Remembering our roots ~ Cliff and Beverly Hermanson

John Godsman
Times Contributor

 

Cliff’s father, Ole Hermanson, sailed from Norway to New York in 1908, at the age of 18 years. He then travelled by train to Minot, N.D. with his brother Carl, where they got work with the Great Northern Railway. In 1910, Ole moved on to Jenner, Alta. where he met and married Angela Bazant. She had come to Canada from Poland, with her parents Peter and Sophie, and three siblings.
Cliff was born in Medicine Hat in 1934, the youngest of four children. He attended Hervey County Elementary School, then completed his education thru’ Grade 10 in Strathmore.
Beverly’s grandparents Edward Lachelt and Lillian Lachelt, moved from Glenwood, Minn. to Dalroy, Alta. in 1912 to farm. Her mother Alberta May Lachelt was born in 1916. Her grandparents, on her father’s side, Jack and Johanna Damen, came to Canada from Rosendahl, Holland in 1915, and also took up farming.
Her father Hubert Damen, an only child, was born at the family home on Jan. 5, 1918. Beverly was born in 1940 at the Calgary General Hospital, the second oldest of seven children, and initially attended school at Akenstad Country School, which was right across the road from their farm.
After the school buses started running to Strathmore, the Akenstad School was closed, and all the students were moved to a Strathmore school. After leaving Samuel Crowther, she attended SAIT, where she obtained a diploma in Clothing Construction and Design. In the meantime, Cliff was running two school buses and a gravel truck, which were all contracted out to Wheatland County.
Cliff and Beverly met at the Strathmore Skating Arena, where Cliff was the caretaker and Beverly was practicing for the annual carnival. After a four year courtship, they were married at Strathmore United Church on June 27, 1959.
They lived in Strathmore for a year, before Cliff sold the two buses and the truck for a down payment on a farm they were purchasing in the Lyalta area They moved to the farm in 1960, and lived there for the next 30 years, and raised their family – a son Faron born in 1960, and daughter Shelley born in 1962. This was a mixed farm, which included cattle, pigs and chickens. Beverly says it was a big challenge moving into the old four-room house, but they did have a roof over their heads. Three years later in 1965, Cliff, his father Ole, and brother Bill built a new home.
In 1983, Faron married Kathy Hempel from Beiseker, and they have two children Chelsea and Joel. They live in the
Strathmore area, where Faron runs his business Ice Jet Inc. This is a procedure that offers dry ice blasting services to remove difficult-to-remove stains like graffiti, mold, and smoke stains after a fire. The cleanest, safest and most versatile of industrial cleaning solutions.
In 1984, Shelley married John Holman of Kaycee, Wyo. and they have three children Lacey, Rosie and Dodge. They now live in Brentwood, Calif. where they own and operate the “Holman Performance Center” teaching children through adults different equestrian activities, specializing in Cutting Horse riding, and Barrel Racing.
John is a top Cutting Horse rider, and Shelley is well known in the Barrel Racing world, having won many times.
Cliff worked away from the farm in the winter, with Wheatland Propane, followed by a period with Calgary Brewery. This meant Bev took the kids to hockey, ball, and 4-H. After Shelley started gymkana and barrel racing, Bev did the driving! In 1989, Cliff and Beverly sold the farm and moved to Strathmore. Cliff attended SAIT, and obtained his Building Operator (B) Certificate of Competency, for hot water boiler operations, which permitted him to provide maintenance for Sunset Haven, Giffen Manor and Wheatland Lodge for many years.
Cliff and Beverly have always been great supporters of their community. They were members of the Lyalta Community Club and have been members of Strathmore Golf Club for many years. Cliff was a member of Cheadle Lions, transferring to the Strathmore Club in 1989, where he has recently been awarded his lifetime membership. In his younger days, Cliff enjoyed many sports including fastball, hockey with the Strathmore Slow Puckers, fishing, and curling. Since retirement, dancing has been a large part of their lives, and they have spent many winters taking their fifth wheel to Palm Springs area, Ariz., and visiting Shelley and her family. During the summer, they enjoy taking care of their yard and garden, and they always find something to keep them busy.
They have seen many changes in Strathmore since arriving in this area all those years ago! The twin arena, the indoor swimming pool, new schools, bike paths, to mention a few. The recycling plant was a much needed facility here in town, and has done much to improve the image and cleanliness. Cliff and Beverly are proud to call Strathmore their home. It’s a wonderful place to live.