Springbank’s John Samulak has done a lot in his life, from driving wagons in the Calgary Stampede to surviving quadruple bypass heart surgery a couple of years ago. There is no doubt the senior has a lifetime of memorable moments to share but his memories are slowly starting to fade.
At 78 years old, Samulak has been forced to hang up the reins as he faces a number of health problems, mostly recently the early stages of dementia.
But the former horseman wanted to sit down over a cup of coffee with the Eagle and share his stories, while he still remembers them.
Samulak sits in his favourite chair by the window in his Springbank home as he begins to tell how he has been driving wagons as long as he can remember.
“I drove wagons my whole life, we always had wagons and horses – it’s the way we used to live,” Samulak reflects.
He drove his wagons in the Calgary Stampede and various parades across Southern Alberta (including the Cochrane Labour Day parade); he hosted hayrides in the surrounding communities and even met his wife, Denise, on horseback in Bowness in the mid 1960s.
After getting married, the couple moved to Springbank in 1978 where they settled down with their family – one daughter and two sons. Despite all of John’s accomplishments, he agrees that he is most proud of his children and four grandchildren.
“We had always said some of our most exciting and proud moments were with our children and grandchildren,” Denise beamed.
“We are very proud of all of our grandchildren, some we even get to see on a daily basis. John is so loved by them, he always gets hugs.”
The Samulak’s stay close and some of the Samulak children are John and Denise’s neighbours in Springbank, John says he loves being “surrounded by family.”
The children and grandchildren are frequent visitors to the Samulak home, which displays a variety of antiques and trophies that have been collected over the years.
“John’s whole life has been horses and antiques and books,” Denise said.
“I’m pretty sure he has read every western that has ever been written.”
Denise helped John remember their stories as the couple has shared 52 years of marriage together, “a pretty tough life” John said with a laugh.
“John is honest, dedicated, sincere, and a good friend who is loyal,” Denise said.
After almost eight decades of being a horseman, John is left with a couple horses and eight wagons. While he knows that his health problems limit his activities, he wants live in his home for the rest of his life.
Close friend and Cochranite Stu Bradley refers to his “dear friend” as the “survivor who got back on the wagon.”
Toward the end of the visit with John, he admits his memory is not what it used to be but despite numerous health problems and suffering from a stroke last December, the Springbanker managed to keep his sense of humour and quick wit as he joked and laughed over coffee.
“I had a bad, bad stroke but I am still here,” John said with a smile.
