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SANDERSON – James Harold Sanderson, age 96, passed away peacefully with his daughter at his side on August 13, 2022 in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan. He had spent the day visiting with his family as his children, five grandchildren and three of ten great grandchildren were present.
Jim was born in the farmhouse (SW 32-13-24) north of Piapot on 28 July 1926 to Leot and Marie Sanderson. Jim’s sister Kathleen was five years older and his brother Lyle was twelve years younger. Jim spent his childhood years on this farm. He attended Cambrai School for Grades one thru six.
In 1938 the Sanderson family moved south to Vance McCarthy’s N3C Ranch. Jim spent his teenage years on this Ranch taking Grades 7 thru 10 by correspondence with his mother’s assistance. He attended Piapot School for Grades 11 and 12, boarding with Pete and Gladys Glascock during winter months. The friendship of their son Clarence and Jim endured for over 75 years!!
Jim learned to drive when he was 12 years old. He bought himself an old Model T Ford at age 14 followed by a 1927 Chevy. Jim took the two vehicles and created a new one to drive to and from Piapot School.
There was a pretty, new school teacher Helen Altman at Stillwater School. Helen had taken two months of Normal School after Grade 12; this was her first school. Helen would be walking to Mac and Mae Jensens where she was boarding at the same time Jim was heading home from Piapot. Jim offered her a ride in his homemade jalopy. She was brave enough to get in – little did she know he had fixed the radiator leak with a dose of pepper – it worked for the radiator but left Helen’s eyes watering as this vehicle did not have much of a windshield. Guess it couldn’t have been all that bad riding in his jalopy as Helen agreed to marry him several years later!!
Making homemade ice cream from real cream, eggs, sugar and vanilla was a common occurrence at Leot and Marie’s. Making ice cream was hard work; it took a lot of ice, salt and cranking to change the ingredients into such delectable fare!! Inventor Jim didn’t take long to figure out turning the handle on a 3 gallon ice cream freezer was too much work. He put a washing machine motor and a 3 speed transmission on that three gallon ice cream freezer to get the job done with the least amount of physical labor possible!!
Out south, Jim had to sleep in the same room as the hired men. This gave him the opportunity to have some fun!! The hired men often slept in their wool long johns – one hired man in particular always picked on another one. Jim decided to teach that hired man a lesson. Jim attached an old Model T coil to the iron bed frame so when “the bully” jumped into bed he got a little jolt of electrical juice that sent him hopping out of bed much faster than he got in!!! These little “experiments” piqued Jim’s interest in electricity and his desire to pursue a career as an electrician. In the fall of 1946 Jim went to Tech in Calgary to become an Industrial Electrician.
On October 26, 1947 Jim and Helen were married in a double wedding with Helen’s sister Betty and Art Nargang on the Altman farm south of Parkbeg. Helen and Jim returned to Calgary, boarding with Isabel and Perce Aikenhead while Jim finished school and Helen did substitute teaching.
Upon graduation in 1948, Jim and Helen returned to Piapot to take up ranching on Rod and Julia Mackenzie’s farm. Jim began building a herd of Hereford cattle – a breed he always believed looked the very best on the green pasture background of Rainbow Valley Ranch!
Helen and Jim were blessed with a daughter Dianne and four years later a son Vance. Eventually the family grew with the addition of five grandchildren. Vance began his ranching career by joining his Dad, working side by side for many years.
Jim participated in his community as a Skibbereen School Trustee, in Piapot United Church, President of Piapot Wheat Pool Committee, President of 76 Grazing Coop, coach of Piapot Baseball Team, and Board member of Jasper Cultural and Historical Center. Jim and Helen enjoyed curling at Skull Creek and Piapot Curling Rinks. In later years he watched curling on TV and he was a faithful fan of the Toronto Blue Jays.
The family has wonderful memories of annual camping vacations to the Okanagan, Vancouver Island, Banff and into the USA. And many fond memories of fun and laughter with the Skull Creek gang – curling and skating at Skull Creek, ball games, Eccleston’s three hole golf course, swimming in the creek, pot luck suppers, bonfires and camping at Cypress Park.
Jim always had a dog at his side, usually a border collie to bring in the milk cow from the pasture. In the early days he had his favorite horse Goldie and in later years Rocket (the mother of champion bucking horse High Chaparral).
In the spring one would find Jim with his rubber boots and shovel irrigating his meadows, hoping for a bumper hay crop. Jim`s passion for inventing or adding items to enhance his machinery’s performance or building things for the house or in the garden so it would “work better” continued throughout his life.
Helen was well known for her beautiful flower garden. Jim helped her prepare the greenhouse, plant and pick the vegetables. Jim continued his love of gardening at his house in Maple Creek, growing flowers and a vegetable garden - but his real pride and joy was his rose garden especially when people stopped to admire it as they walked by. He was very proud when his yard was chosen Yard of the Week by Communities in Bloom in 2017.
Music was part of Jim’s life since childhood as both the Sandersons and his mother’s families were musical. Jim had the gift of “playing by ear” – he would hear a song, then sit down and play it on the piano. Jim even started saxophone lessons at the young age of 75.
In early years Jim played the piano for country dances; in later years he continued to provide those “old time tunes” for the enjoyment of others at SunGlo and Cypress Lodge. He felt it was a privilege to play with Ingolf Dahl, Herb Duncan, Don Hanchar and the many others who accompanied him.
Another passion was dancing - from the country school dances to square dance and round dance lessons, Jim and Helen danced 2 and 3 times a week in Medicine Hat – they danced their way to the National Square and Round Dance Jamboree at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver. Over the years they enjoyed seeing some of the great old dance bands like Don Messer, Lawrence Welk and their favorite Guy Lombardo.
To semi-retire Helen and Jim purchased a winter home in Medicine Hat, returning to the Ranch for the summer months. When Helen’s health failed, they moved to a home in Maple Creek. Helen passed away in 1998.
Jim’s love of music and dancing had him find a new dance partner in Dorothy (McFaul) Walmark. Jim and Dorothy were married September 23, 2006 in Maple Creek. They continued their mutual enjoyment of music and dancing at the Moose Lodge in the Hat, their favorite the famous Danceland at Manitou Beach, Sask and Great Canadian Barn Dance at Hill Spring, Alberta. They made many trips around Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC visiting family and friends. Dorothy passed away in 2017.
Jim continued living in his Maple Creek home, gardening, and doing his own cooking and cleaning until October 2021 when he injured his back requiring a move to Cypress Lodge Assisted Living with his final two weeks spent in Long Term Care.
Melanie once asked Grandpa what he liked about farming. Grandpa replied, “You have to look for the challenges and always ask yourself, “What is a better way to get a good crop next year?” That seemed to be Grandpa’s life philosophy – to look for a better or another way of doing things and to always be learning something new!
Jim was predeceased by his parents Leot and Marie Sanderson, his wife Helen of fifty years, his wife Dorothy of ten years, his sister Kathleen and brother-in-law Dorth Spurlock, his brother Lyle, his niece Dr. Sandra Schaefer, in-laws Art and Betty Nargang, Paul and Tom Altman, as well as many members of Dorothy’s family.
Jim leaves to cherish his memory his daughter Dianne Ferguson and her children Melanie (Hans) Zieffle and Heidi (Kirk) Mack, Drinnan, Relaile, and Dritan; his son Vance (Pamela) Sanderson and their children, Eric (Terri) Sanderson, Brenna and Sloane; Peter (Kristen) Sanderson, Jack, Emily, and Olivia; Laura (Rich) Girard, Haillie and Matthew; his step daughter Carol Wambeke; as well as Carol Sanderson, June and Don Ferguson, Gladys Altman, Gail Altman, Fern Wudrich, Evie Meston, numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, September 17 at 2 pm in Maple Creek United Church. A private family interment will take place at the Ranch later.
Friends who wish, may remember Jim with a donation to the Jasper Cultural and Historical Center in Maple Creek.
Our family extends our most heartfelt thank you to Jeanie Culligan and all staff members at Cypress Lodge; the physicians and staff at Southwest Integrated Healthcare Facility Acute and Long Term Care and to the Home Care Program. We are most appreciative of your kind and thoughtful care these past months.
Binkley’s Funeral Service, Maple Creek in charge of arrangements 306-662-2292.
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