Pickup Family

The folks moved to the Crow’s Nest Pass area of Alberta where Dad operated a tire vulcanizing and sales business and a garage in Blairmore. They bought their first house in Coleman for $750.00. While in “the pass” I, Lynn Judson was born December 16, 1946. Dad with his hired driver also operated a truck, hauling mine props to Beaver Mines. Dad sold his business interests in “the pass” and moved his family west of Pincher Creek to Castle Mountain where he had joined the Alberta Forest Service as a look out man. Dad recalls a fierce snowstorm he encountered while driving his truck out of the forestry. It was snowing and blowing so badly that he could only move the truck ahead about ten feet at a time. By the time he shoveled out the tracks and repaired the chains the tracks were blown in again. He says because he had a new truck, two tanks of gasoline, was young, able bodied and could shovel, the risk being stranded was not any real threat.

Dad later became an assistant forest ranger in Kananaskis. Here my folks lived in a cabin on the lower lakes and wintered in Canmore where my brother, Walter Brian, was born on January 6, 1950. It was while Dad was patrolling in the Kananaskis area, so Mother tells the story, that she inadvertently encountered a bear outside the cabin .She says she banged on a tin pot until the bruin, deciding he had enough noise, left. She said she had been so badly frightened she had lost her voice. When I became school age it was time to leave the forestry, for unless I was going to take correspondence it was necessary be closer to schools. It seemed to be the time for Dad to pursue a dream, for although Dad had thoroughly enjoyed life as forest ranger he dearly wanted to farm. My Mom too, looked forward to them getting their “own place”.

A farmer enjoying some fishing in the Kananaskis had earlier met Dad when he was patrolling the Lower lake area. This farmer, Frank Hutchinson, had offered Dad a job and now seemed be a good time to take him up on it. For the next while Dad worked for Frank Hutchinson and Frank’s Dad, Walter Hutchinson Sr. He helped with haying, thrashing, fencing and tending livestock. He fed cows, pulled calves and helped with branding and the other delightful duties that are part of a stock farming operation. Dad recalls how at branding time Frank pretended to catch a calf, stirring it up until it was really antsy, then sent in the “green man” , Dad, to catch it and take a pounding in the process. Dad was not deterred; he continued to serve Frank Hutchin on, carrying out the farm chores and dutie , caring for his stock. Dad knew what it was, on a cold winter’ day, to trudge behind a team of horses and hayrack u ing the rack to shelter his frozen face from the biting wind. Frank Hutchinson gave Dad his born blind calve and Mom and he pail-bunted them until these calves could be turned out to grass and eventually marketed. To buy land, my Dad required a loan. Since he was a veteran of World War II he qualified under the Veteran’s Land Act (V.A.L.), except to qualify for a farm loan the applicant was required to have farming experience which Dad, a city boy, did not have. The V.L.A. people did however accept Dad’s wife’s experience as Mom had grown up a “farm girl”. After chasing farm sales in the Sundre area, enduring frustrations and disappointments, the Lord answered Mom’s prayers and land on which to start a farming operation became available. Mr. Walter Hutchinson Jr. in 1956 was persuaded (probably by his good wife Margaret) to sell the Pickups the NE Sec 30 Twp 27 Rge 3 W5M. Now the real work of building a farm began. For off farm income Dad drove a panel school bus from the Lochend and Inglis Districts to the Westbrook School. Between trips and on weekends Dad worked at constructing the needed farm building fences, corrals and tending the livestock. Mom for her part, as she always had when Dad was away earning badly needed off farm income, “kept the home fires burning”, keeping house, growing a big garden, planting flowers, doing farm chores and helping Dad as need arose. The house three miles north, that the folks purchased and moved to their property, had at one time been owned by the same people who sold a 1941 one ton Ford truck to a used car lot. Coincidently, this was the same truck Dad purchased from the car lot as his first farm truck. The truck that Dad had earlier bought and the house that he later bought had been owned by the same people who Dad never met.

Eventually, with much hard labour, the farm came together and started to be a dream realized. Dad secured a janitor job at the Westbrook School where my brother Brian and I attended. The family then helped to carry out cleaning obligations to the school board. Since a little more money was coming into the household we were able to afford a better car, a 1955 Ford two door, and Wow! A TV set. The farm continued to grow. We bought the half section one mile north of the home quarter S Sec 6 Twp 28 Rge 3 W5M from Emmanuel Schattle. After I had left home, the house on the home quarter was moved north and situated on the more recently purchased half section. The house was renovated and “added to”. More corrals, fences and farm buildings were built including a big hay shed and a large maintenance shop. Dad also added to the fleet of school buses. The bus routes he covered were areas toward and including highway IA to Cochrane. Dad managed five school buses and their routes. He was honored by his colleagues for his thirty year driving achievement.

At one time when the folks were renting land the cattie herd was close to one hundred head of cows with calves. When land was not rented the herd was maintained at about eighty five cows. These were Hay’s Converter animals, a breed developed by Senator Harry Hays of Longview, Alberta. These cattle were a good, sturdy, quiet, milk producing breed. They proved to be a good choice for the Pickups cow-calf operation. We were blessed, the ranch was successful, and the dream was realized.

Dad’s heart attack in 1986 would force my folks to sell the ranch, the school bus operation, and retire to Cochrane. The folks are keeping busy and enjoying Cochrane. They enjoy their friends, their family, their community and their church. Dad is even still doing some volunteer work in palliative care in Calgary.

As for the rest the of family, we’re enjoying Cochrane too since we all live here. Brian, after completing high school, spent some time in university. He then took jobs working with a fiber glass company and managing a Co-op on the Queen Charlotte Islands. Brian later drove for the city of Calgary Transit System. Eye problems forced him to re-train at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). He became a qualified electrical technician, heading up crews working on sub-stations for the City of Calgary. Brian recently officially retired from Enmax. He is kept busy now caring for the small portion of land that the family retained from the original home quarter. Brian married Patricia Marie Pearsall, a talented artist. Patricia or Pat, as she is known by some of her friends and family, had a child, Stephanie Marie, by a former marriage. When he married Pat, Brian was able to adopt Stephanie. Stephanie has a son, Alex.

I, Lynn, received my first three years of formal education at a one roomed school, Lochend. I traveled the three and one half miles to school by horseback, unless I was able to bum a ride with a neighbour girl and her father in their fancy new Ford sedan. I recall an incident at school when we were playing frozen tag. A big bruiser of a lad accidentally crunched down on my poor big toe. I quietly waited until home time when the damage could be assessed. Once home I wouldn’t let Dad take the shoe off as I was convinced the smashed toe would come off with it. The shoe was finally removed and the toe didn’t come off. It looked like a big plum and the nail eventually did come off.

From Lochend I attended Westbrook School as did my brother. He graduated from grade 12. This school turned out many grade 12 graduates; I was one student it just turned out! Intimidation from an unchecked bully, gang type element in junior and high school made the studying difficult and I was forced to leave school short of the credits required for graduation. Although it seemed insignificant at the time, recent tragic events in Coaldale and Columbine have demonstrated all too clearly, the senseless violence that can erupt when aggressive predatory behavior is not addressed. Westbrook and I parted company in 1967 when I went into the work force. Since leaving high school, through night school, school attended on Saturdays, and home study I have acquired more than enough credits to qualify for a G .E.D. (General Equivalency Diploma), and have in fact achieved it. I recently took a complete high school course from the folks at I.C.S. (International Correspondence School) where I graduated with “honours”. Unfortunately accreditation for high school mathematics as recognized provincially, is still not one of my accomplishments. I have no particular interest in theoretical mathematics but have come to appreciate the purely logical aspects of this science. At 60 years of age I still view my incomplete math studies as an unanswered challenge. In my spare time I continue to pursue the understanding of the principles and concepts of mathematics that I consider practical and applicable. I do this because I like to keep my mind active, that and I evidently have a streak of masochism!

After leaving school I worked at various jobs; assistant shipper, glass worker, and janitor. In August 15, 1970 I was privileged to marry a very special girl, Miss Sandra May Brodie. Sandra, or Sandy, is the lovely daughter of Jim and Beryl Brodie of Cochrane. Although we did not have our own children we have been a home to several children including two nieces. Shortly after we were married we became foster parents to the two Phillips boys, Grant, 8 years old and his brother Mark, 6 years old. We had the boys a combined period of approximately seven years. Young Grant, a troubled little boy, passed away suddenly at the Alberta Hospital in Ponoka in 1981. Mark works on the oil drilling rigs. My parents by the way, at the time we had the boys, took in their siblings, a brother Richard and a sister Janice. My wife Sandy, after we were married helped my parents on the ranch, a did I in my pare time while we resided there. Since moving to Cochrane, Sandy operates her own home cleaning business. In July of 2007, I began my 37th year of service with the Jumping Pound Gas Plant where for about 35 of those years I have enjoyed unofficially being the unofficial head custodian of an unofficial housekeeping department. Here I have spent most of my working days since being shown the door at high school.

Sandy and I just celebrated our 37th wedding anniversary. We enjoy our time together, our family and friends, our church family and our friends at the Bethany Care Centre. In the Bethany we have had the privilege of volunteering our services in the Alzheimer wing, playing games, leading singing, fixing snacks and just visiting with the residents.

As earlier mentioned, Cochrane is now home to all of us. On September 28, 2007 Mom celebrated her 90th birthday and Dad turned 87 on October 2. What can I say? We’re all growing older and as such, have our various health issues to deal with, but as a friend of mine so aptly put it, every day above ground is a good day!

When health starts to sneak away it’s time to live closer to where medical help is a little nearer to hand. Cochrane, the Grand Old Lady is our choice. Recognized still by the beauty of her rolling lush hills, rushing river waters and distant beckoning mountains, Cochrane’s laidback charm is just a memory. Only the hint of a bygone era can be found in the preserved buildings and recently constructed replicas. Most of the buildings and landmarks three decades past have been pushed aside by trendy boutiques, tourist shops and upscale cafes. Our quaint little cow town has become a small bustling city of urban sophistication. Here we reside surrounded by the comfort of friends and joy of family. The ranch and the quiet life of the countryside are but fond memories. Grateful are we for the experiences and the memories. My Mom would tell you thanks to the Lord we had a good ride. Amen Mom.