Wilf Howlett was born in November of 1919 in Mossbank, Saskatchewan. He was the eldest child of 12 children. His father came out to Mossbank from Ontario looking for a homestead. Wilf grew up and worked in and around the Mossbank area and at the young age of 12 he could be found working on farms, road construction or any other job where he could make some money to help his parents and their large family.
Wilf joined the Canadian Armed Forces when he was 21. He was put in charge of parade duty for the army, a job he really didn't like so he looked for more exciting work with the air force. He switched to the Royal Canadian Air Force and started doing some work on the airport in Moose Jaw.
When the war started Wilf spent time working in Calgary, Prince Rupert and then Prince George. Wilf said, "I was about 24 years old when I came to Prince George in 1943. I arrived by train. It was cold and there was lots of snow. I was serving in the Air Force and I was assigned to work on the airport. When our crew arrived it was raining - and freezing just as fast as it was raining. A couple of the guys from the Air Command Unit arrived at the railway station to pick us up. Getting up the hill to the airport was tricky and the only way to get up the hill was in a big four-wheel drive tractor/truck. When we arrived at the airport we quickly dressed in warmer clothes and were told that we needed to get out and sand the runways. We didn't have sand trucks like we have today but we got busy and sanded those runways by hand.
"I served in the Air Force for five years mainly as a heavy equipment operator. The main focus of my responsibility was to maintain, and keep open several pull back bases in the interior in case of an attack on the coast. I had to keep wood and coal supplies on hand at all times as well as keeping the roads open and accessible all year round."
At the end of the war, Wilf mustered out of the Air Force and tried his hand as a car salesman and then a logging truck owner/hauler before settling in at a job for the City of Prince George. Wilf said, "I worked for the City for 32 years as shop foreman. I earned a good wage and was able to support my family without the need for my wife, Ruby (deceased) to have to go to work. It was a great job and I retired from the City in 1983."
Together Wilf and Ruby raised three daughters, Linda Knecht, Karen McKenzie and Shirley Jones. Linda started working for BC Tel at the age of 17, was promoted in 1980 and moved to Nanaimo where she eventually retired.
Karen started out by volunteering in the hospital as a Candy Striper when she was a teenager and in 1973 she became a full time employee. Other than the years from 1979 to 1987 (when she and her family lived in Dubai, where her husband Red was employed by Scimitar Oils) she worked at the hospital until she retired as the Northern Interior Staffing Manager in November of 2007.
Shirley and her husband, Meredith moved to Leo Creek where he worked for Netherlands Mill. About 18 months after moving there Meredith and a friend were involved in a boating accident on Stuart Lake and he was killed. Shirley moved back to Prince George and worked for Finning Tractor, Terratech Equipment and currently works two jobs, at Superstore in the pharmacy and at College Heights Shoppers Drug Mart.
Wilf will soon be 96 years old. He now resides in Gateway Complex Care. He has spent his life volunteering in his community. He was on the board of the Prince George Credit Union for many years and actively involved in his union. He also spent many years as the girls were growing up driving them to and from their many activities such as Girl Guides, Rainbow Choir, piano lessons, skating and many other activities.
After the family moved to West Lake he was very involved in the West Lake Community Association, helping build the clubhouse, snow clearing in the winter and any other jobs that needed attention. Once Wilf and Ruby moved back into the city Wilf was actively involved at the Elder Citizens Recreation Centre for over 20 years. He had custody of the keys to the centre and quietly kept an eye open for anything that needed fixing and immediately took care of it. He also bowled and travelled to places such as Dubai, England, Greece, Hawaii, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.
Wilf concluded his story by saying "I have had great times as well as some sad times in my life. My family has always been there for me. We all work together and look after one another. What more could a man ask for?"
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The Order of the Eastern will be holding a garage sale and bake sale on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Prince George Masonic Hall, 480 Vancouver Street (4th and Vancouver Street); check it out for some great bargains!
Proceeds will be used to assist in supporting charities of the Order of the Eastern Star.
For more information or to donate items to the garage sale phone Dianne at 250-964-4131.
