A retired area farmer and current Moose Jaw resident will be celebrating his 100th birthday this Sunday, March 10.
Albert Kuntz was born and raised in the small town of Vantage, Sask., located just north of Assiniboia and 82 kilometres south of Moose Jaw. Here, he spent his career working on the family farm which today remains in the care of his daughter and her husband.
Growing up was different back in the days of Kuntz’ youth, and the 50 or so people who used to live in small town Vantage are no longer there.
“All the people moved away, and there is nobody in there anymore,” he said with solemn reflection. Many people would gradually leave town as work grew scarce with the introduction of industrial scale farming operations.
At the time, Kuntz said horses were common and he’d frequently ride to town on horseback. The first cars he remembered seeing started to show up sometime in the 1940s, and aside from that, he’d simply walk the half mile or so into town to curl.
“(The community) gathered at the curling rink (in town) to watch some curling and tell their stories there,” he recalled.
Kuntz moved to Moose Jaw in the fall of 2019 and the Mulberry Estates was the closest available retirement home. He said he’s been treated well at the Mulberry Estates, and it’s been a great experience for him.
“There’s always something going on (here at the Mulberry) – playing cards or other games…,” he said.
Normally, he’d spend time travelling to Texas during the winter months, as was his customary routine back in the day. This routine was maintained for around 37 years, and only stopped when his eyesight started to decline.
“So, I thought ah, I better make one (final) move and be finished moving,” he said.
Back on the farm, Kuntz said his father originally homesteaded on the property, and most of his family was born right in the old farmhouse that still stands today.
“They had hospitals, but they didn’t use them for birthing children,” he said. “There were nine of us, and I think seven of us were born right at home.”
He said life in rural Saskatchewan was a matter of keeping yourself entertained. Individuals from the area would meet up regularly at the town’s curling rink, and many folks would visit neighbouring towns for friendly curling bonspiels.
When asked which major societal changes stood out to him, he brought up large-scale farming.
“These bigger farms are kind of ruining the country,” he said. “There used to be on every section or half section… somebody living there. Now there’s nobody living in the country hardly. It’s not good for the community.”
One of the keys to remaining young at heart, he said, is to stay physical.
“When I went down south, I did a lot of shuffleboard, and I was pretty good at it. I’ve won two gold watches, two state championships, and there was a grocery story that would put on a tournament every year for $100 (worth) of groceries – I won that three (different times).”
This small-town grocery store competition ended once the large retailer Wal-Mart moved into town and thereby changed the community’s dynamic.
“When I moved to town, I’d walk down (everywhere). The guys would say, ‘Why don’t you drive down?’ I said, ‘Well, I don’t get any exercise when I drive’. Maybe that’s why I’m still living.”
He would walk every morning and afternoon to get his mail. That exercise goes a long way, he advised.
Kuntz is also a spiritual man and said maintaining his faith played a major role.
“I think if you follow the Lord and do his will, you’ll get along just fine,” he said. “Honour the Lord and he will right your ways.”
For his birthday, his daughter is coming in from Texas, one son from Leduc, and the other son is coming in from Assiniboia. The celebration will he held at the Mulberry Estates, and Kuntz said he hasn’t been filled in with many details, implying that a surprise party could be in store.
“They haven’t told me nothing,” he said. “The only thing my daughters said was, ‘What kind of birthday cake do you want when we come back?’”
