Family Card - Person Sheet
Family Card - Person Sheet
NameRichard (Dick) SIMPSON
Birth24 Apr 1920, Netherhill, Saskatchewan
Death13 Feb 2009, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
FatherJohn SIMPSON (~1888-1952)
MotherSusannah COATES (1889-1947)
Notes for Richard (Dick) SIMPSON
eHealth Saskatchewan
Richard Simpson born April 24 1920, 36-28-21 W3rd, mother Susie Coates, father John Simpson
In the 1921 Canadian Census Section 36 Township 28, Range 21 West of the 3rd meridian, Hillsborough municipality, Kindersley district, Saskatchewan.
Head John Simpson, age 34, born in England, parents born in England, immigrated in 1906, Canadian nationality, farmer, Anglican.
Wife Susie Simpson, age 31, born England, parents born England, immigrated 1913.
Son John Simpson, age 5, born Saskatchewan.
Daughter M. Elizabeth Simpson, age 3, born Saskatchewan.
Son Richard Simpson, age 1, born Saskatchewan.
House help Robert Auckland, single, age 28, immigrated 1920, born England, parents born England, farm labourer.
In the 1926 Canadian census of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta
Section 36, Township 28, Range 21, West of the 3rd Meridian, Hilsburgh municipality, Kindersley district, Saskatchewan
Head John Simpson, age 36, born England, parents born England, immigrated 1909
Wife Susie Simpson, age 36, born England, parents born England, immigrated 1913
Son John Simpson, age 10, born Saskatchewan
Daughter Muriel Simpson, age 8, born Saskatchewan
Son Richard Simpson, age 6, born Saskatchewan
Son George Simpson, age 4, born Saskatchewan
Daughter Grace Simpson, age 4 months, born Saskatchewan
Servant Rennie Cameron?, single, age 34, born Ontario
1931 Canada Census Saskatchewan, Kindersley district, Sub didtrict 63
36-28-21 W3
Owner of home, value $400, single story, wood, 4 rooms, they have a radio
Head John Simpson, age 42, born England, parents born England, immigrated, 1908, nationality Canada, racial origin English, Church of England, farmer, grain farmer
Wife Susie Simpson, age 42, born England, parents born England, homemaker
Son John Douglas Simpson, age 15, born Manitoba [other records say Sask.], student
Daughter Muriel Elizabeth Simpson, age 13, born Saskatchewan, student
Son Richard Simpson, age 10, born Saskatchewan, student
Son George Simpson, age 9, born Saskatchewan, student
Daughter Grace Simpson, age 5, born Saskatchewan
Partner Ronald J Cameron, single, age 38, born Onrario, parents born Ontario, nationality Canada, racial origin English, farmer, grain farmer
Canada Voters Lists 1953
Skyline Trailer Camp, Edmonton West, Alberta
Valentine Schafer, seismic worker
Mrs Anne Schafer
Vera Banning, cook
John Simpson, owner drilling Company
George Simpson, owner drilling Company
Richard Simpson, owner drilling Company
Kenneth Briscoe, driller
Kenneth Auckland, driller
Henry Lepine, derrick man
Roy Corrigal, toolpusher
William Kinnunen, oil worker
Mary Kinnunen
Jack Schmitz, seismigrapg worker
Romana Schmitz
Clifford Grainger, driller
Mrs Gwen Grainger
From his memorial card.
Dick’s knowledge of and experience on the lakes and rivers of BC, Alberta, Yukon and Alaska was widely known. It came as no surprise when he and his son Jim received medals of bravery for the rescue of a family during a storm on Okanagan Lake. His life experiences were vast - starting with water well drilling at the age of 16 in his birthplace of Netherhill, Saskatchewan. He then proceeded to a career in oilfield drilling that spanned 20 years.
Dick, his brothers and father owned and operated Tri City Drilling and Hub City Drilling. During that time he was a member of the Calgary Petroleum Club. His next venture was ownership of Central Tractor and a Ski-Doo dealership in Kelowna. It followed naturally that he became a director of the ski-doo club. at the same time he operated a pole treating business. He then took a few years to go prospecting. After returning to the Okanagan, he started his company Central Barge and Pile Driving, working there until his retirement in November 1998. His full life was challenged only by his fantastic ability to relay his experiences to us. We will miss the master storyteller.
end of quote
A family member indicated that when the they were drilling the Alberta oilsands to obtain samples that the existing drill bits were unable to perform this task. Thus the procedure was not providing the necessary data. Undeterred, Dick invented a drill bit to achieve this task.
From the Courier [Presumably a Kelowna, British Columbia newspaper]
Brave Local Men by J.P. Squire
Three Kelowna residents who saved six people from drowning in a storm-tossed Okanagan Lake Aug. 25 1981, will receive medals of bravery from Gov. Gen. Ed Schreyer June 24.
Nineteen medals of bravery, Canada’s third highest bravery decoration and four stars of courage, the second highest will be awarded.
Medals will be presented to Hans Gillman, Richard Simpson and his son Jim for their valiant fight against the waves up to six metres (20 feet) high rescue of the McGill family of Delta and Dave Curtiss of Calgary.
Gillman said today he is very pleased he will receive the medal.
He recalls he was operating compacting equipment at the Greata Ranch that day, the last day he was scheduled to work on the property, located between Peachland and Summerland.
It was a very hot day, he says, and he had taken a nap after lunch in the shade of several trees about 100 metres (100 yards) uphill from Okanagan Lake.
When he awoke the sand around him was blowing and he immediately saw the agitated condition of the lake, especially at Squally Point about 1.5 kilometres (one mile) to the south and on the opposite side of the lake.
He spotted what appeared to be a red beach buoy, which he later found was the red gas tank.
He watched it for a while, trying to figure out what it was, then looked in the general area about four kilometres (two to two-and-a-half miles) away and finally spotted a silver and red reflection with two black dots on it. He took a bearing using landmarks, estimating where the swamped boat would be when they got in that area.
Gillman alerted the rest of the crew working on the site and Richard Simpson and his son, who have boats and barges moored nearby, volunteered to take their six-metre (20-foot) cabin cruiser out to attempt a rescue.
Although Gillman can’t swim and has a fear of water, he also jumped into their tossing boat.
Following the earlier line-of-sight, the cabin cruiser drove straight towards the boat in trouble, but it took three attempts in the high waves to get close enough to toss a line.
The two youngest children, a boy and a girl came first, then the mother and other daughter, and finally the two men, who had all been in the water almost three hours by this time.
However, the father, suffering from hypothermia, didn’t want to leave the boat, since it didn’t belong to him, and they began towing it back. But the line snapped and wrapped itself around the cabin cruiser’s propeller.
Progress was slow, but everyone made it safely, guided part way back by a small search and rescue boat which wasn’t aware the rescue had already been made by the larger boat.
end of article.
Richard Simpson born April 24 1920, 36-28-21 W3rd, mother Susie Coates, father John Simpson
In the 1921 Canadian Census Section 36 Township 28, Range 21 West of the 3rd meridian, Hillsborough municipality, Kindersley district, Saskatchewan.
Head John Simpson, age 34, born in England, parents born in England, immigrated in 1906, Canadian nationality, farmer, Anglican.
Wife Susie Simpson, age 31, born England, parents born England, immigrated 1913.
Son John Simpson, age 5, born Saskatchewan.
Daughter M. Elizabeth Simpson, age 3, born Saskatchewan.
Son Richard Simpson, age 1, born Saskatchewan.
House help Robert Auckland, single, age 28, immigrated 1920, born England, parents born England, farm labourer.
In the 1926 Canadian census of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta
Section 36, Township 28, Range 21, West of the 3rd Meridian, Hilsburgh municipality, Kindersley district, Saskatchewan
Head John Simpson, age 36, born England, parents born England, immigrated 1909
Wife Susie Simpson, age 36, born England, parents born England, immigrated 1913
Son John Simpson, age 10, born Saskatchewan
Daughter Muriel Simpson, age 8, born Saskatchewan
Son Richard Simpson, age 6, born Saskatchewan
Son George Simpson, age 4, born Saskatchewan
Daughter Grace Simpson, age 4 months, born Saskatchewan
Servant Rennie Cameron?, single, age 34, born Ontario
1931 Canada Census Saskatchewan, Kindersley district, Sub didtrict 63
36-28-21 W3
Owner of home, value $400, single story, wood, 4 rooms, they have a radio
Head John Simpson, age 42, born England, parents born England, immigrated, 1908, nationality Canada, racial origin English, Church of England, farmer, grain farmer
Wife Susie Simpson, age 42, born England, parents born England, homemaker
Son John Douglas Simpson, age 15, born Manitoba [other records say Sask.], student
Daughter Muriel Elizabeth Simpson, age 13, born Saskatchewan, student
Son Richard Simpson, age 10, born Saskatchewan, student
Son George Simpson, age 9, born Saskatchewan, student
Daughter Grace Simpson, age 5, born Saskatchewan
Partner Ronald J Cameron, single, age 38, born Onrario, parents born Ontario, nationality Canada, racial origin English, farmer, grain farmer
Canada Voters Lists 1953
Skyline Trailer Camp, Edmonton West, Alberta
Valentine Schafer, seismic worker
Mrs Anne Schafer
Vera Banning, cook
John Simpson, owner drilling Company
George Simpson, owner drilling Company
Richard Simpson, owner drilling Company
Kenneth Briscoe, driller
Kenneth Auckland, driller
Henry Lepine, derrick man
Roy Corrigal, toolpusher
William Kinnunen, oil worker
Mary Kinnunen
Jack Schmitz, seismigrapg worker
Romana Schmitz
Clifford Grainger, driller
Mrs Gwen Grainger
From his memorial card.
Dick’s knowledge of and experience on the lakes and rivers of BC, Alberta, Yukon and Alaska was widely known. It came as no surprise when he and his son Jim received medals of bravery for the rescue of a family during a storm on Okanagan Lake. His life experiences were vast - starting with water well drilling at the age of 16 in his birthplace of Netherhill, Saskatchewan. He then proceeded to a career in oilfield drilling that spanned 20 years.
Dick, his brothers and father owned and operated Tri City Drilling and Hub City Drilling. During that time he was a member of the Calgary Petroleum Club. His next venture was ownership of Central Tractor and a Ski-Doo dealership in Kelowna. It followed naturally that he became a director of the ski-doo club. at the same time he operated a pole treating business. He then took a few years to go prospecting. After returning to the Okanagan, he started his company Central Barge and Pile Driving, working there until his retirement in November 1998. His full life was challenged only by his fantastic ability to relay his experiences to us. We will miss the master storyteller.
end of quote
A family member indicated that when the they were drilling the Alberta oilsands to obtain samples that the existing drill bits were unable to perform this task. Thus the procedure was not providing the necessary data. Undeterred, Dick invented a drill bit to achieve this task.
From the Courier [Presumably a Kelowna, British Columbia newspaper]
Brave Local Men by J.P. Squire
Three Kelowna residents who saved six people from drowning in a storm-tossed Okanagan Lake Aug. 25 1981, will receive medals of bravery from Gov. Gen. Ed Schreyer June 24.
Nineteen medals of bravery, Canada’s third highest bravery decoration and four stars of courage, the second highest will be awarded.
Medals will be presented to Hans Gillman, Richard Simpson and his son Jim for their valiant fight against the waves up to six metres (20 feet) high rescue of the McGill family of Delta and Dave Curtiss of Calgary.
Gillman said today he is very pleased he will receive the medal.
He recalls he was operating compacting equipment at the Greata Ranch that day, the last day he was scheduled to work on the property, located between Peachland and Summerland.
It was a very hot day, he says, and he had taken a nap after lunch in the shade of several trees about 100 metres (100 yards) uphill from Okanagan Lake.
When he awoke the sand around him was blowing and he immediately saw the agitated condition of the lake, especially at Squally Point about 1.5 kilometres (one mile) to the south and on the opposite side of the lake.
He spotted what appeared to be a red beach buoy, which he later found was the red gas tank.
He watched it for a while, trying to figure out what it was, then looked in the general area about four kilometres (two to two-and-a-half miles) away and finally spotted a silver and red reflection with two black dots on it. He took a bearing using landmarks, estimating where the swamped boat would be when they got in that area.
Gillman alerted the rest of the crew working on the site and Richard Simpson and his son, who have boats and barges moored nearby, volunteered to take their six-metre (20-foot) cabin cruiser out to attempt a rescue.
Although Gillman can’t swim and has a fear of water, he also jumped into their tossing boat.
Following the earlier line-of-sight, the cabin cruiser drove straight towards the boat in trouble, but it took three attempts in the high waves to get close enough to toss a line.
The two youngest children, a boy and a girl came first, then the mother and other daughter, and finally the two men, who had all been in the water almost three hours by this time.
However, the father, suffering from hypothermia, didn’t want to leave the boat, since it didn’t belong to him, and they began towing it back. But the line snapped and wrapped itself around the cabin cruiser’s propeller.
Progress was slow, but everyone made it safely, guided part way back by a small search and rescue boat which wasn’t aware the rescue had already been made by the larger boat.
end of article.