Isnardy, Ray Thursday, 30 Mar 2006
Williams Lake, BC
This is a story whose telling is long overdue. Our friend Ray Isnardy lived a life rich with story material.
Ray Isnardy (Isnardi) passed away Thursday, March 30, 2006 after a battle with cancer. The service will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church at 1 p.m. Friday, April 7 with Father Tony Ackerman officiating. Pallbearers are David Maurice, David Stafford, Bobby Haines, Joey Rosette, Mike Paul and Lee Graves. Willie Crosina will give the eulogy. A tea will follow at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church Hall.
Ray is survived by his wife, Caroline, daughter Valerie (Nelson Harry) of Anahim, son Carey and Rhoda (Antoine) of Cache Creek, daughter Lorna (Dixie Hance) of Williams Lake and son Avon (Mamie Montgomery) of Deadman’s Creek. He leaves 12 grandchildren: Kristy Johnson, Harlan, Cole and Shoshana Rae Harry, Sasha and Chace Hance, Joel, Riley, Cash, BJ and Kiley Isnardy and Alex Isnardy. His sister, Bertha Fletcher also survives him. He also left behind many, many more relatives and a large group of friends.
Ray seemed to be doing okay with his chemo, so his passing, so soon, was a bit of a shock.
Ray didn’t like to be the center of attention, or even be on the edge of attention - he preferred to be in the background quietly observing the goings on. He attended every rodeo and horse-related-event taking place anywhere in the Cariboo – going mainly to see what the horses were like. He and wife Caroline were steady visitors to the stockyards on sale day as well.
Ray and Caroline became a partnership in 1960 and they raised four children together, Valerie, Carey, Lorna and Avon Isnardy. The couple lived in various locations in the area, before settling in at Springhouse. Ray worked in the mill and Caroline worked at home. It is a bit of a family joke that Caroline milked the cows while Ray pulled up a chair to watch. They gathered wood together, also, Ray fired up the chainsaw, cut the tree and bucked it – then would hang about while Caroline spilt and loaded it – then they would drive home where Caroline would unload and stack it. There was no arguing with the fact that Ray had chosen well when he took Caroline as his wife. They were partners for 46 years.
Ray choosing to live at Springhouse was no coincidence; the place was in his blood. It was a location that his maternal family had homesteaded early in the 1900’s. His father Bill was one of the long-time Isnardy of Chimney Creek clan – a grandson (Bill) was to the first Amadee (Amadeus) Isnardy (Isnardi).
His mother, Jessie (nee Johnston) was from one of the first white families to settle in the Springhouse area, she came there, as a very small child with her family all the way from Missouri, U.S. in 1913.
Bill and Jessie met up in the late 20s; two children were born during their brief time together, Bertha (Fletcher) and Ray. Sadly, Jessie died in 1934 when Ray was only three. For a time, Jessie’s mother, Maggie Johnston looked after the children, Bill tried to keep his family together. But young Ray, with whom school never agreed, kind of roamed ‘from home to home’ until he was where he wanted to be staying. He spent a lot of time in the home of Alfred and Minnie Bowe at Springhouse, where the guest ranch is today. Ray also stayed at the Alkali Lake Reserve often and hung around down at the ranch.
As children Ray, Jimmy and Cherie Harris, Myra and Sophie Riedemann used to play together a lot. In a conversation with Myra recently, she remembered that whenever children from outside the ranch, especially boys, came to play, they always wanted to ride something. Their targets, based on availability, were either the milk cows or the pigs.
Ray’s pleasure in life was horses; he ate, slept, lived, dreamed and breathed horses. He liked wild ones, saddle horses, bucking broncs – any kind of a horse with four legs and he rode most all types of them in his lifetime. There was no better fun for Ray than chasing and trying to capture wild horses. He and his friend, David Maurice and others spent many hours in the bush chasing those wild ponies. Sometimes he’d come home after a 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. shift at the mill and head directly out to chase horses.
Horseback training began early for the youngster. His father Bill used to break horses and he had Ray to look after while he did it – so he would sit Ray on one horse and he would tie it to the one he was riding (to train) so he could keep track of Ray. There were some wild rides for that little Isnardy boy. Ray attended virtually no school at all; somehow the truant officers never noticed that the Isnardy boy was missing.
One of his first ‘real’ jobs was haying, but he soon gave that up in favor of cowboy work and riding saddle bronc horses (the latter took him all over North America). He cowboy’d on most of the big ranches of B.C. during the 1940s and 50s; Alkali Lake, Circle S Ranch, Quilchena, Douglas Lake, Nicola, Stump Lake and Froleks. He also worked frequently for stock contractors, including Dave Perry and Ronnie Gottfriedson.
Ray loved to ride saddle bronc horses and he did it for years and years. He won the Williams Lake Stampede two years in a row in the late 40s or early 50s. In fact from the time he could walk, Ray had never missed a single Williams Lake Stampede, either attending as a competitor or spectator.
He travelled throughout Canada and the U.S. to ride those bucking horses, for several summers in a row; he travelled South to the U.S. for the entire summer to rodeo. He went with a friend named Emory Lewis (his wife, Lucy) – others joined them on occasion. Emory was the financial man, Ray rode the Broncs – Emory did the entering, paid the fees, fueled the car and made sure that they ate.
Ray continued to ride saddle broncs well into the late 70s (age 45-46) but not without paying a very physical price. He broke at one time or another almost everything there was to break. Ray had his ear was ripped off by a saddle bronc horse’s foot, Ray was down and the horse’s hoof landed on Ray’s ear, the twisting motion as the bronc took off – removed Ray’s ear. He broke both arms (one at the Calgary Stampede), destroyed the socket of one hip and suffered many small injuries too numerous to mention. As a young man he survived a bout with TB that was bad enough that he had to be sent to the sanatorium in Vancouver for a time.
Caroline says: “If Ray got hurt anywhere it was a debate as to who should be called, a doctor or a welder! He had so many screws, bolts and bits of steel holding him together that a welder should probably have been first choice. It’s a good thing he never flew because I’m certain that every alarm, bell and whistle in the airport security section would have blew when Ray went through.”
Ray’s time as a rodeo cowboy was spent having a good time, smoking, drinking, carousing with friends – riding many a Bronc, both real and imaginary and traveling endless miles. There was an always a lot of action and adventure taking place. When his group of fellow cowboys were in Williams Lake, the Lakeview was the place of choice for beverages and fun and talk.
Ray used to tell the story of one night when the ‘fun’ in the Lakeview escalated in to their being asked to leave the premises, but they thought their fun was harmless and they didn’t really want to go when asked. In the end - they were physically removed (the police were called). As Ray told it, ‘a bit of a melee erupted during that process and in the scuffle one of the policemen was hit by one of the subjects being evicted’.
Ray says: “When the dust settled there were quite a few of us in jail, and we were sentenced to 30 days for being drunk and disorderly. The jail in town couldn’t hold us all for that long, so they flew us down to Oakalla to do our thirty days – one of the toughest prisons in North America. We did our 30 and then they gave us a few cents and dropped us all off in Skid Row in Vancouver. Us broke Cariboo boys had to find our own way home from there.”
Ray cowboy’d around for years, then in the late 50s he took a sawmill job with Gene Johnson over at Riske Creek, the beginnings of a career that lasted the rest of his working life. In 1965 he signed on with Merrill and Wagner sawmill, staying (Weldwood) until he retired in the early 1990s, more than 25 years later. ‘Coyote, ’ as the mill boys always called him, was given a great sendoff and Ray was looking forward to retirement. No, not really – now he just had more time to do what he loved, which was embedded in his heart and soul, he rode horses and he cowboy’d. First he worked for his Springhouse neighbor, Eric Stafford, then later Corinna Thompson and Duff Gunderson, of Carmelita Lake Ranch, Springhouse.
Corinna comments, “You knew how long or short the day’s ride with Ray was going to be by checking out Ray’s cigarette supply. (He was a heavy smoker for years before quitting in 2002) – lots of cigarettes, very long ride – very few cigarettes, very short ride.”
Ray was still riding the range with Corinna up until last year when he was diagnosed with cancer at 73.
Corinna says: “You’d have thought at his age some of those old injuries, which were pretty bad would have begun to ache and make him unable to put in such long days in the saddle. If they did, he never complained about it, or he just loved to ride so much that he did anyway. I’ll miss my riding partner a lot, he taught me so much and I still had more to learn.”
Lindstrom, Betty Friday, 17 Mar 2006
Williams Lake, BC
The angels came quietly to take Betty Mae Lindstrom from the arms of her two daughters at her home on March 17, 2006.
Betty was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor on December 19, 2005.
Although saddened, shocked, and darn choked, knowing her active life would be shortened, she took the bull by the horns and got all of her legal affairs in order, as advised.
Between trips to Kelowna for treatment, she lovingly opened her door at her home at Terra Ridge to all of her dear friends.
Her daughters barely left her side and let her take charge every step of the way. Betty kept her sense of humour until the end.
Betty even wrote her own eulogy and this is what she wrote of her favorite things: 1. Family and good friends, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; 2. Music, Nutcracker Suite, Richard Clayderman, Celine Dion and Elton John. 3. TV shows, Regis and Kelly, Oprah, Bones, and House.
Her favorite slogan was “One day at a time” and her favorite saying was “You Betcha!”
She was full of life.
Born in Burnaby, B.C., on March 25, 1931, as a young girl Betty was very active and outgoing enjoying basketball, baseball and skiing. She lived in Hope, B.C. from 1959 to 1971, and then moved to Williams Lake.
She was a very active member of the Williams Lake community and worked at many businesses in town including Sweet Sixteen, The Chilcotin Inn, Pauline’s Ladies Wear and The Handi Mart. She loved curling and golf for many years and as a senior she took up bowling too.
She loved knitting and playing cards with her friends. She also volunteered in the community in many different organizations including the Seniors’ Activity Centre, Sunset Manor and she was a proud member of Elder College.
Betty loved keeping busy. At 70 years of age she picked up a paint brush and discovered yet another passion.
Her family always knew that Betty was creative but they never thought she’d become quite the little artist. She found painting very therapeutic too. She’d paint for hours on end.
Betty touched the lives of many people and it really showed at her memorial service as there were over 200 people who attended.
Betty leaves behind daughters, Wendy (Lloyd) from Kelowna, and Vicki (Terry); five granddaughters, Melanie, Sonya, Candice, Courtney, and Megan; also five great-grandchildren, Kristen, Matthew, Tyler, Jaraco, and newborn, Kamryn.
She leaves her sisters Rena (Dick), Pearl (Neil), Shirley (Larry) and many nieces and nephews.
Betty was pre-deceased by her son, Terry, and husband Oliver; partner Roy; sister Kay; and parents Ernie and Nellie Cochran.
The family would like to give special thanks to Dr. Glenn Fedor, the Home Care Nurses, Home Support Workers, Hospice, Rev. Jenny Carter, Luc La Prairie and all of Betty’s special friends for all of their love and support.
Payne, Robert Wednesday, 15 Mar 2006
Williams Lake, BC
Robert Charles Payne passed away March 15, 2006.
Robert was born on March 1, 1938 to Helen and George Payne in High Prairie, Alberta and spent his younger years on the farm originally homesteaded by the family.
He left school to work on the railroad and various oil rigs, then went to work for Cody and Arnet Power Construction.
In 1959 he moved to Peace River to work for Northland Utilities as a serviceman.
He married Marie Van Der Mark on May 7, 1960 and they lived in Peace River where their son Dwayne was born May 14, 1961, and their daughter, Roberta, was born August 11, 1962.
In 1964, Robert was transferred to Uranium City in northern Saskatchewan, where he was an active volunteer in Kiwanis, the volunteer fire department, and boys’ Minor Hockey.
He loved the north and was an avid fisherman and curler.
He went to work for Calgary Power in 1969 and the family moved to Evansburg, Alberta.
His daughter, Melissa, was born in nearby Drayton Valley on July 11, 1972.
Robert hired on with B.C. Hydro in 1972 as a lineman, and a short time later the family moved to Williams Lake where he spent the next 25 years hunting, curling, skiing and golfing in his spare time.
In 1997 he retired from service with B.C. Hydro, and filled his leisure time doing woodwork and spending time with his much loved granddaughter Tegan.
He was pre-deceased by his parents, George and Helen, his sisters, Dora and Margaret, and brothers, Bill, Jerry, and Joe.
He leaves behind his wife Marie, son Dwayne, daughter-in-law Thea; daughters Roberta and Melissa; granddaughter Tegan; sisters Elizabeth Sowan and family; and Nora (Sonny) Engelbretson and family; sister-in-law Faye Payne and family; and mother-in-law Mary Van Der Mark and family.
He also leaves behind many other family and friends who will always remember his generous heart and willingness to lend a hand wherever needed. There will be no service held, at Bob’s request.
Hall, Goldie Monday, 13 Mar 2006
Williams Lake, BC
Goldie Fay Hall passed away March 13, in Vancouver, Washington, U.S.
Goldie was born at home in Chase County, Nebraska, May 25, 1919.
She graduated from the University of Nebraska and was a teacher for 33 years.
She spent most of those years in Goldendale, Washington, beginning in a rural, one-room grade school at Horseshoe Bend and then Goldendale Primary School.
About 1968, after 33 years of teaching, she and her husband retired and moved to Canada. In 2002 she moved to Battle Ground, U.S. to be near family.
Goldie loved her church and was a longtime member of the Williams Lake Baptist Church. She was a lady of many gifts and talents. As a little girl she taught herself how to play the harmonica while bringing in the cows.
Her father gave her a violin when she was 10 and she could play just about anything that made music.
She gave tatting lessons for years, collected dolls and had such a green thumb that the neighbours were sure that she could make shingles grow.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Howard Ray Sheldon and Mary Dell Sheldon; husband, Virgil Keith Hall; and sister Pearl Lee. She is survived by children Jerry Hall of Vancouver and Leona (Toodie) Marx of BattleGround; four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; sisters, Willa Kealiher and Wilma Friday from Denver, Colorado. Layne’s Funeral Home, BattleGround is in charge of arrangements. Memorial services will be held in Canada at a date to be determined.
Cousins, William Saturday, 11 Mar 2006
Williams Lake, BC
William (Bill) Fred Cousins passed away suddenly on Saturday, March 11, 2006.
Bill was born on February 8, 1936 in Vancouver, B.C.
He grew up in Burnaby, B.C. and graduated from Burnaby South High School. He went to UBC beginning in civil engineering for a couple of years before transferring into education and receiving his Bachelor of Education degree when he graduated.
He worked a number of jobs throughout his school years. They included delivering newspapers, car hop for a restaurant, working in a cannery, working in a door factory, working at Woodwards in shipping land surveyor, working as a beekeeper (after writing the Bee Master exam), and working in a pulp mill. He also played a lot of sports such as basketball and floorhockey and was an avid sports fan of most games.
In 1961, Bill married Sharon, whom he had met through a mutal friend who carpooled to UBC with her. He joined the car pool. Bill taught for the Surrey School District at A.H.P. Mathew elementary and at Semiahmoo secondary. In 1962 he and Sharon moved to Williams Lake and both their children were born here.
Bill taught school for 35 years at Glendale, Marie Sharpe, Crescent Heights elementary schools and many years at Poplar Glade elementary before he retired in 1995. After retiring, he enjoyed travelling and visiting family and friends.
In 2000, he and Sharon travelled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for their son Michael’s wedding. Before retirement, Bill enjoyed coaching youth teams and was an active member of the community, helping with the B.C. Northern Winter Games in 1980 and 1995. He volunteered most recently with Speedwatch.
He loved to play bridge and was active in the local bridge club. He was always willing to play with novice players. He was a Life Master in the ACBL. Other interests included gardening, fishing, and building. He built a cabin at Timothy Lake, mostly with hand tools and help from relatives and friends (there was no electricity when most of the cabin was built). He was a gracious host, always inviting visitors to return for another visit. At Timothy Lake, he was able to pursue his interest in swimming and other watersports. Every year, he waterskied a loop on the lake to show he could still do it and was always up to going tubing with the grandchildren. He always had “projects’ he was working on, whether it was digging out a basement with a shovel by himself (mostly) to build a very large woodshed and then proceeding to fill it to the roof! Bill was an active member of the Timothy Lake Road Association.
Bill enjoyed doing puzzles and mathematical problem puzzles. He spent many hours playing games with his children and grandchildren, instilling in them a love of games as well, especially card games. A visit to the cabin always meant lots of time spent playing all kinds of games. He was always interested in his children and grandchildren’s activities and offered lots of encouragement. Once he retired, Bill also became an avid reader and picked up “bargains” on books on his and Sharon’s yearly month-long visits to Palm Springs.
Bill will always be remembered and sadly missed by his family and many friends. Predeceased by his parents Lyle Cousins and Lily Browne and sister Lorraine and brother-in-law George Salahub, Bill is survived by his wife of almost 45 years, Sharon, daughter Linda (Allan) Cruickshank; son Michael (Myrthes), grandchildren Chantal and Brent Cruickshank, and Andrew Cousins, brother Donald (Elaine) Cousins, sisters Loretta (Doug) Green, and Lila (Glen) Rupert; brother-in-law Jim (Katie) Chilton; and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held at the Overlander Convention Centre in Williams Lake, B.C. on Saturday, March 18, 2006 with Reverand Jenny Carter of St. Andrew’s United Church officiating. Approximately 140 people attended.
Bill was a caring and generous husband, dad, and grandfather. He will be greatly missed by family and friends. His grandchildren are already asking “Who will take me fishing ”
Pinchbeck, Margaret Monday, 06 Mar 2006
Williams Lake, BC
Margaret Pinchbeck passed away peacefully on March 6, 2006 at Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake at the age of 89.
Margaret was born on November 7, 1916 at Rose Lake. She was the second child of Jack McCluckie and Eleanor Measen. Her father, Jack, worked several jobs, the longest of which was a ranch foreman at the Mission Ranch.
Margaret’s father passed away in the late 1950s while her mother died when Margaret was but a young girl. She also had an older brother, John, who died in the early 1950s and she is survived by her younger brother, Willie, who is currently living in Cranbrook.
Margaret lived with families near Rose Lake until she was about 12 years old and then moved to Williams Lake to live again with her father. In 1938, she married Thomas Pinchbeck, grandson of William Pinchbeck, who is buried on the hill at the Stampede Grounds.
In 1940 Tom and Margaret moved to Terrace as work was plentiful in that area shortly before the war. But in 1963, Tom and Margaret decided to return to Williams Lake once again to find work.
This town had always been home to them both and they were happy to reunite with friends and family. Margaret worked in the hotel industry, working as a chambermaid and desk clerk at the old Maple Leaf Hotel, Lakeview Hotel and Ranch Hotel (all three have since burnt down). She then became involved with the Cariboo Friendship Society, which became a big part of her life. She would later live in an apartment in the current Friendship Centre for nearly 17 years. Margaret was a regular in the downstairs restaurant having many a cup of tea with friends and family.
Margaret was a longtime parishioner of the Sacred Heart Parish, her family at church was always very important to her.
Family was always a centerpiece of Margaret’s life. Unfortunately, both her daughters passed away before her -- Bernice (Harvey) Shevalier in 1986 and Joyce Johnson in 1994.
She is currently survived by her two sons John (Jackie) of Edmonton, Alberta, and Ian (Rose) of Williams Lake as well as 11 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren.
Margaret was single-handedly responsible for keeping the grandchildren warm throughout the winter. She was well known for knitting them sweaters, socks and afghans especially around Christmas or a birthday. In her 89 years she never forgot anyone’s birthday.
The family appreciates Dr. McMahen for his care, the nurses at Cariboo Memorial Hospital, and especially the home support workers for their kindness, compassion and service to Margaret in her times of need.
As well the family appreciates the service arranged by Luc LaPrairie and the kind words, food, flowers, cards and donations from many family and friends. They were very appreciated during this difficult time.
Funeral services were held for Margaret on Monday, March 13, 2006 at Sacred Heart Parish. Margaret was the last survivor of the Pinchbeck family of her generation. She has departed in body but her spirit and memories will live on for many years to come with her family and friends.
