Charles Francis "Buster" NOLTING
Victoria BROWN

Husband:  Charles Francis "Buster" NOLTING
Birth:  23 Jan 1918, Simpson, Saskatchewan, Canada
Death:  11 May 1995, Craik, Saskatchewan, Canada
Burial:  May 1995, Craik Cemetery, Craik, Saskatchewan, Canada
Father:  Edward Lewis NOLTING
Mother:  Clarinda Mae QUENETT

Marriage:  1947, Stalwart, Saskatchewan, Canada

Wife:  Victoria BROWN
Birth:  Abt 1927, Simpson, Saskatchewan Canada
Death: 28 Jul 1991, Craik, Saskatchewan, Canada
Burial:  Jul 1991, Craik Cemetery, Craik, Saskatchewan, Canada
Father:
Mother:

Children:
1. Guy Charles NOLTING, b: Jul 1948, Stalwart, Saskatchewan, Canada
2. Gregory NOLTING, b: 1951, Imperial, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Notes:

Charles [Buster] Nolting was born in Simpson in 1918, eldest son of Edward and Clarinda Nolting who immigrated from North Dakota to homestead west of Simpson. One of eight children he was raised on the farm and worked in the industry most of his life.

Because of tough economic times he was unable to further his education. He went out to work for area farmers and in winter when necessary he went to where the work was, logging in Northern Quebec, airport construction in in Alberta, long-shoring in B.C., gaining a wealth of experience, even to riding the rods to Quebec and back.

In 1942, he went to work for Wint Etter Jr., farming in the summer, commercial ice fishing in the winter.

Finally in 1947, with little money but a lot of experience and know-how he decided to strike out on his own. With a skeleton line of machinery he rented a section of uncultivated land east of Girvin which he broke and put into production. Then he bought a section near Sunny Knoll School, half of which also had to be broke. Times were good and produce they did.

Victoria Brown was also born in Simpson but being the daughter of a railroad man spent the intervening years in several south Saskatchewan points. Her father was killed in a railroad accident in 1936. Finally in 1939 with her mother, step-father, also a railroad man, two sisters and a brother, she returned to Stalwart where she completed her public and high school. There she met Buster, while he was working at Etters. They were married in 1947. They lived in Stalwart for a couple of years during which time their son Guy was born July 1948.

In 1950, given the opportunity to rent two sections from Frank Parks in the Erie School District, Buster and Vicki and young son moved there, their first farm home and where they lived for the rest of their lives (my cousin Jason lives there now with his wife and 3 children). Not in the same house but they never forget the good times in the old house and the vast numbers of good friends and neighbors, that passed through its doors.

During the years as the farm expanded needing hired help, many people have passed their way, some staying a week, a month or an entire summer. Some have come back year after year, a whole spectrum of people, young, older, couples with children, locals, Easterners, Canadian natives, a sheep-shearer from England, a Swiss, French, even a Maori from New Zealand.

Gregory was born in 1951. He and Guy started school in Craik. At this time country schools had closed, giving way to larger school units, another era passed into history. They had a few difficult winters getting to and from school until the advent of snow plow clubs and school buses, they were able to enjoy the involvement in sports: hockey, baseball, swimming etc., school activities and the opportunity of advanced education.

Life for Bus and Vicki has gone full circle; home is quieter but never dull as grandchildren pop in and out, turning boredom into fun and games, pizza, milkshakes and all that stuff not good for their teeth. And we see in them the pride we had in our own sons.

Buster is still very much involved in improving the farm operation in all aspects as has been his goal, to pass on to his sons and grandchildren his knowledge and love of farming, sense of business, and the guts to take the bad with the good. (Vicki passed away on July 28, 1991 and Bus passed on in May 11, 1995.)
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Sources:
1) Biography:  Craik: Friendliest Place by a Dam Site, ed., 1985, ISBN 0-96-92-177-0-6, Craik, Saskatchewan, Canada