One of our long time members of the wood working community in Saskatoon died this spring.
Gus was a true gentleman with amazing skills as a woodworker and a true friend to all who knew him. You can read his obituary below.
Mother and Child - 2020
Gus turned his first piece in 1948 while attending the Saskatoon Technical Collegiate enrolled in the shops program which offered woodworking, welding, motor mechanics and machine shop. During his high school years Gus worked for VERBEKE’S Construction which lead to his obtaining a Journeyman certificate in Carpentry. After completing a bulk sales office in Coleville Sask. for High Way Refinery of Saskatoon he joined the company at Regina as a tradesman. In 1956 Gus joined British American Oil as a construction supervisor moving to Grande Prairie Alberta building service stations and bulk petroleum distribution in the Peace River region. This led to a career in marketing sales and management spanning some (33) thirty-three years and (3) three mergers he retired from Petro Canada in 1989 in Regina. After (2) days of retirement he joined Producers Pipeline who had just purchased the petroleum refinery from Petro Canada at Moose Jaw spending another (4) four years marketing liquid asphalt. Moving back to Saskatoon and retirement in 1995 he was invited by a friend, Ralph Reid to join the Saskatchewan Woodworkers Guild. Gus was finally able to assemble and use the wood lathe he built in high school.
Joining the guild and later the Hub City Turners as his wealth of knowledge and generous help when needed was priceless.
