Obituary of J. Louis Jaspar

With heavy hearts we announce the peaceful passing of our father Joseph Louis Jaspar on May 18th at Saskatoon City Hospital. His last days were spent surrounded by the love and affection of his wife and family who are grateful for this time spent with him. He was predeceased by his parents Paul and Louise Jaspar and his daughter Michele. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Theresa, his children Paul (Yvonne), Raymond (Irene), Denise (Darrell), Phillippe (Wendy), Robert (Yvette), Annette, thirteen grandchildren, eleven great-children and his adopted sister Marie. Louis, as he preferred to be called, was born to hard working pioneers who settled near Fort Kent, Alberta. At the age of eleven his father passed away and the great depression of the thirties made the times very difficult for him and his mother. He managed to get his grade 12 and went on to join the army. He left his Alberta home to take his training in Brockville, Ontario. He was expecting to be shipped out to Europe but because he was bilingual his commanding officer wanted him to remain in Canada to help in training other soldiers. By the time the war was ending Louis was still being retained on the home front. Having served in the armed forces made it possible for Louis to attend the University of Alberta where he achieved a master’s degree in civil engineering. This launched his career with the P.F.R.A. where he was integrally involved in the design and monitoring of the Gardiner Dam on the South Saskatchewan River, a project that spanned most of his working life. His fellow engineers remember him as friendly, easy to talk with and as someone whose brain they liked to pick when it came to solving difficult problems. The plotting of family and relatives brought Louis and Theresa together and they were married in the spring of 1949. They settled in Saskatoon where they raised their family. Their children share an abundance of great memories spent on vacation and recreation. Travelling, camping, boating and fishing were all enjoyed because good family times were important to Louis. Louis also gave abundantly of his time and talents to his community. In winter he would help set up the boards for the school’s skating rink. When flooding the rink he noticed all the water flowing to only one end so he used his surveying skills to have the ground leveled so it would flood more evenly. He served on Parish Council for many years and frequently assisted in church liturgies. He received a commendation from the Red Cross for his numerous blood donations. His successful career as a civil engineer, his strong work ethic and moral principles made Louis a great role model for all who knew him. He was devoted to caring for his family and did all he could to ensure their well being. Cherished memories of time spent together will keep his memory always in our hearts. God bless and keep you Dad, until we can be together again