It is not often that the local newspaper gets a call for notification of a family leaving the community that will be greatly missed, to share that news with everyone and celebrate their contributions. Sometimes gratitude just needs to be declared.
Christy Jarvis was honoured and humbled when asked about the story of their moving from Carlyle to Calgary to be closer to family.
Gord and Christy have lived here for over 50 years and have loved raising their three children in the area and calling Carlyle home. Like many long-term residents, they have been a huge part of the community in many ways.
Gord Jarvis was known as Mr. Jarvis to many students in both middle years and high school classes for 30 years. He has participated in and coached many community sports teams as well as numerous school teams over those years, most recently with his grandsons Max and Reeve. The Jarvises love of golf had them both involved with Carlyle Golf Club, with Gord as the ‘tree man’ for 20 years. Planning, planting and caring for the healthy trees you see on the course today is a huge job needing devoted time and effort.
As Christy reminisced about their lives here, she spoke of her 36 years with the Royal Bank of Canada in town and her many years being actively involved with all the United Church growth and developments. Children are always a conduit for getting involved in your community, so because of their three, Kelly, Shalan and Cameron, Christy was able to participate in coaching minor ball, and volunteering with Brownies, Girl Guides and Air Cadets, to name a few.
“It is difficult to look back at that many years and see all the things you were involved in. There are so many great things,” Christy shared. “Most recently I had joined the Carlyle Golf Club and will be done there as well.”
She may have only been a part of this board for about a year, but that didn’t stop her from heading up the renovations out there for the coming year with a team from the board and spending hours this fall cleaning, painting and rearranging.
The Jarvis’s appreciate the teams they have been able to be a part of.
“Bertha Isleifson was instrumental in founding the Friends of Moose Mountain about five years ago and I have served as both treasurer and president of that group,” Christy explained. This group focuses solely on how to care for residents of the Moose Mountain Lodge long-term care home along with the families and staff.
A little shocked that their house on Sixth Street West in Carlyle sold within a week, Gord and Christy will be moving the first week of March. Although they will be greatly missed, their efforts in the community are appreciated and will be picked up by the families now calling Carlyle home permanently.
Take the time to congratulate and encourage the Jarvis family on this new move in their journey.
We at the Observer take this time to celebrate and cheer on the families in the southeast who continue to make Carlyle and area a great place to live.
