A TRIBUTE TO
JACK SMAHA
On Friday, September 16, 2005 John William (Jack) Smaha was fatally injured in an accident on the Kitselas Road.
Jack was born in Hazelton, B.C. on June 20, 1940, He spent his whole life in the Copper City and Terrace area and was well known and respected by all.
He went to work for Columbia Cellulose at 16 years of age. Logging was in his blood and he started and developed Jasak Logging Ltd. which he operated for 30 years and more. He was a fair and caring employer with a strong strength of character, integrity and honesty. When he retired from logging, Jack took on small farming with a passion equal to his energy in logging. Nothing ever slowed him down. He embraced everything he did as a competition. It was full speed ahead, “hair straight back”!
Jack was truly blessed. He was an outdoors man, and lived in the perfect location. He fished in the ocean and rivers, hunted in the mountains, flew in the skies, logged in the woods, farmed on the fields and tended cattle in the pasture. He took on life with a positive attitude and tremendous sense of humour. He valued friends and family, and they valued him. After retirement Jack still rose very early and was off to do the business of the day, coffeeing first and then tending his ‘stock’. He loved the land at Copper (he called it ‘the Farm’) with an all-encompassing energetic passion.
Jack was able to achieve that which is the desire of every man. He achieved self-actualization. The ability to be, and do, what you want most in life. Jack lived life to the fullest. He did it all. For all his blessings we rejoice and are glad.
Jack’s memory will remain forever in the hearts of all who knew him. He will be deeply missed by his loving wife Sally, son Larry (Liz), beloved grandson Sheldon (the Doon!), his mother Hilda, son-in-law Ross Owens, mother-in-law, Marion Clift, brother Ron (Megan), sisters Linda (Trevor) Bentz of Kamloops,
B.C. and Carolyn (Andy) Goss of Whistler, B.C., brother-in-law John (Chris) Clift and many nephews and nieces. Jack was predeceased by his daughter Leah, his sister Marie, his father John, and nephews Gary, Wayne, and Tony.
A memorial service in honour of Jack’s life was officiated by Tom Harris of the Salvation Army and Pastor Lowell Holmquist of the Pentecostal Church and held at Terrace Pentecostal Assembly on Friday, September 23, 2005.
The Smaha family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to family and friends for all of the love and affection shown them in their time of sorrow. The warm compassion shown by the many meals, flower arrangements, visits, cards, in memoriam donations and expressions of sympathy are all gratefully recognized.
A special thank you to those emergency personnel who assisted and the medical staff at Mills Memorial Hospital for their care and efforts and to Emil Zagar, Jerry Haugland and Ken Halpin who have temporarily taken on the care of the cattle . Thank you also to Jim Lynch for all his help, when we needed it most.
Donations can be made in remembrance of Jack Smaha to:
Dr. R.E.M. Lee Hospital Foundation - Catscan -
P.O. Box 1067, Terrace, B.C. V8G 4V1