Retirement Party for former Snipe Lake Reeve

By Kate Winquist

A retirement party was held in honor of Bill Owens to celebrate his 17 years of service at the R.M. of Snipe Lake on March 28th. Owens served as Reeve of the R.M. of Snipe Lake for eight years and held the position of councillor for many years prior. He was born and raised on the family farm near Eston, which his grandfather homesteaded in 1906. “He was one of the first homesteaders in the country and established the first post office in this area,” he reflected.

Bill Owens (right) former Reeve of the RM of Snipe Lake receiving recognition for his 17 years of service to the RM.  Making the presentation is current Reeve Al Harpestad.

Now semi-retired from farming, Bill has passed the farm to his son and grandson. Throughout the years, he has been an active volunteer in the community, stating, “When you live in the community, you do lots of things without thinking about it because it’s a job that has to be done.” Bill has coached hockey and has been a member of both the Masonic Lodge and the Wildlife Federation.

In his retirement, Bill looks forward to spending more time on woodworking, a hobby he never had the chance to fully enjoy before.