Stan HABOK

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HABOK: Stan Habok was born March 20, 1934 to Fred Habok and Mary Mushey, the 9th of 11 children, and the first to be born in a hospital. Souris was the place of birth, and the family lived in the Glenvale S.D. for four years before moving to the farmsite at 12-10-21W. At seven he started school in Alexander, and loved school, was a quick learner, with an eager mind. Walking was the mode of transportation to school, horse and buggy, and in winter, horse and cutter. Chores always had to be done before and after school. At nine Stan’s main summer job was hauling water with horse and water tank for the huge family garden. He never did like gardening because of this chore. About this time he began harrowing with a team, and at twelve drove a stook wagon. Threshing and harvest was a favorite time of year, and it was hard to concentrate on school when the threshing gang was coming. As with a lot of farm families work had to be done on the farm, and so formal education ended and life education began. In 1953 the home farm was purchased from the old folks, and Stan along with brothers John and Fred established the Habok Bros. Stock Farm. They ran a commercial cattle operation, and started a select stable of Registered Percheron horses. Stan loved the horses, and showed in line classes at Brandon, Regina, Toronto, and every small fair in-between. In 1966 the farm had both Reserve Grand Champion mare, and stallion at Toronto Royal Winter Fair. The first time in the fair history a full brother and sister shared that honor, at that time, and Stan was at the halter. Baseball, hockey, bowling, and curling filled any spare time. The decision was made to disperse the horses and breed registered cattle. Polled Herefords being the breed of choice. The success of the purebred cattle proven by competing successfully in the top cattle shows in Canada, and the U.S. The brothers were among the first in the province to hold their own production sales at the farm. The work was hard, hours long, but the farm was beautiful with miles of white fence, buildings, and acres of cut lawn. Stan was a director on the Manitoba Hereford Association and also a director on the Canadian Hereford Association. Unfortunately, the brothers went their separate ways, and Stan set about establishing the Oak Summit Stock Farm. Carving a farmsite from an area of solid bush. Building a barn, shed, corrals, and fences, all the while grain farming. He continued to breed, show, and sell polled Herefords with continued success. In 1983 Stan and Sharran attended a Percheron horse sale in SK where a flashy filly caught their eye. They set their budget which was quickly met, and Stan stopped bidding. However Sharran didn’t and Orilla Chiefs Misty was in their trailer going home. Stan was in the horse business again. They showed and raised colts until the mare gave birth to a set of twin colts which was eventually trained to drive. Stan loved that team, and was always up for taking them for a “spin”. Needing some relaxation, camping, off trail mountain biking, canoeing, and cross country skiing soon became a passion for Stan and continued right up until his diagnosis of supranuclear palsy in 2005. Stan and Sharran had married in 1967 and spent 46 years being each other’s partner and friend, sharing the same love of horses, cattle, work, and the outdoors. Sharran survives Stan as does his sister Kay of Brandon, Nettie of Winnipeg, Isabelle of London, ON, Rose (Bert) Digby, N.S, Hazel (Virgil), U.S.A, brother John (Olga), Brandon. Fred. Stan was predeceased by sisters, Mary, Ayrain, and Anne. Nephew, Leonard Gerow, and several brothers-in -law. Stan was a talented man. He was an expert carpenter having built three homes, dairy barns, cattle sheds, horse barns, even furniture. He was a no nonsense business man, with a head for numbers, and hard barganing. He was a perfectionist, disliked socializing, and had all the patience in the world getting a new born calf or colt to nurse. This patience didn’t extend to “slackers”, or people whose interests didn’t match his. It was very difficult for Stan to deal with Parkinson plus, and his struggle ended on February 16, 2014, he was 79. If there is farming in Heaven, Stan will have the most beautiful farm with white fences, and buildings, lush pastures with a herd of polled Herefords, and a team of Percherons waiting to be driven.

As published in Brandon Sun on Mar 08, 2014