Obituary of Pearl Hunter

Obituary Pearl Evelyn Hunter (nee Babcock) January 10, 1928 – December 07, 2018 Pearl Evelyn Babcock was born in LaFleche, Saskatchewan on January 10, 1928, the youngest child to Charles and Lily Babcock. When Pearl was four, her and her Mom and Dad and seven siblings left Saskatchewan travelling 1500 miles by wagon train in the spring of 1932 settling in Rose Prairie, B.C. Along the way they celebrated her brother, Cliff’s 8th birthday, arriving on her sister Lola’s birthday in Rose Prairie on August 7, 1932. While travelling up from Saskatchewan, Pearl remembers she so was in awe of all the wild flowers and wanted to stop all the time to pick the flowers. The North West country was frightening to Pearl, she said, there was so much foliage and trees compared to the Saskatchewan badlands. One time, Pearl recalled, was when her Mom and Dad went to chase the pigs back into the pen out of the trees and she thought the trees had eaten them, she started to scream and cry, scaring her mom and dad to come running to her, thinking something had happened to her. Pearl loved to help her dad with his carpentering work, which she enjoyed immensely and wanted to become a carpenter like her father and brother, but her dad told her this was not a women’s job. Pearl loved the outdoors, whether it was attending to the animals, gardening, or growing and tending to her flowers, like her gardening sign said ‘I Plant the Seeds, God Makes them Grow, God send the Rain, I Work the Hoe!’ If Pearl wasn’t attending to the outdoors, she was attending to her indoors, baking, cooking, knitting, sewing, crocheting, and carpentering. On July 28, 1947 Pearl and David Wilson were married, and lived in Rose Prairie, where they farmed in the summer, and the winters followed the logging and sawmill industry living in the logging camps in which Pearl cooked for the crews. Pearl and Dave had six children, Garth, Darryl, Stanley, Molly, Linda and Margaret. In 1964 Pearl and Dave and family moved to Antler, BC where they homesteaded a quarter of land, Pearl made sure they had a vegetable garden and flowers which was her enjoyment with all the hard work that came from starting a new homestead. Then in 1969 due to health problems, Pearl and Dave and the family moved closer to Fort St John and eventually into Fort St John. Pearl was employed in many jobs, Saan Store, House of Ornaments, Credit Union, Human Resources, Fabric and Singer Sewing Machine Store, but Pearl’s all-time favorite job was raising her children. Pearl met Morris Hunter in 1979 fell in love and were married September 25, 1982. They moved to Cecil Lake where Morris had a farm, Pearl and Morris farmed the land, raised their cattle, and attended their vegetable and flower gardens. They travelled to Alaska, travelled across Canada, visiting as many places as they could over the years. In 1990 Morris retired from his trucking business which meant they were able to travel more within Canada. Pearl and Morris moved into Fort St John in 2005 due to Morris’ failing health, they sold the farm and bought a home where Pearl was able to continue with her gardening and attending to her flowers. Pearl loved it when the grandchildren and great grandchildren came to visit and or take her on excursions to the mall or skating rinks or Christmas concerts. Her greatest fun in life was with all the children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and happy and proud to see her fifth generation, her great, great granddaughter. Pearl Hunter is predeceased by her husband Morris Hunter, her first husband David Wilson, son Garth Wilson, son-in-law Robert Slavik, granddaughter Sheila Schellenberg-Wilson, parents Charles and Lily Babcock, brothers Raymond, Chester, Orville, Elmer, and Clifford, sisters Lola, Ida, and Stella. Pearl leaves to mourn her son’s Darryl (Dianne), Stanley (Patti) daughter’s Molly (Dale Madison), Linda Slavik, Margaret (Jerry Becker), 14 grandchildren, 39 great grandchildren, 1 great, great grandchild, many nieces and nephews. A Mother’s Love is the kind of love that lasts… the kind that reaches across time… the kind that keeps you forever close in spirit. Rest in Peace Mom, grandma, great Grandma, great, great Grandma, Aunty and friend. We love you and will miss. The family would like to thank Dr. W. Brussow for the wonderful care he gave to Pearl, Hamres Funeral Chapel, FSJ Legion, Gord Klassen - Celebrant, David Steeves - memorial DVD, Boyd Wilson - reading of the eulogy. Services Memorial Service Monday December 17, 2018 2:00 PM Royal Canadian Legion Hall 10103 105 Ave Fort St. John, BC V1J 2M4