Wednesday, June 3, 2020
Ernst Sommerfeld is my dad, he was a great inspiration for me. I am the person that I am today because of the coaching and mentoring by my mom and dad and 2 brothers and 5 sisters. I grew up on my parents farm in northern Alberta, and although we were not rich and by todays standards possibly poor, we didn't know it. We always had enough to eat, clean clothes and many great memories. On the farm, as was true with all of my friends and neighbors, everyone worked, everyone participated and there was strict discipline. My sisters pitched hay, milked cows, drove tractors and were excellent marksman with rifles. I guess the greatest lesson I learned from my parents was to help others and be kind. The area we grew up in was rural and quite desolate, many times people with car trouble would stop in for help and would not receive help until they joined us for supper if we were in the middle of it. After my older siblings left the farm, my parents continued to harvest livestock and fruits and vegetables and bring them to family members. My mom was a city girl, but she did not shirk from farm work and became locally famous for self-taught culinary skills as well as Katies Donuts at school and church functions. She was also a self-taught, accomplished seamstress and made bridal gowns for 4 daughters as well as dozens of bridesmaid dresses. Katie was very talented and encouraged her children to do the same. Ernst was a skilled carpenter and one of his most prized memories was working on the construction of the Grande Prairie Regional College designed by internationally recognized Native Canadian Architect Douglas Cardinal. This grand building is iconic and boasts no square corners on any part of the building. Ernst Sommerfeld loved the challenge and was proud of how beautifully it turned out. In later years I had many chances to discuss his life and his thoughts. Dad's carpentry work caused him to travel and be away from home many times and he said he regretted that because it added stress to the family and he wished he would have been able to be away less. My parents had disagreements the same as any relationship, but loved each other dearly and were married for more than 56 years. I am grateful for their commitment to each other and our family. They were not perfect, but did the very best they could for their family and I feel lucky to be raised by them.
Rick Sommerfeld
