Image: A six horse team hauling lumber along the Wapiti River in February, 1938. This team worked for the Moon Bros. Mill, south of Bezanson. Jack worked with Charlie Moon for a number of years (SPRA 1969.60.998)
Soldier Spotlight highlights veterans from the Archives’ online Soldiers’ Memorial. Each week, our volunteers select a remarkable individual to showcase in this new blog series. The Soldiers’ Memorial commemorates more than 1,100 WWI veterans and 2,300 WWII veterans from our region. Three dedicated volunteers have contributed over 1,200 hours to this project by researching and writing biographies. Our goal is to have all South Peace soldiers acknowledged for their service. If you know of someone who lived in the South Peace and should be listed on the Memorial, or would like to get involved by researching a local veteran, please contact the Archives.
Force: Army Medical Corps
Jack Dorscheid was born in 1909 to Mr and Mrs Anton Dorscheid on their farm in Windom, Minnesota USA. In 1921 he and his family, including 3 younger brothers, moved to Canada and settled on a homestead in the Glen Leslie AB area. Jack’s older sister and husband had already moved to the area. Jack and 2 of his brothers attended the Crystal Creek School. In July 1930 Jack married Myrtle Dixon, a teacher from Beaverlodge. Sadly his wife died of scarlet fever in June 1931. He later married Bernice Ames from Bezanson, and they had 2 sons, Larry and Jerry. During the 1930’s Jack farmed and raised cattle. When WW II broke out he enlisted in 1940 or 1941 with the Army Medical Corps, being posted in England, and he was discharged in 1945. (His brothers Earl and Charles also served in the war. Charles was killed in action.) After the war, Jack farmed the original homestead in Glen Leslie with his brother Earl. To make ends meet, the 2 men had a sawmill business over several winters using Charlie Moon’s mill north of Crooked Creek. Eventually Jack worked for Grande Prairie Lumber Co. building roads and running a saw mill. The next year, he became a foreman at a saw mill owned by his brother Earl and Phil Nilsson. Another winter he was foreman at Norton’s cat outfit cutting lines for oil companies. In 1959 Jack was elected county councilor, serving in this position for 6 years. He was chairman of the of the Agricultural Service Board, on the County Planning and Hospital Board, named to municipal and school committees, and was warden of East Smoky Parks. Indeed he was very busy, and he resigned of his duties in 1965. For a few more years he returned to farming, ranching and enjoying family life. He died suddenly in 1973. His wife Bernice died in 2001.
Source: Smoky River to Grande Prairie p. 426
Herald Tribune – June 19, 1931 p. 1. c. 1 (wife’s death); July 25, 1930 p. 5 c. 4 (married); June 16, 1959 p. 1 c. 1 (county); April 5, 1960 p. 1 c. 5 (Agr. Serv. Bd.)