James Testawich

1928 ~ 2010

James Testawich was born April 27 1928 in Blueberry Mountain, Alberta. James was 1 of 9 children born to Michel & Mella Testawich.

James grew up on his father’s homestead in Blueberry Mountain area and attended Blueberry Mountain School. James remembered the 1930’s and said that times were tough but people were more trustworthy and friendlier in those days.

 As a child growing up, James rode horses and played ball, he said “It was fun and a good experience”.  He also went to dances and they would two step and polka.  James wasn’t much of a two-stepper but he he did the best he could do. James was proud that back then they could have fun without liquor or drugs. He lived by these values throughout his life.

 When James was 17 years old he told his mother, “I’m going out to work mom” and he left. He travelled to Fort St John to go to work with his brother Jack doing various types of bush work and farming in the Peace River County.

 James settled his home in Dawson Creek, BC. He had a son named Rodney in 1958 and felt terrible sadness when he lost him to cancer in 1999. James had 7 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren who he loved very much and would give anything he could to them if they needed it; they meant so much to him.

 James was highly respected by others; he was dependable, intelligent and highly motivated with a good history of work. James was a very proud man that worked hard and AWAYS had to pay for his own way. James was stubborn and things always had to be done his way, but his way was always done right, so it was a good way.

Around 1976 he started driving pilot truck for his brother Bill hauling trailers until 1996. In the early eighties James met his lifelong friend Willy Leslie. Willy was more like a son to James. Willy says that he was the short fat guy following the big tall guy and would often leave Willy in the dust when walking. James and Willy chummed around together a lot going to local hockey games and the annual Dawson Creek Fall Fair & Rodeo every year.

 James had a great sense of humour and liked to make jokes and tease others, it was something that people loved about him. One of the things that he wanted his grandchildren to do was to always get along and not fight with one another.  Anyone that knew James says what a great man he was; he truly was one of a kind.