Gerald Whittaker
Gerald Whittaker

Obituary of Gerald Clark Whittaker

February 22, 1935 - March 5, 2022 

Jerry leaves his much-loved Wife Joy,
Peri-Wynne Ziprick, Geoff Whittaker

Rosebud was where Jerry was born to Lucy Clark and Ervine Whittaker spending his first 18 years in this tiny community wandering the beautiful valleys and hillsides to ski, toboggan, skate and play hockey on the river, swimming, hunting, trapping gophers and picking saskatoon berries for his Mothers wonderful pies.  Everyday was a new country adventure.
During WWII his Father was away from home and didn’t return until Nov. 1946 (recovering in a hospital in England because of burns he received after saving the lives of 2 young boys in a barn fire in Belgium.)  His maternal Grandparents, Amos & Nellie Clark homesteaded in 1910 a few miles out of town. Grandparents became his mentors as they were a great help to his Mother in helping raise the three children, during his Fathers absence. Jerry became “The Man of the house” at a very early age. Oft times he would walk to the farm to help round up the horses and cows eventually growing up and was given the honour of plowing the fields with the team of horses and Grandpa’s very large firm hands: later trusted to drive the tractors, trucks, and cars.  Many a tale those two enjoyed over the years and still bring happiness and laughs to all of us who have heard them over -and- over again. Grandma was not out of the picture as he’d help her pluck the chickens and gather eggs, neither job he liked! When he was about seven, he helped plant a large garden and come fall, picked peas on his knees all morning, shelled peas all afternoon and when he went in for a well-deserved supper that had fresh buttered peas, he got mad and walked home. How this first Grandchild was loved and spoiled! As they were the only older folks near- by they became Grandpa and Grandma Clark to all the kids in town adding thrills & fun riding on the wagons drawn by horses. How lucky we were.
Jerry met Joy Watt a couple of weeks after they were born (Feb. 22 & 27) and spent the childhood years as neighbours, attending school and graduating together. In 1953 he went to Edmonton U of A, graduating in a class of nine with a BSc in Petroleum Engineering. He and Joy were married in 1957 and we were part of the life in the “Oil Patch”, living in Red Water. Fort St.John and making their permanent home in Calgary in 1959. He truly enjoyed the oil & gas industry with the excitement of the new technology in drilling, production, building pipelines & blow-outs! The comradery of the many people from all over the world that he has been involved with these past 65 years. He attended the Banff School of Advance Management, U of C, a Life member of APEGGA and held memberships in the Professional and Petroleum Clubs, Silver Springs Golf & Country Club and an active member in the early days of the Brentwood Community Association.  In the late ‘40’s he helped his Dad with taking care of the schools and was lucky enough to make a few dollars as the kid sent up high on ladders with lumber to help build new annexes for the Grain Companies and again in the early 50’s a ”gopher” for  the construction of the new four room school that he attended and graduated.  His favorite class was SHOP and being a reliable kid, he was given the privilege of using the equipment, unsupervised after school, learning many skills.  These were used in the construction within his new homes and took to making wooden crafts and toys for the kids and office furniture. He completed a Roll-top Desk, filing cabinets, Steno & computer desk, armoire, sewing and cutting tables for Joy.
Having lived in the Brentwood area for 62 years he saw many changes and helped in the building the Community Skating shacks, which were used for warmth and changing skates, kindergarten, meetings as well as the new Brentwood Arena. Never coaching inside the warm building!! Sports were always part of his life coaching Baseball, Hockey, and his favorite sport of Badminton. Paul helped coaching baseball for manly years with their sons and younger boys always treating them to Slurppies if the won the game.  Win they did, taking them to provincial playoffs in Ardrosson. (A team from Edmonton wanted them thrown off the field and almost not allowed to play without proper baseball uniforms! Our community was so new and had no sponsors.) They were dressed in $1.49 Woodward T-shirts dyed blue for practicing & local games.  These boys would not wear the new PINK ones offered for the playoffs. Many of these kids had their first ride in his little blue MG, convertible when it was illegal to have so many in one car without seatbelts but never got caught! Winters were cold those years and he and Paul were coaches for Hockey spending many hours helping the kids get dressed before and after the games then spent the next hours shovelling snow. scrapping the ice chips off and flooding the rink until 11pm.
His children and home always came First with their schooling, music, friends and. activities at the North Family”Y” where he helped with swimming,“syncro”,diving and badminton instruction and adult play. His own enjoyment and play came in second to attending to his point six-acre yard which was always perfectly groomed: singing & trying to whistle or talking over the fence with neighbors and admirers. The Christmas Tree Lighting was an annual event and did NOT want help or assistance except with the one he could boss, just guess who that might be! The little blue spruce grew from a five- foot start to over thirty feet and was hand trimmed yearly. Each- and -every light from its tip were hand placed so far apart and each- and- every row draped the same distance apart. Perfect always and the Pride of Bannerman Dr. Jerry loved to be at the helm of his sailboat dealing with Calgary’s fickle winds scaring all his family & friends half to death while encouraging them to hang out on the trapeze. These adventures then led to little slower pace of badminton with his partner Jas. winning many trophies and tournaments in the city, Golf with his best friend Rudi, from FSJ days. and long-distance cycling with his neighbour, Sid.
 A book or two could be written about his wonderful life of experiences, his contagious sense of humor and laughter.
He leaves us to cherish these memories of a LIFE WELL LIVED and FULL OF LOVE.
The family wishes to extend a special thank you to all the staff at Manor Village Varsity, which has been Jerry’s home for the last four years with many new and old friends. 
Jerry will be lovingly remembered by Joy, Peri-Wynne Ziprick, son Geoff and Laura; his five Grandchildren,  six Great Grandchildren; brothers Don (Helen) and Randy Whittaker. 

For each thorn, there is a rosebud..
for each twilight – a dawn..
For each trial – the strength to carry on..
For each storm cloud – the sun..
For each parting – sweet memories when sorrow is done.
-    Ralph Waldo Emerson

There will be no memorial service.
If friends so desire, memorial tributes can be made to Dying with Dignity, Suite 500, 1825 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ont. M4S 1X8 https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/give_today
 



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