Norman Eyben
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Norman Eyben, a resident of Dawson Creek, British Columbia, on Monday, September 29, 2025, at the age of 95 years.
Norman Douglas Eyben was born June 29, 1930, in Vermilion, Alberta. The third child in a family of five kids was raised in the early years of the great depression. Hand me downs and patched clothes.
Norman and his siblings all learned to ride horses at a young age. They didn’t have a saddle, so it was always bareback. Lots of races out across the fields and through the yard. Of course there were lots of chores to be done. Norman and his Mum would milk about 8 cows morning and night. Neil got in firewood and fed and watered the chickens and hunted eggs. Albert fed and watered the pigs. Irene helped their mum with the cooking and housework. His Dad fed his feeder cattle. There was always lots to do on the farm. The whole family was expected to chip in. Garden to plant and then weed, fences to fix, grain to be cleaned and seeded. Fields to work, firewood to get, hay to be put up and then in the winter hauled home by hay rack and sleigh to be fed to livestock.
Norman started out traveling from farm to farm cleaning grain within a 20-mile radius, with a machine called a Carter Disc cleaner. It would clean about 60 bushels an hour. Norman charged $2.50/hour, including $6.00/day for wages.
In 1947, Norman’s parents, Herman and Jenny Eyben, sold out and moved to New West Minister, British Columbia. Norman went back to school for a year, then took a job in a shingle mill and became a lumber carrier driver. Wanderlust hit and he built a little teardrop trailer and hit the road. He worked bridge construction at Spence’s bridge and a number of other construction jobs.
Norman had a cousin in Grande Prairie, Alberta, so he headed there to look for work. While there he met a cute little gal named Leola, who lived across the Wapiti River. They dated for a bit and got married Nov. 5, 1955. In December they moved back to New West Minister. In 1956 Kim was born. In 1957 Dale came along and Kelly in 1959.
In 1960 they moved North to the Peace country. They settled on a property at mile 10 on the Alaska Highway for the next 38 years. In 1961, Melody was born and then Clinton in 1963. The family complete.
Norman worked for School District #59 maintenance dept. for 23 years as a carpenter first and then as supervisor. At one point, Norman was working at Moberly Lake school with his partner at the time, Dennis McKinnon, when he had a terrible accident which ended in him losing 3 fingers on his left hand. After some time in hospital and rehab, Norman returned to work. He had to adapt but continued working for a while. After his retirement he started doing renovations and odd jobs for the next 10 years to stay busy.
In 1990, He along with his brother-in-law, George Day, and friend, Jack Arlint, decided to build a golf course. They laid out 9 fairways and a driving range on their last ΒΌ of land. What is known as Farmington Fairways. There is also a clubhouse which Norman made by converting 2 Atco trailers, 23 campsites between #1 and # 2 fairways. As well as 28 sites with power and water hookups. They opened in the fall of 1993 and sold out their home and the golf course in 1997. Norman considered this to be one of the high points of his life and was quite proud of what they accomplished.
In 1998, Norman and Leola moved to Osoyoos and built a new home. After 4-5 years they moved to Salmon Arm and built twice more. Finally, they settled in Enderby for a number of years before moving back to Dawson Creek in 2017. They then had a modular home put on Dale and Diana’s property to be close to helping hands.
Through all of this, they found the time to go South to Arizona in the winter for several years. They traveled across Canada and went all over many provinces camping and fishing. Norman lived a great life, he worked hard and enjoyed everything. Including dancing with his Wife!!
He will be greatly missed by his remaining children and their families, Kim, Kelly (Leona), Melody (Rick), Clinton (Janice), daughter-in-law Diana; 10 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; brother Neil Eyben; sisters-in-law Dorothy Eyben and Melba (Bunny) Schenk; as well as many nieces and nephews.
Norman was predeceased by his wife Leola; son Dale; brothers Albert and Ronald; sister Irene Kennedy; brothers-in-law Alan Kennedy, George Day and David Schenk; sisters-in-law June Eyben, Vi Eyben, Lucy Eyben, and Annette Dayl; and parents Herman and Jenny Eyben.
A Celebration Of Life will be held for Norman on Friday, October 3, 2025, at 1:00pm at Reynars Chapel. Pauline Haycock will officiate. Interment will be held at a later date.
For friends so wishing, donations may be made in memory of Norman to the Canadian Cancer Society, 565 West 10 Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 2N7 or SPCA South Peace Branch, 11418 3 Street, Dawson Creek, British Columbia V1G 4L5.
Very Respectfully, Reynars Funeral Home and Crematorium