Oh the good ol' Friday find is the best find you can name, and the best find you can name is the good ol' Friday find. Seems like I have hockey on my mind, wouldn't ya say. It's Friday, folks and that means it's time for another Friday find from Stockmen's Memorial Foundation.
This week the lingering comes to an end as I go back to a hat selection. The hat of the very impressive Dr. Robert (Bob) Bertram Church.
"We can do that here, only bigger and better." This was the motto Bob Church swore by, caring deeply for Alberta and only wanting the best for Albertans.
On May, 7 1937 Church was born in Calgary. At a young age he enjoyed being a prankster and this eventually carried on to his older years. At 17-years-old Church had a mishap with a two-ton grain truck which steered his future on a different path then he originally anticipated.
He was enrolled into Olds College and graduated with flying colours. Taking a fancy to education, his enthusiasm was met when he was accepted to the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Alberta. Church understood at this moment that the road he was on would allow him to still be involved and contribute to agriculture. He graduated with both a Bachelor's and Master's degree from the University of Alberta with his focus geared toward animal genetics.
Over the next few years Church would continue to add to his education studying at the University of Uppsala in Sweden. He went on to earn his doctorate in animal genetics from the University of Edinburgh in 1965. After a postdoctoral stint in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Washington, Church would return home in 1967 and landed a job as an assistant professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Calgary.
Church spent 25 years with the University of Calgary's Faculty of Medicine. He was committed to building his research. The love for agriculture lead him to be a long-standing volunteer with the Calgary Stampede where he ultimately showcased his first formal breeding program for bucking horses. He finally gained more status throughout his years with the Stampede and served a term as president from 1988-1990.
In 1991 Church was inducted in the Canadian Agriculture Hall of Fame for his work with cattle genetics. Then in 1993 he was inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence. These are only naming two of the numerous inductions he received. Church was always the most proud of one particular honour, being named "Chief Black Eagle" of the Treaty 7 First Nations. This goes to show that hard work does pay off.
The list of all the wonderful, educational research and connections Church made over the years goes on and on. He was truly a well planted seed within the community. One of the last contributions he made before he passed earlier this year was a initial capital donation for the Friends of the Stockmen's Memorial Foundation Award. The award is given to a student entering their second year in an agriculture related program at a Canadian post secondary institute. The idea behind the creation of the award is to aid students in the agricultural field. Yet another indication of how Church cared deeply for his agricultural roots and those around him.
Church passed away on Sept, 6 at 82 years of age. He certainly left behind a dominant legacy that will continue to be remembered for many years to come.
