JACKSON, George Henry was born on Dec. 12, 1935 to Edward and Mary Jackson. He had an elder brother James and a younger sister Helen. They lived in several log homes before moving to a farm overlooking the beautiful Battle River. George went to the Battle River School on Table Mountain Road, 2 miles south of where they lived. George walked or ran to school often barefoot in the summer! He completed Grade 8 and left home at age 16. He and brother Jim went to Calgary where they worked in service stations. In 1953, George, Jim and sister-in-law, Georgia, sold magazines door to door in Calgary and Lethbridge. George decided to move to B.C. along with several Prongua boys! They all worked in various logging camps on the Queen Charlotte Islands and Holberg on Vancouver Island. He hauled huge logs out of the bush and down long steep mountain trails. The employers liked to hire prairie farm boys, as prairie boys knew how to drive along with many other talents. George lost his brother Jim to polio in the serious outbreak of the fifties. George married Pat Paynter, a Registered Psychiatric Nurse on June 11, 1960. They had four children: Kevin, Wendy, Shelley and Jeffrey. George always had a love of farming. He helped his Dad and farmed part-time. He pumped gas, repaired and serviced vehicles then managed the Co-op service station for several years while farming on the side. George worked several years on the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Repair Crew. He was often chief cook and bottle washer. There were long hours, hard work and great friends. He eventually farmed full-time, was a very hard worker, wanting to provide for his growing family, one growing to 6'7"! George often came home at 1 or 2 a.m., chilled to the bone after cultivating late to finish a field. George and Pat were thrilled to finally have a tractor with a cab heater and air conditioning! George went through 15 tractors over the years. He ended up with a John Deere 8850 - 4-wheel drive. He farmed up to 20 quarters with his two sons helping when they were not in school or working. George served as a counselor for the RM of Battle River for 18 years. He served as chairman on many committees. He was very involved in implementing home care for the Battlefords, also on the Ambulance Board, involved with Fire Safety and Health. George was also very involved with the establishment of the Table Mountain Ski Hill. He always worked for the care and betterment of the community where he lived. George retired from farming in 1994. He then enjoyed many hobbies - he loved making exquisite, custom designed willow chairs - making over 335 large, comfy chairs. He thoroughly enjoyed hunting and fishing, instilling his love of them to his sons and grandsons! Our family loved venison and moose sausage. In 2001 George had what he called his "cowboy cold" with flu like symptoms for 6 weeks along with a sore mouth. After being hospitalized and not doing too well, his wife discharged George against his doctor's wishes and went to Saskatoon to St. Paul's Hospital. He was a patient there for 58 days and was quickly diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called "Polyarteritis Nodosa, a disease that caused inflammation of the small blood vessels in his body. His main Doctor was Nephrologist Dr. Judy Klassen who's wonderful and conscientious care provided George with 10 more years of pretty good living. George succumbed to his disease with multiple complications on January 9th, 2012 at St. Paul's Hospital, Saskatoon with his family at his bedside. George is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Patricia Jackson of Battleford, his children: Kevin Jackson and Sue Bridge of Calgary, Wendy and Grant Alger and their children, Alyssa, Joshua and Marcus of Calgary; Shelley and Daren Tkatchuk of Saskatoon, Jeffrey and Catherine Jackson and their children Jeremy, Anna and Jodi of Maple Ridge, BC; his sister Helen Mitchell and Gary Gage of Edmonton and Sister-in-law, Georgia and Frank Stevenson of Campbell River, BC. CARD OF THANKS Thank you to our precious children and grand-children for being here when I needed you so much. To our families for travelling to be with us, for our many friends and neighbours for multiple hugs and condolences, the wonderful food and beautiful flowers. Sincerely Pat Jackson ____________________________________________________
