Kindersley resident celebrates his 100th birthday!
A Kindersley resident at Caleb Village has officially become a centenarian! Herb Strutt celebrates his 100th birthday on August 7th, 2020, but he’s not alone. According to CBC, there are over 400 centenarians in Saskatchewan.
Herb was born southwest of D’Arcy, the third child in a family of five children. They grew up on a farm near Brock, where he helped his dad. The prairies began to experience the Great Depression when Herb was just ten years old. As he grew older, there wasn’t much employment to be found, so he signed up with the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1941, where he took mechanics training in Saskatoon.
From there he was sent to Brandon, Ontario for army training before heading overseas on the Queen Elizabeth along with 16,000 troops. It was a rough and crowded, five-day journey across the Atlantic.
When he arrived in England, he was occupied as an engine mechanic for the Spitfire. It was in this capacity that he saw action in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. He finally made his way home on September 15th, 1945. He once said he persevered during the war by possessing a good sense of humour, by getting together at pubs and laughing at everything to keep from going crazy. It wasn’t until his 95th birthday that the French Government knighted him in recognition of his service on D-Day and the Battle of Normandy.
After the war, he worked at various jobs before buying some land. On July 21st, 1951, he married Helen Miller from Alsask, and they had five children: Susan Furhman, Roger Strutt, Claire Seibold, Lenore Delday and Cecile Bradshaw. Today Herb and Helen also have twelve grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.
When Herb and Helen’s children were growing up, the family always had a huge garden. “We ate potatoes every day, and lots of chicken,” Herb’s son Roger said, “At Caleb, Dad gets a lot of rice.”
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Herb Strutt resides in Caleb Village with his wife Helen.
Music is a big part of Herb’s life.
Herb and Helen had a mixed farming operation, which included geese, chickens, cattle, horses and sometimes pigs. “Dad grew up helping his dad with their horses, and he was involved with horse shows, especially with my sisters, throughout the years,” Roger said. “He enjoyed fishing too, but because he worked so hard, there wasn’t much time for a holiday.” It was all that hard work that enabled Herb and Helen to put five children through university and college.
Throughout the years, Herb enjoyed playing the banjo and guitar and had always wanted to take piano lessons when he was a child, but his family couldn’t afford it. Now, whenever the opportunity permits, a couple of his grandchildren bring a marimba to Caleb, and play for their grandparents and the other guests.
Herb’s special birthday plans have been changed several times because of changing health regulations. “We had various plans. Now it’s going to be a drive-by at 1:45 p.m. on August 7th, where Dad will be in front of Caleb and people can drive by and wave and say hello. The Legion will also be there, and we’ll have a guest book to sign,” Roger said.
If you’re near Caleb Village at that time, be sure to drive by and wish Herb a happy birthday. After all, it’s not every day that someone celebrates their 100th birthday!