September 9, 1940 - September 18, 2024
My family and I are sad to announce the passing of my father, Jack Allen Fryklund of Herbert, Saskatchewan. Formerly of Barrie, Ontario and Calgary, Alberta. Born and raised in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.
The third in a line of five children of Lyle and Irene Fryklund. He and his two older brothers Gary and Robert were inseparable boys. They found adventure on the streets of Moose Jaw and on prairie at their grandmother’s home in the village of Expanse, Saskatchewan. The Fryklund boys were known as precocious, yet they were honest kids who were highly protective of each other and their family. Their lives would drift apart into adulthood, but life’s highway had a way of tying their lives back together.
When mom Irene worked the canteen at Moose Jaw’s Temple Gardens Dance Hall, Jack would scrounge for empty pop bottles to get the refund money. So too was Donna Murray the daughter of the square dance caller. Donna was hardly impressed with Jack but later as an adult that shy farm girl would give in to the Jack’s charms for their first date. They would marry in 1962 and two years later had me, their daughter, Lisa.
My father was exceptionally technically minded, that boded well for him as a typewriter repairman. His early jobs were in rural Saskatchewan, Montana and Washington state where he worked long hours for what felt like little pay. His big break came when he landed a repairman job in Calgary, Alberta with its rapidly growing oil industry head offices. A hot shot repairman with no un-fixed typewriter left behind, Jack’s reputation preceded him and soon he became an IBM man, servicing Calgary’s prominent typewriter accounts.
The technical minded Jack was keen to construction. He saw his homes as a canvas for extensive home and yard renovations. He wanted every job to be to the best he could accomplish. “It just had to be so, so. Not half assed” He would say. In the 1970’s, Jack became an avid motorbike trail rider who took to mountain trails riding alongside friends who were racing champions. Knowing that his body was taking a pounding on the motorbike he traded in those wheels for a motorboat. Our family and friends would enjoy gorgeous summer days waterskiing behind his boats on lakes in Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan. All of these passions were accompanied with a love of motorhome camping. Our family got great peace in campgrounds and sitting by the campfire.
My parents fell onto hard luck in the early 1990’s. The typewriter quickly lost ground to the personal computer and repairmen like Jack were no longer needed. My mother would experience cancer for 3 years and sadly passed away in 1993. My father would find love again when he married Doreen Bye, they had a happy life together in Calgary, but Doreen longed for her family in Ontario. Jack may have given up his Alberta mountains but living In Barrie, a city beside Lake Simcoe gave him a renewed boating opportunity. Jack found a 30-foot, wooden cabin cruiser and refinished it from the hull up. The Sea Rose was an outstanding craft that impressed boat builders in the region.
When Jack and Doreen’s marriage ended, he found companionship with Cindy Alty. She shared with Jack her love of travel. Together, they would go to England, France the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Arizona. They were fond of cards and joined forces for bridge and euchre tournaments. Jack was enormously competitive in card games though his great passion was chess. He rarely lost a game to man or computer.
As if he didn’t have enough interests, my dad’s hobby for over 30 years was model railroading. He built layouts that would take over basement rec. rooms. As a member of Calgary’s Cantrak model railroad club he mentored members in the art of mountain building, electrical wiring and fabricating of the most realistic trees any had seen.
In 2021, Jack and Cindy would part ways. He returned to his native Saskatchewan with a trailer-full of tools and his model railroad. With the help of his brother Robert, my dad found a cute bungalow in Herbert. The town was also the home to his eldest brother Gary. A year after arriving, brother Gary would pass but Jack was so very happy that he was able to spend time again with his brothers at their late stage in life.
Brother Gary’s passing brought his grandson Keaton from Calgary to Herbert to move into his grandfather’s home. Keaton and Jack formed a strong friendship with requisite evening crib matches. Jack would call Keaton his ‘right arm’ for the assistance given to him through his recent years of poor health. The ‘Right Arm’ was at Jack’s side when my father’s life ended on September 18th. With Keaton was his father Rory and their spouses at the Cypress Regional Hospital in Swift Current. One of Jack’s final moments was the joy he expressed with a big smile when he saw that his brother Robert had made it to the hospital to say goodbye.
I live in California and could not make the hospital in time, but my father and I were able to say goodbye the night before his passing. Thankfully we were able to proclaim our love and state how proud we were of each other. 'See you on the other side Dad.'
Jack Fryklund is survived by his daughter Lisa and her husband Robert Ferguson of Alameda, California. His brother Robert (Wilma) of Moose Jaw, sister Wendy Predy (Earl) of Edmonton, Herbert Nephews Rory (Dawn) and Keaton (Storm). Saskatoon Nephew Kelly (Janet), Connor, Brendan, also nephews Tracy, Cory, Kyle, Rick, Dale and Jim.
Jack is predeceased by his first wife Donna, his mother Irene, father Lyle, brothers Gary (Diane) and Dennis.
Our sincere thanks to the caregivers of the Herbert and District Integrated Health Facility with Dr. Suresh Kassett and Shelby Haubrich who gave the finest care to Jack. They said say they just loved Jack’s visits and his good humor. We have profound gratitude to Dr. Michelle Lund and the staff of Swift Current’s Cypress Regional Hospital who aided Jack in his final hours and to the kind assistance of Andrew Pratt of Moose Jaw Funeral Home who has aided us through this time.
The immediate family was brought together for a memorial dinner at Jack’s home with dishes from his favorite Chinese restaurant. He would have loved it. Arrangements are entrusted to Moose Jaw Funeral Home, 268 Mulberry Lane. Andrew Pratt, Funeral Director 306-693-4550 www.moosejawfuneralhome.com