OSTER, Benjamin

Ben passed away peacefully at his room in Continuing Care in Drumheller, on Friday, June 25th, 2010. He will be missed by his sons, Jerry (Janet), Jim (Sharon), and grandchildren, Scott, Cindy (Lee) and great grandson Travis, Michael and Laura. Ben was born on May 18th, 1927 on his father’s homestead NE of Hussar, Alberta, 2½ miles west of Ducklake.  He was the 13th child in the extended families of John & Christina (Herman-Schaffer) Oster.  He attended school at the Fairyvale country school and after losing his parents at an early age, was raised by his older siblings.  At age 17, Ben worked for 3 years for the Douglas family on the ranch in Gem, leaving for short stints in the Reserve Army at Suffield. After that, Ben moved to Hussar, and bought a 3-ton truck, hauling gas in barrels for his ½ brother’s service station in Hussar, as well as coal and grain. In 1948, while taking an electrical course at SAIT, he met Fern Campbell, a nurse at the General Hospital.  They were married on October 8, 1949.  They bought a ½ section 1 mile west of the DuckLake Hall, built a house and started raising a family.  Gerald was born in 1950 followed by Jim in 1952.  They continued to expand their farm and in 1973, bought part of Ole Christensen estate and started to farm with his boys until his retirement in 1989.  Ben & Fern built their dream home in Newcastle in 1991. Throughout his life, he enjoyed many hobbies, including snowmobiling, rock & coin collecting, lapidary work, and gardening.  In his later years, he became an avid collector of unique antiques.  Ben & Fern were active members of the Hussar chapter of the Masonic Lodge, and Ben was a Past Master. He was predeceased by the love of his life Fern in 2006, by his father John, in 1937, and his mother Christina, in 1942.  On the Oster side, by his ½ siblings, Ed, Leona, Katie, Adolph, Ida and on the Schaffer side, by his ½ siblings, Maggie, Albert, Frieda, Walter, and Johnny.  He is survived by his oldest son Gerald, wife Janet, children Scott, and Cindy (Lee) and great grandson Travis; his youngest son James, wife Sharon, children Michael and Laura; his ½ sisters Olga Mackenzie (nee Schaffer) of Kamloops, Elsie  Powers (nee Oster) of Calgary, sister-in-law Irene Schaffer (Johnny) of Calgary, and Fern’s sister Shirley & Herman Dorin of Didsbury, and numerous nieces and nephews. A celebration of Ben’s life will be held on Thursday, July 8th at 2 pm in the Hussar Hall, with Courtney-Winters Funeral Chapel in charge of the arrangements.  Donations on Ben’s behalf can be made to Drumheller Continuing Care.

{jathumbnail off}