Thomas Lybbert

My Father, Thomas Mark Lybbert is the son of Charles Lester Lybbert and his wife Delvia Reed He was born 4 February 1923, in Cardston, Alberta, Canada. He is the first of seven children in the family Life in those days made rugged men. At the age of 5, Dad began doing the work of a man helping in the various farm chores before and after school. Daily he took his 22 rifle and one cartridge to bring home dinner for the family. He still had time to enjoy sports such as baseball, football, and riding his horse to view the sites. At the age of 10 our family and several others took their journey in a wagon train to the Cold Lake Country where they homesteaded until they relocated to Glenwood, Alberta. Dad had many adventures during these formative years to include some wild toboggan rides, working as a surveyor, building a house, and hunting food. To feed the animals, he had to chop ice to give them access to water during the winter months.. During his youthful years he lived a pioneer life. There was no electricity, no phones, and no mechanical apparatus to wash clothing, vacuum the floors, etc. Farm labor was performed with horse and wagon and tools that the men could make for themselves. During the depression era, no one in the family knew that they were poor. Everyone was in the same predicament. However, the family had a garden for growing much of what was needed to sustain life. On occasion, they would hunt for food in the woods, trade skins for some sugar or salt. When Dad turned 18 years of age, he joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. He went to Montreal for his initial training and assignment. While there he was put on the fast track to officer ratings. He then was relocated to the Yukon Territory for assignment and had many adventures while there! It was there that he met President Wood, who shook his hand, looked him in the eye, and stated that Dad was in the wrong line of work. Dad then purchased his way out of the RCMP and returned to Cardston for a very long wait to receive his luggage trunk. It was there that Dad was introduced to Ruth Lucille Bowlby. She was the lady destined to become his wife. After being a constable in Cardston and Lethbridge, Alberta, Dad moved to Washington State, USA. There he engaged in a variety of jobs and professions to include: carpentry, insurance sales, insurance investigations, and bookkeeping for the U & I Sugar company. For a side line, he raised bees for several years. He was also doing a great deal of volunteer work for his community. This includes Scouting, hospital board, the Rotary and much more for the city. With all this activity, Dad made sure that he was active in his church service and raised a family of 6 children. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Thomas Lybbert, please visit our flower store.