized. One time in Panama he and a crew mate missed returning to the ship before it left as they were, of all things, busy eating bananas.

After his navy duty was done, Jack came back to Margo and eventually married Effie Hastings on August 8, 1953. They initially lived in Regina where Jack was employed by Massey Harris, but moved back to Wadena in 1955 as he became the manager of the new fuel and farm supply division of the Wadena Co-op. Business grew in the early years and he even managed a New Holland dealership out of the premises. In the 1970’s he took over the Wadena Texaco along with George Nielson and Len Kristjanson.  They had the business until retiring in the late 70’s.

Much of Jack’s retirement was spent quietly visiting friends and relatives. The highlight every year was to spend 3-4 months in the B.C. lower mainland usually housesitting for someone gone south for the winter.

Those wishing to donate in Jack’s memory can do so with any Christian organization or other charity of their choice. Maybe you could even do as he did and give to as many as you can.