Remembering our roots – Jerry & Jean Bizot

John Godsman
Times Contributor

 

Jerry’s family originates from Holland, where his father was a baker. Gerardus Johannes Bizot (Jerry) was born in 1942, the youngest of three siblings. His mother suffered really badly from asthma, and was recommended to move to the Canadian Prairies, where the climate would improve her health.
In 1956, they sailed from Belgium to Halifax, N.S. via Southampton and Le Havre in France, then crossed Canada by train to Moose Jaw, Sask. where Jerry’s father had a position as a baker awaiting him. Later that year, they moved to Calgary, before opening a new bakery in Strathmore in the early 60’s. Five years later, they sold this store and moved to Mayerthorpe.
Within two years, they were contacted by Strathmore town council and asked to return to town, and reopen their bakery, here. They accepted this challenge, reopening the Strathmore bakery, which they operated for a number of years before moving to a new bakery in High River, where they lived and retired, before passing away.
In the mid-60’s Jerry, who really wasn’t a baker at heart, started a 15-year career with Alberta Arches and Beams.
Jean’s father’s family originates from Scotland, and moved to Washington State in the late 1800’s, where they operated a logging company. Following a logging accident, which killed her grandfather, her grandmother moved the family to Lethbridge, where she became a coal miner. Her father, Earl Lowry, was born in Washington in 1900, and served with the Canadian Army in WW1. Jean was born in Calgary in 1947, the eldest of three girls, and lived with her family at Cheadle. Jean attended the original Samuel Crowther School from Grade 1 thru’ Grade 12, then worked at Jerry’s parents’ bakery, here in town. She remembers taking music lessons over the radio, from Mary Mercer, who was broadcasting from an Edmonton Radio Station! Jean’s grandparents on her mother’s side were in Halifax on Dec. 6, 1917 at the time of the explosion, caused by two ships colliding in the harbour. This tragedy was instrumental in making them move west.
Jean and Jerry were married in Strathmore in 1967, and have lived here ever since. They have three children and two grandchildren. Following Jerry’s employment with Alberta Arches and Beams, he became the projectionist for five years at Joyland Theatre, before changing his mind about being a baker. He joined Strathmore and Calgary Co-op as their baker – a position he held and enjoyed for the next 14 years. During this time, Jean worked in the Co-op Cafeteria, which was located where the grocery tills now stand. These were the days when Joe Griffith was the Co-op manager.
Both have served our community in many different ways, for almost 50 years.
Jerry was a Volunteer Fireman for 40 years, an advisor with Scouts Canada for 25 years, plays ‘our town’ Santa Claus every Christmas, is a recipient of UFA’s ‘Small Town Hero’ award, and now delivers The Strathmore Times.
In 1954, Jean was a Polio Pioneer in the first countrywide tests of the new polio vaccine. She initiated the first Beaver Colony here, and for the past 30 years has arranged exchanges between Japanese and Calgary Region students; she has worked in the Strathmore Young Offenders library, and with the Ag Society.
Changes they’ve seen include – where there was only one school, now there are eleven, classes and grades have been reorganized, dirt roads and boardwalks have been replaced by pavement, all the new stores along the highway, and the population growth.