It is kinda the fun part of this job. Getting a chance to meet people that I may not have had a chance to meet.
I was out picking up some signs from Joe Bolster back a few months and, in discussion, I asked him if we could do a story.
You know, not everyone is willing to talk a bit about themselves and I fully understand that. But Joe kinda liked the idea.
This guy not only grew up in Smithers but so did his mom and her mom. Their family name was Bovill and Carr.
These names go back a few generations and the Carrs actually built the Bulkley Hotel.
The neat thing that Joe told me was that he grew up on Elgin Road and now lives on Banff Ave. Considering I had to immigrate 1,000 miles from Burnaby to find this beautiful valley, Joe only moved a block to get a better view of old Hudson Bay Mountain.
Growing up in the valley usually means you have to be involved in some type of sport.
“We played a lot of street or pond hockey depending on the season,” said Joe.
“We were pretty close to the Aslins down the road and always had some pretty competitive get-togethers. I liked hockey but my high school years were dedicated to basketball and skiing.”
After graduating and not getting any signing offers from the NBA, it was time to work.
“I enjoyed driving truck and spent a bit of time in the oil patch, I drove logging truck and chip truck.
“I got a chance to manage the Chevron bulk plant and jumped in for the next 15 years.
“All the time, I kinda wanted my own business so when the opportunity came up to buy Extreme Signs and Stripes, my wife and I decided to give it a go.
“Operating your own business is a sink-or-swim proposition and takes a lot of hours and dedication to make it work. We did just that and I feel kinda proud of what we have put together over the past 10 years,” continued Joe.
Joe’s family has always come first and they still get together for skiing or ATVing when the kids are back in town.
Joe’s wife, Laura, has been working for the Ministry of Forests the past 30 years and they have raised a daughter and a son.
Jeremy has been working in Prince George as a computer code writer for Sales Force.
Katelynn, their daughter, graduated with an aerospace engineering degree and then decided she wanted to be a pilot. She is now in the Canadian Armed Forces stationed in Nova Scotia.
I had Joe show me around the shop and inquired about the equipment used to make the signs when I spied this lime-green Plymouth Barracuda.
What’s with that I asked.
“Oh that’s one of my hobbies, I started with a shell and over the years of patience and dedication this is what emerged,” said Joe.
Wow, she is immaculate, amazing was my comment.
As we were concluding our conversations, Joe’s dad, Barney Bolster, comes into the shop, Everyone knows Barney and he went straight to his pride and joy, a 1928 Plymouth sedan.
Original from purchase and restored to perfection, double wow. Looks like this guy could make a column.
Thanks Joe, fun getting to know a bit about you and your family.
