Carl Benson was born in 1928 in a log cabin in Bend, B.C. which is just across the Fraser River from Dome Creek. Here is his story in a nutshell:
Carl's father, Oscar, and his mother, Siri, both immigrated to Canada from Sweden at the ages of 17 in 1909 and 1910 respectively. They unexpectedly met one another in Raith, Ontario while visiting friends and relatives. The two friends stayed in touch over the years as Carl's father headed west to British Columbia and ended up at Tete Jaune Cache and scowed down the river to Fort George in 1914.
This was the point in time that the Canadian government was selling homesteading land. Oscar Benson purchased a quarter section of land in Bend, the area where the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway bridge (now known as the Canadian National Railroad) crossed the Fraser River. Bend is on the other side of the river from Dome Creek and this is where he built a cabin.
Oscar met up with his soon to be wife in Edmonton in the year of 1919. They married, moved into his cabin on the river bank and started their life together; Carl was born in 1928 and his older sister Carrie was born in 1923.
Carl Benson grew up in Bend and worked at the Dome Creek sawmill. He worked on the family farm and at the sawmill until he broke his leg at the age of 16 in an industrial accident which caused him to spend a year in St Paul's Hospital. He returned to the area and bought the general store and post office in Penny. After three years he sold his share and bought the general store and post office in Aleza Lake in 1949.
Carl met Lorri Deszcz, the love of his life and they were married in 1951. They sold the Aleza Lake store, moved into Prince George and purchased a small general store on the corner of Fir Street. By 1961 they purchased the Panama Variety Store on George Street. Carl continued to be a store keeper until he went into construction as a carpenter. He was part of the crew that built the hospital, a new motel on the Hart Highway and many other projects around town.
Carl eventually found his niche in real estate in 1964. He formed a partnership with Bob Buchanan and together they started Buchanan, Benson and Co. Ltd Real Estate and Insurance. Carl retired in 2004 after 40 years in the real estate business.
I asked Carl to give me some highlights from his real estate career and I was surprised to hear that he was the agent that sold the original properties to a society that eventually became the Elder Citizens Recreation Association over 25 years ago. Carl has been a member and supporter of the Elder Citizens Recreation Association from the day it was incorporated on February 12th, in 1992.
Carl said, "The toughest times in real estate were in the late 1970s and early 1980s when we all had to deal with the adversity of rising interest rates. Five-year mortgage rates jumped from 10 per cent to 21.75 per cent over a three-year period from 1978 to 1981.It was a time of disaster for many people. People were met with foreclosures or they just walked away from their investment because they just did not have enough equity to make it worth trying to pay those high interest rates. What a contrast to the present day interest rates! Those extremely high interest rates back then were as crazy as the low interest rates are right now."
Carl reminisced and said, "My wife and I were in Cuba on a convention in April of 1961 at the same time as the threat of the invasion at the Bay of Pigs was going on. We were staying at the Havana Hilton and I had the opportunity to shake the hand of Fidel Castro. He seemed like quite a likable man."
Carl and Lorri raised two children, Calvin of Prince George and Wendy who lives in High River, Alberta who in turn gave them four grandchildren.
Carl is a Past Exalted Ruler of the Elks and has been an active member for the past 61 years.
Lorri, who was born in Prince George but grew up in Penny, worked for Sears Canada for 15 years and was a long time member of the Royal Purple; sadly Lorri passed away in 2012.
Carl said, "Lorri and I had 61 happy and some sad years together. We were both active volunteers in our community. We raised our family, worked hard and traveled together for all those years; it was a great loss for me when Lorri passed away. Amen."
*The Seniors Activity Centre, 425 Brunswick St. will be having a special couples Valentine dinner Saturday, February 14th at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 per couple; phone 250-564-3287 for tickets and all the details.
*The Hart Pioneer Centre, 6986 Hart Hwy is having a Valentines Day Tea February 13th from 1-3 p.m., a dance February 14th at 8p.m. and a roast beef dinner on February 15th at 5 p.m.; phone 250- 962-6712 for details.
