March 10, 1938 – Jan. 26, 2025
Eric “Sigurd” Vicklund was born to Evert and Margaret Vicklund on March 10, 1938, in High Prairie.
Sigurd was the eldest child of seven siblings. Sigurd’s childhood years were spent growing up in High Prairie and the family farm just north of High Prairie.
From an early age, Eric excelled in school. His artistic skills were recognized in the elementary school. He especially enjoyed Language Arts. The writing skills he developed in Language Arts would become a huge part of his daily life as he became an adult. Eric, in his youth, loved going to movies: he noted all the movies and the actors.
Eric, being the eldest child, had extra responsibilities to help his parents with his younger siblings and run the family farm. As a youth, Eric joined the Air Cadets as he became interested in eventually joining the Army.
In 1958, Eric joined the Armed Forces. After completing his basic training in Canada, he was stationed in Germany. It was extremely important for Eric to serve his country. Upon his return to Canada, he worked for Medrick Carpenter as a carpenter, then worked for Gordon Buchanan as a forklift operator for a number of years.
Eric met and fell in love with Hazel Cunningham of Big Prairie (today known as Peavine) and were married at St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church in High Prairie on August 12, 1967. Shortly after they moved to Peavine where he and Hazel began their life together raising cattle, which became a dominant part of their livelihood throughout their life together.
Eric with his carpentry skills, built their own home and assisted in the building a number of houses in Peavine including the building of the first Community Hall in Peavine.
In the early 1970s, Eric started operating a grader on part-time bases for Alberta Transportation to maintain the Peavine roads. Soon after, Alberta Transportation expanded his job to a full-time position extending his road maintenance area to some areas south of Peavine known as the Improvement District north of High Prairie, at that time. He would drive to High Prairie every morning, pick up the grader and then head north to maintain the roads in Peavine and the Improvement District areas. Eventually, the grader was stationed in his yard which was more economical and less vehicle travel for him.
Upon the Alberta government restructure of the Transportation department and Peavine self-governance in 1990, Eric was offered the position as a grader operator in Peavine which he accepted and operated until he retired at the age of 65.
Eric had a natural aptitude for operating equipment. Eric is well-remembered for his work ethic, skill level and being a genuinely humble person who tried to see the best in everyone.
Perhaps, one of Eric’s most significant contributions for the community of Peavine was in being a part of the development and building the Settlement’s footprint for self-reliance and self-governance for the Métis Settlements. During the 1970s, as Settlement Secretary, Eric accompanied his father-in-law, Pete Cunningham, who was the chairman at the time, to attend many meetings with the MNA and the eight Settlements representatives in Edmonton. This eventually was the integral part in forming the Federation of the Métis Settlements. All eight Settlement Council members worked diligently for what Settlements enjoy today: some of these representatives at that time were Adrian Hope, Maurice L’Hirondelle, Lawrence Desjarlais, Richard Poitras and Sam Johnston, who became the spokespersons for the Métis Settlements.
Eric was a significant part of the Cunningham family. Eric treated many of his nieces and nephews as though they were his own children. He is remembered as being very kind and helpful. He enjoyed watching them as they become successful in leading their own lives.
Eric was a huge fan of fastball and became a certified umpire to assist Peavine Rangers umpiring the league home games. Eric and Hazel loved to accompany the Peavine Rangers to fastball tournaments throughout Alberta and British Columbia. Quite often, these tournaments became a family holiday as almost all of Hazel’s 10 brothers played on the team.
The Cunningham family were also fans of the High Prairie Regals. Both Eric and Hazel attended most of the Regals’ home games with the family. Hockey Night in Canada game nights were interesting as there were both Maple Leaf and Canadien fans gathering to watch the game.
One of the many activities Eric and Hazel organized was Big Prairie Country Kin Square Dance Club, enjoyed by many community members. Square dancing was one of the social activities in the region at the time. Both Eric and Hazel encouraged family and community members to participate. Note: the name of the community was Big Prairie at that time; the name of the community was changed through the original Peavine Rangers fastball team.
One of the most important things we will remember Eric by is his faith in God and commitment to the Catholic faith. The Catholic Church in Peavine was constructed in 1961. After moving to Peavine, Eric joined his wife becoming an active member of St. Agnes Church in Peavine. Eric kept the grass cut at the church yard and shoveled the snow for years along with other maintenance needs of the church. Both Eric and Hazel took Christian Theology through the University of Alberta for four years. In conjunction with their studies, they also travelled to the Holy Land and St. Paul’s journey.
Eric was a regular reader in Mass. Being so proficient in reading, he was often asked to do the readings in other church celebrations.
Throughout his whole life, Eric kept a daily journal. He loved to write and was very skilled at it. Whether he was in school, the Army or working, writing was very important to him.
Eric passed in peace, just as he lived his life.
Eric joins his parents, Evert and Margaret, his brother Oscar, his sister Irene, his father-in-law, Pete, mother-in-law, Nora, sister-in-law Evelyn, brothers-in-law Ralph, Albert, Sidney, Lawrence, Roger, and numerous family members and lifelong friends in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Eric leaves his loving wife Hazel, brother Gunnar, sisters Norma, Barbara, Denise, brothers-in-law Wilfred (Rosemary), Rene, Clarence (Nora), Fred, Kenny (Sandra), Gordon (Linda), Ronald, Donald and sisters-in-law, Georgina, Barbara, plus many nieces, nephews, friends and community members of Peavine.
Eric’s good-natured and contagious laugh will be missed.
The family of Eric cherishes the time we spent with him and will always appreciate how he went out of his way to show each one of us how much he cared for us.