Hiram Gordon Olmstead

Hiram Gordon Olmstead, son of John and Kate Olmstead, was born June 18th, 1918 at Stoughton, SK and passed away in Moose Jaw on Thursday, October 9th, 2014.  Together with his four siblings (Leslie, Flora, Sarah and Harvey), he learned the discipline of work at home on the farm and never lost his love for all things agricultural.  He was an avid gardener into his nineties.  As a young boy he embraced a faith in Jesus Christ.  That faith matured and became the focal point of the rest of his life.  In 1938 he enrolled at (what was then) Briercrest Bible Institute, beginning an association with the college that would span more than seven decades.  Upon his completion of a three-year program at Briercrest, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1942 as an airframe mechanic; he concluded his military service as a flight engineer.  When the war was over, he returned to Canada and, in December 1946, married Eloise Bradford with whom he would raise four children and share life for nearly 68 years.  Shortly after that, he resumed his education, which had been interrupted first when his father’s poor health meant he needed to stay home to work on the farm and later when he joined the Air Force.  After completing high school, he studied education at the University of Saskatchewan.  His first teaching post was in Cut Knife, SK, but in 1951, he and Eloise moved to Caronport, which would be home to them until 2012 when they became residents at Chateau St Michael’s (Moose Jaw).  He taught at both Caronport High School and Caronport Elementary School before taking leadership of Briercrest’s dairy herd and, eventually, retiring as the Postmaster at Caronport.  He was a gentle man of quiet, humble faith and unwavering integrity.  He was predeceased by both parents; his father-in-law, Alden Bradford; his brother, Leslie and his sister, Flora (Bill).  Gordon is survived, and deeply missed, by his wife Eloise; sons, Doug and Wesley (Faith); daughters, Bettie (Dan) and Joyce (Russell); eight grandchildren: Courtney, Chad (Charissa), Melissa (Geoff), Bryndon, Brooke, Conner, Carson and Joelle; seven great-grandchildren: Lane, Cienna, Ryder, Grayson, Chayse, Carter and Theodore; numerous nieces and nephews; sister, Sarah; brother, Harvey (Lorraine); brother-in-law, Hugh (Tisha) and sister-in-law, Shirley (John).  The Funeral Service will be held on Thursday, October 16th, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. in Moose Jaw Funeral Home.  Dr. Blayne Banting and Harvey Zink will officiate and a private family interment will take place in Caronport Cemetery.  As expressions of sympathy, donations in Gordon’s name may be made to the ‘Gordon and Eloise Olmstead Biblical Studies Scholarship’ at Briercrest College, 510 College Dr, Caronport, SK S0H 0S0.  Arrangements are entrusted to Moose Jaw Funeral Home, 268 Mulberry Lane.  Gary McDowell, Funeral Director 306-693-4550.