Tribute

Gerald passed away suddenly at home in the early morning hours, with his companion Ally Shymkowich by his side.

This was just 3 weeks short of his 89 birthday, of which he was somewhat proud.  He was still mobile (not even using a cane), and had just obtained new hearing aids.  His health was great up until the unexpected.  He did have some medical issues 20 or so years ago, having several parts cut off and out.  One time, he had a bony growth starting to form and come out of the side of his head.  To him, this was simply a horn, and much like he did to his calves, wanted to apply dehorning paste (an acid) to it to solve the issue.  The Doctor was not so sure this was the correct procedure, so he acquiesced and had it cut out in the hospital.

He was pre-deceased by his loving wife Mary Elizabeth (Liz), his parents Ted and Bea, and his younger brother, Ron Pendergraft.

Gerald is survived by his only child Brad (Bev), his grandchildren Brock (Chantel) and Brynn, his older brother Jim, and sister in-law Hazel.

Gerald was born in Osoyoos, and spent his entire life around Osoyoos, having never lived farther than 20 miles away. He eloped to marry his sweetheart, Liz, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho on March 6, 1959.

There was a brief 10 years from 1969-1979 where they lived in Bridesville taking over that part of the family ranching operation (TW Pendergraft and Sons), but he later (1979) bought back a Lot from the family, and built his last home in Osoyoos.

He could be found fishing, gardening, or tinkering with his various projects in his spare time.  In the 1980’s and 90’s he and his Brother Jim became active in fishing.  They built a “wagon” and hand drug in many boats to many isolated lakes between the Christian Valley and Beaverdell area.  Their thoughts were that “easy access lakes” had too many people and very little fish left.  Stashing boats at lakes that took some effort to get into, were the places to be!  The problem was, it seemed that after doing a great deal of work to drag boats into certain lakes, a year to two would go by, and the area would be opened up with logging activity, and now everybody could easily get to a lake that they poured great deals of sweat and effort to drag boats into.  Many of those stashed boats are still there, and one hopes that they are being put to good use by others, and then leaving them for the next guy.

Gerald was a cattle rancher all of his life.  He also raised Thoroughbred race horses, with a dream of having one race in the Kentucky Derby one day.  Unfortunately, that goal was never realized, but on a vacation, he did manage to get to Churchill Downs on Derby weekend.  That trip was somewhat adventurous, as they were crashed into by a driver trying to elude a State Trooper.  The result was, they had to drive back home from Kentucky with bungee chord’s tying on the cars headlights.

He was the Starter for the Osoyoos Desert Park Racetrack.  He also participated in the Interior Racing Circuit, with his own home bred horses and raced many times in Vancouver as well.  There are many “Winners Photos” in the photo album.  He was active in the local horse show / rodeo circuit back in the day, having won many trophies, ribbons, and many, many belt buckles for his calf roping prowess.  In his youth he rode some Bulls and one time, got kicked in the mouth breaking his front tooth.  He had a partial plate installed, of which he would always play tricks on kids, popping it out the front, then sucking it back in.  Always the jokester.

Gerald was a known fighter.  He quit school at the end of his Grade 10 year.  He got in a brawl with a teacher that “flicked” his ear, to which he took exception.   It should be noted, that he was extremely proud of the fact that he was beating the crap out of that particular teacher, only to be stopped by the Principal who was walking down the corridor at the time.  He only quit Grade 10, after being given the choice of “quit at year end (soon), or be expelled.”  Since the end of the year was near, he just elected to quit.

Was not one to take exception, or back down.   He was going to do or say what he thought was right.  Political correctness did not factor in.  That was not even heard of back then.

He was a man of his word. You could trust that what he said was going to be what happened.

Like many people of his era, he built (with assistants from trades), 3 of his own houses to live in.  None of them had a front door that was useable, or was ever even entered!!  2 of them did not even have steps to the ground.   Clearly, Architecture was not his strong suit.

His travels (with Liz) included Bali, Cuba, Mexico, various places in the USA, and across Canada trip all the way to Newfoundland, or the “Rock” as he called it.  Later years saw him not venture as far from home, but was a regular visitor to local Casino’s with Ally.

He loved his Grandchildren, Brock and Brynn.  Even building them “safety” seats on his tractor so that they could ride along when haying.  A feature that was never provide for his (son) Brad, who was simply told to “hang on” at best, or, who was told to drive the tractor at age 4.  Pointed in the correct direction while walking alongside while loading sprinklers on a pipe wagon.

He thought he could turn his Grandchildren into “cowboys” by buying them a Pony.  (they were just born to 3 years old at the time).  That Pony was a knot head who was terrible to ride for even an experienced rider.  He got rid of him, and got a different little old Pony, who was so old and so sweet, she didn’t care about anything. In fact, she had terrible feet and could hardly walk half as fast as a human.  The kids had fun, but were never cut out for the “cowboy” life.

Having only 1 child, meant that Brad was required to do whatever was needed, or expected.  One time, the septic tank was backed up and needed a cleanout.  To Gerald, that meant to do it himself, not hire it out.  Brad was walking home from school at this time, and was informed that Dad needed help.  He had a 45 gallon drum hooked up to the front end loader on the tractor, and was “dipping” it into the tank, tipping it over and filling it, then taking it over and dumping it out over the bank.  He could not get down to the bottom of the tank with his great system, but wanted it to be fully emptied.  So…… he lowers Brad down into the tank, with a 5 gallon bucket, then lowers down his big drum, and Brad had to stand in knee deep sewage and scoop up the rest of the goodies, filling the drum.  Many trips were required, and Brad was not always sure he was returning, as he waited in the bottom of the septic tank, standing in the crap.  Doing that today would probably be considered child abuse!  To him, it was simply a job that needed doing.

Make no harsh decisions.  The tough decisions he did as a Father forced or molded me to become the man that I (Brad) am today.  Tough, but not coddling.  Advance or get left behind.

Knowing it or not, he was a great teacher.  He got me involved in the beef 4H Beef club (as was pretty much standard to all ranching kids in the area back then) when I was 10 years old.

The 4H motto is “learn to do by doing”.

This is possibly the greatest motto ever.  That all should live with and by.  And I encourage all people who hear or learn this moto to embrace it.

I promotes a “get er done” attitude, which is severely needed today.  Don’t say “I cannot do that, I do not know how”.  Just try to figure it out, and resolve the issue or problem.  He taught me to fix the problem, not wait for “someone else” to show up and do it for you.

As an example.  One time on the ranch, a cow was having a problem with a breech birth delivery. Dad (not knowing what to do) called in the services of a Vet.  The calf and cow were saved, but at a cost that was probably higher than the value of both of them combined.  To him, the obvious solution was, to purchase all of the required medical supplies, and when the similar event arrived in the future, do it himself.

This had 2 outcomes.

1. He was able to perform caesarian’s on many births on his own cows, but
2. The word got out that he could do this, and all surrounding Ranchers would be calling at all hours asking for help, to which he could not say no.

He also became the local “Vet” for the area who was called out to stich up a gash in a horse or other animal, as he was the “one” who had the supplies, and was nearby.

Dad, much like many of my family and longtime family friends, who have been Pioneers to Osoyoos, have given their lives and efforts to the growth and advancement of Osoyoos.  It really pissed him off when people who just moved here (say in the last 20 years), had great ideas on what needed to change and how they were “old timers” that knew it all.  Not even close.  If you haven’t been here for 50+ years, you were just a newbie.

They do not make people like him anymore.  He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.