Local CFIS 93.1 community radio personality and longtime volunteer Adeline Judith (Byman) Feyer was born in Wadena, Sask. in 1941. She is the eldest of the five children of Erick and Myrtle Byman. Her father was killed in a vehicle accident on Peden Hill in 1956. Her mother married John Handford in 1961 and they had one child.
Judy was just over a year old when her parents headed west to Prince George in search of work. Her father first worked for Evanson Sawmills which was down in the valley right across from where the Tabor ski hill is now located. He also worked for the Kirschke family at Six Mile Lake Sawmills.
Later, he got into the lumber business and then the trucking business. Judy was raised and educated in Prince George. As a young girl, her dad bought a piano for the family and she taught herself how to play. Her father sang and played the guitar, her mother played the accordion and with that, music came easily to her.
Fanny Kenney was her school teacher and she played the piano. She taught her students how to read and write music, which helped develop Judy’s music skills.
When she turned 60, she learned to play the mandolin. Now she is learning guitar and says that her next quest is the fiddle.
Judy said, “I thank my dad to this day because at the age of 14 he taught me to drive a lumber truck. I grew up being quite the tomboy and everywhere my dad went I followed. I wanted to learn as much as I could from him and he was happy to teach me.”
After high school, her first job was working for the I. B. Guest variety store; part of her job was wrapping presents and tying bows.
Judy was 18 when her grandparents became ill. She felt she had to go and help look after the farm. She was not working at the time so she headed back to Wadena for a winter on the farm. She milked the cow, looked after the chickens and horses, cleaned the barn as needed, cut the fire wood and carried it into the house for the wood cook stove.
Judy remembers the days when everyone went to the dances on weekends. She said, “We went to the dances at Nukko Lake, Pineview and Salmon Valley just to name a few. We had a ball and I never missed a dance.
“We used to get a lot of snow back in those days. I remember a car load of us on the road to Nukko Lake one winter and we got behind a moose on the road. The banks of snow on both sides of the road were fairly high and we had to follow the moose until it was able to leave the road. It was a memorable sight.
“Many times, after the dance we headed to our favorite Chinese restaurants called the Purple Lantern or the Golden Dragon. We always had fun and we didn’t get into any trouble.”
Judy met Stuart Feyer when she was a waitress and working evening shifts in the restaurant at the Phillips 66 Truckstop. She said, “He always ordered apple pie with ice cream and a cup of coffee. I told my boss that I was going to marry that man and that is exactly what happened four months later in 1960.”
Stuart was born in Quesnel in 1937. He worked all over the north as an electrician; first with his dad, then other companies until he ended up working with Houle Electric.
They bought a new Chevy truck and a fifth wheel in 1990 and Judy went along on job sites with Stuart. She drove the truck and trailer and Stuart drove the company vehicle. It was a perfect fit.
Judy said, “From 1979 to 1985 we worked at his uncle’s gold mining claim out in the Wells area at Richon Creek on the 2400-logging road. We spent many days out there from spring to fall – times that I hold dear to this day. I am thankful that we had those days together.
“We had four children: Vernon, Reg, Temina (Lloyd) and Terriesa (Reg) who in turn gave us eight grandchildren, one great grandson and six great granddaughters with another great grandson on the way. Stuart passed away in 2006, at the age of 68, and after nearly 46 years of a great marriage.”
Judy and Stuart were always willing to give back to their community. They were members of the Sons of Norway for many years. They joined the BC Old Time Fiddlers’ Association, Prince George Branch #1 in 1979 and were given Life Time Memberships in January 2006. They joined Quesnel Branch #3 in the 1990s.
Judy started her volunteer radio career at the age of 70 and was presented with the CFIS-FM Prince George Community Radio Society Volunteer of the Year Award in 2017.
Judy concluded by saying, “Volunteers are not paid – not because they are worthless but because they are priceless.
“I have enjoyed my life and I am totally blessed. I am very thankful for every new day.”
