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Rustads built good life in P.G.

Kirk Rustad recently introduced me to his parents Laurie (Lawrence) and Molly (Mary) Rustad and shared the fact that his parents had just celebrated 66 years of a good marriage.
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Rustad family from 2016 for Kathy Nadalin's column. Citizen Photo by James Doyle May 23, 2019

Kirk Rustad recently introduced me to his parents Laurie (Lawrence) and Molly (Mary) Rustad and shared the fact that his parents had just celebrated 66 years of a good marriage.

Laurie, the youngest of three boys, was born to John and Olea Rustad in Rose Valley, Sask. in 1927. When he was only five, his mother passed away unexpectedly and shortly after receiving successful treatment for tuberculosis. Tragically, his father also passed away one year later. Laurie's oldest brother Chester, who was only a teenager, along with relatives from the community, raised Laurie and maintained the family farm.

Laurie left Rose Valley at the age of 16 and traveled to the Lower Mainland where he worked in logging camps. At the age of 21, he headed north to Prince George where his brother Gil (Gilbert), along with several other cousins also from Rose Valley, were already heavily involved in the logging and sawmill industry.

It is interesting to note that before Laurie left the farm, he traveled from Rose Valley to Yorkton in response to an advertisement inviting men to apply for work in the B.C. logging industry. He was told that he was too small to do the work and sent home. Undeterred, he wrote to the company in B.C., expressing his desire to work for them and they sent him a railway ticket to come to B.C.

Laurie and Gil worked for their cousins at the Rustad Brothers sawmill site and lived in bunk houses. They saved their money and in 1949 they formed the Gillorn Lumber Company. Their first sawmill was on the Nechako River near the current Cameron Street bridge. They later relocated to Isle Pierre and then moved north to a site near Bear Lake.

Laurie will admit to having more than his share of luck throughout his lifetime, but the luckiest day of them all was when he met his wife to be, Molly MacKirdy. Molly was born in Great Britain in 1921. Her full history is unclear: she was orphaned at birth, came to Canada as a baby, was raised for a time in a Catholic orphanage and spent a good portion of her childhood on the Olsen farm in Edmonton.

She was later adopted by the MacKirdy family and lived on Bowen Island during her teen years. As a young woman she made her way to Vancouver and worked for a company called Buckerfields. Molly and a girlfriend, Elsa Carlson, heard about the promise of work in Prince George and the pair headed north in 1951. Upon arrival, she went to work for the Prince George Planer Mill. One year later, she met Laurie and they were married in 1953.

The couple built their first house on Fourth Avenue, two blocks from the outdoor swimming pool, near the clay tennis courts, and one block from the old St. Giles Presbyterian Church. A strip of trees bordering the north side of Third Avenue obscured massive lumber yards located below.

Over the next decade, Laurie often worked long hours and found the commute from Bear Lake to Prince George difficult. He and Gil, who married later in life, bought two lots side by side on Summit Lake in the early 60s and built summer cabins. Their families moved to the cabins each summer to facilitate a shorter commute from Bear Lake.

Laurie and Molly have three sons: Kirk, Lorne and John (Kim), who in turn gave them six grandchildren.

Laurie and Molly moved from Fourth Avenue to the Seymour subdivision in 1965 and built their second house; 54 years later, they are still living in the same house. A unique feature of the house and a nod to the family name are large solid timbers supporting the carport, all cut in a Rustad Brothers sawmill.

Laurie and Gil sold their sawmill business in the late 60s, but kept two D-8 Cats. The pair became independent contractors clearing power lines for B.C. Hydro. Laurie later bought Gil's share of Gillorn Lumber and Gil moved to Kelowna.

Following his work in the sawmill industry, Laurie took his real estate exams in the 70s and worked as a real estate agent for the Buchanan & Benson Real Estate company. Laurie chose to specialize in land and timber sales. With his knowledge and experience regarding quality timber, he sought out property with good timber potential and then brokered the sale of logging rights to local lumber companies.

Although Laurie had only a Grade 8 education, he was a born entrepreneur and became a self-made businessman. He never grew tired of learning new things. He was wholeheartedly committed to his family and to being able to provide for them. Laurie worked hard and earned a good reputation in the community. He and his brother looked after their equipment and did most of their own repairs. His D-8 Cat, now owned by another, is reportedly still in good working condition.

At the age of 70, Laurie was working in the bush and broke his ankle. To make matters worse, there was a bear in the area. He kept a close eye on the bear while he crawled to his Cat, drove back to his truck and then to the hospital. Laurie's fortitude and determination kept him operating his Cat and changing his own car tires well into his 80s. At 92, he still owns Gillorn and has not yet officially retired.

Laurie worked hard, but he played hard too. He had always loved sports and was a good athlete. He used to play hockey on a team known as the Six-Mile Lake Rang-a-Tangs. Many of the local sawmills had a softball team and they would play each other during the summer months. During his senior years, Laurie distinguished himself in curling, winning the Kelly Cup while playing third for Kevin Smale. He also played on numerous successful senior curling teams in provincial and national competitions.

Molly was recognized as the top tennis player in Prince George shortly after her arrival to the city. Laurie took up the sport and they played mixed doubles with Laurie playing the front court while Molly played the back. They would dominate, according to Laurie, because of Molly's quality ground strokes. The couple also enjoyed curling, bowling and golfing together.

Laurie and Molly played bridge throughout their married life at the curling rink, the local bridge club and at home with friends and their sons. They play bridge twice a week and crib once a week at the Brunswick Senior Citizens Activity Centre.

At 97, Molly is in remarkably good physical health. Her family can't ever recall her having a sick day. Molly's children and grandchildren remember her as a great cook into her 90s. Now she prefers going out to eat. She still heats up porridge each morning for herself and Laurie, a routine they have followed for most of the last 50 years. At 92, Laurie has survived a massive stroke and congestive heart failure, both occurring in his mid-80s.

With help from their sons and grandchildren, Molly and Laurie still live in their own home. Like other seniors, they are experiencing logistical and mobility problems, age-related hearing and memory loss but they strive to do what they can for themselves. The pioneer spirit brought them and many others to Prince George which motivated much of our community's early development. That same spirit continues to flicker in the Rustad home.