Obituary of Hubert Powell

Obituary HUBERT LLOYD POWELLHubert Lloyd Powell was born at home on the shores of Charlie Lake on June 25th, 1929, the eighth child and fourth son of Walter (Red) and Evelyn Powell early pioneers to the area. He lived almost an almost idyllic life with his brother Sam and sister Audrey. Horses, animals, the lake, practically no rules to what he could or could not do, a bit pampered by parents who had mellowed out after years of child rearing. Hubert did all his schooling at the Charlie Lake school and at age 14 he was almost as tall as the 6'4" he was to become, he had no love for school and at the end of grade 8 he quit. Hubert spent the first year or two unloading freight in Dawson Creek off the box cars onto his Dad?s trucks. Ever restless, he saw an ad for survey crews mapping on the Mackenzie River. He lied about his age and at 17 joined a crew that flew into Fort Simpson and surveyed up the river. They went north in May and came out in October, for the next two years he piloted a boat up and down the river, hauling crews, mail and freight from Fort Simpson to wherever they were working. The last year at 19, he took a barge from Norman Wells, down the McKenzie River and up the Liard to Fort Nelson. These years were among the best and happiest years of his life. In 1949 he met Valerie Rutledge, eldest daughter of Ethel and Leo Rutledge of Hudson?s Hope. They were engaged on Val?s 19 birthday, March 23, 1951. On October 19th, they were married. By this time Hubert was hauling lumber from north of the Peace to the lumber yards in Dawson Creek and Valerie worked at the government agents office. On March 11, 1953 their first baby, and only daughter, Shannon was born and all of a sudden Hubert was a family man! Between Christmas of that year and New Years Hubert felt sick, it was thought he had a severe flu but as each day passed he became worse. On New Year's Eve, Hubert was flown to the Royal Alex Hospital in Edmonton by RCAF mercy flight with a severe case of polio. He spent 15 months in an Edmonton hospital, the first three in an iron lung.In April of 1955 Hubert, Valerie and Shannon came home to Fort St. John. After the first year of convalescing, Hubert worked for Howard Travis, who had started a mud company to service the oil field in the area, this was the beginning of Hubert's long association with trucks and the transportation of drilling mud. Their first son, Patrick, was born on August 6th, 1956, followed by Michael, on December 30th, 1959 and Timothy on June 21st, 1961. In 1963 Hubert and his brother Sam started Lake End Service Trucking. After a few years, they sold the company. Hubert entered into a partnership with his sister Audrey and Al Henderson in Great Northern Enterprises, a pipeline company. In 1969 Hubert sold out and went on his own with H.L. Powell Ltd. , hauling drilling mud to the oilfields. His family over the years were always involved and eventually they bought the company . Through all these years Hubert also farmed a section of land at Montney and rented the land of his father-in-law, Leo Rutledge, at Hudson's Hope. Whenever there was any spare time between trucking and farming Hubert could be found either hunting or fishing with his family and friends. Hubert had a natural aptitude for rivers and boats, never happier than being on the water, fishing pole, buddies, and his endless string of beloved dogs. Over the years the kids all married and in 1976 Hubert and Val became Cokie and Chief to the first of their eleven grandchildren. Hubert fought the consequences of polio his whole adult life, as the years went on he needed a cane and then two, then an occasional wheelchair for traveling, and finally about 2000 he required the wheelchair full time. He never complained, never questioned "why me", pushed himself and anyone around him to their full potential whether they wanted to or not. In 2001 Hubert was operated on for prostate cancer, in 2003 he was honored by being named "Oilman of The Year" by the Fort St. John Petroleum Association, later that same year he had a major heart attack and was medi-vac'd to Edmonton. Each time, as always, he fought his way back but polio and age were steadily taking a toll and on Sunday, April 6th at 8:00 AM Hubert died from pneumonia in the Fort St. John hospital with his loving family at his side. Through his life's journey despite being inflicted with polio at any early age, Hubert never stopped being who he was. He lived his life with courage, a wonderful sense of humor, love of laughter, fun and incredible grace. He lived a full life, and earned the respect and love of those around him. Hubert is survived by Valerie, his loving wife of 56 years, children Shannon her husband Bruce, Pat and Shannon, Mike and Sharon and Tim and Marcie. Eleven grandchildren, Brennan, Ryan, Bronwen; Ryan, Christopher, Travis; Connor , Declan; Amanda, Megan and Caitlin and sister Audrey. He was predeceased by his parents, brothers Pen, Jack, Gary, Howard and Sam, and sisters Dorcas, Peg and Barbara. Services