Herbert Theodore Rott

Herbert Theodore Rott was born May 11, 1934 to Bertha and Christian Rott in Forestburg, Alberta.  He passed away February 28, 2019 at the age of 84 years, following a six month long battle with cancer in the Olds Hospital.  Herb was the second of 4 sons growing up on his parents farm south of Killam, AB.  At the age of 14 years, Herb’s dad passed away suddenly, Herb quit school and stayed home to help his mother and brothers manage their family farm.  At the age of 21 he attended 2 terms at Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute (CLBI) in Camrose, AB.  The next year he went back to High School at Lutheran Collegiate Bible Institute (LCBI) in Outlook, SK, where he graduated 3 years later in the class of ’59.  In the spring of ’60 Herb completed one more term at CLBI, giving him a full year of Bible school training. 

July 1, 1961 Herb married Grace Freadrich.  Herb had a heart to do the Lord’s ministry work, so as newly weds they settled in Saskatoon where Herb started seminary at U of S.  After a short time he decided seminary and full time pastorate was not right for him so he worked at odd jobs around Saskatoon.  While they lived there their first daughter Melody was born to start their family.  Shortly after, they move to Edmonton where Herb worked several jobs in the grocery stores of Lablaws and Safeway.  In Edmonton their second daughter Glenda was born.  By this time Herb was, quote: “thoroughly fed up with city life!”, he decided to move his family back to the Killam area to go back to his roots of farming.  He started out farming with his brothers Melvin and Clarence, had 2 or 3 cows, & sold cream to the creamery in Sedgewick.   Gradually he built his own land base and within a few years was farming full time on his own, south/east of Killam.  He added farrowing sows to his farm and had a successful business of raising many piglets to weaning size and then selling them to the neighbouring farm, the Lunty’s who became very good friends over the years of trading pigs.  Herb also had many chickens, and geese.  How better to raise your daughters than to make sure they had chicken chores to do!  Along with farming, Herb also had a large vegetable garden every year and many beautiful flower beds.  Herb did the planting, tending and harvesting of the garden while Grace and the girls did the processing of it’s bountiful produce.  In the summer of 1976 Herb and Grace added chosen son, Troy to their family.  A delightful little 10 year-old boy to share the family & farm activities.  Eventually Herb’s cow herd grew from a commercial herd and a few dairy cows to a purebred Charolais herd.  In the late ‘70’s Herb relocated his farm to east of Killam along the Hi-way #13.  Here he was able to successfully sell purebred Charolais breeding bulls out of his yard.  He met many people and made a lot of friends doing his cattle business up to April 1998 when him and Grace sold the farm and retired to Olds.

Retirement for Herb took on a new look of farming and busyness.  He continued to raise many varieties of chickens, geese, ducks, and even some peacocks outside of town at several different friend’s farm yards who enjoyed his friendship and feathered friends.  This he did right up to a few weeks before his passing.  He loved to deliver eggs to many of his friends around Olds who appreciated his farm fresh eggs.  Herb also did a lot of wood working projects in his basement workshop.  In his early years of retirement, he made a lot of small furniture pieces of which many of his kids and grandkids have as keepsakes of his skill and loving touch.  And then there was his gardening, many of us enjoyed Herb’s green thumb, his touch of expertise and knowledge of plants, and his hard work.  His yard was always a beautiful array of colourful flowers from spring to fall.  As though he couldn’t get enough of gardening in his own yard, he would sometimes plant vegetables at a friend’s outside of town and often be found visiting his daughters flower beds and gardens, adding his touch. 

To Herb, community involvement was special to him.  During his years of raising a family it was important to him to serve in the church, whether teaching Sunday School, leading music at services, or sitting on the church board.  With joy and dedication, he served.  Once he retired, he served with the Gideons for a time, one of his favorite activities was delivering Bibles to the school classrooms in the Olds area.  He also enjoyed participating with the Olds Garden Club, through which he made many good friends who shared his enthusiasm for plants and flowers.

Herb was a very hard and diligent worker, he loved to be busy and he loved to share his work with others.  Herb may not have become a professional pastor or a missionary but there was not a more effective way for him to share his love for Christ than the words and deeds he did for people every day, whether talking to friends on the street, in the barnyard or in the garden, his true gift was his testimony of Jesus Christ.  To his family, he was our greatest supporter, he loved to watch his grandkids at their many activities, of hockey, or camping, or 4-H.  He never missed a 4-H Achievement Day of his cattle producing grandkids.  His presence will be truly missed. 

Herb is survived by his wife, Grace of Olds, AB, daughter Melody Rutherford (Tom) of Beaumont, AB, daughter Glenda Bayes (Harold) of Trochu, AB, chosen son Troy Waddell (Kim) of Camrose, AB.  Also grandchildren (10):  Marcy Lazarick of Killam, AB, Scott James (Melissa) of Beaumont, AB, Tanner Hallum of Beaumont, AB, Raeley Hallum (Skylar) of Edmonton, AB, Adeleen Bolduc (Mat) of Stavely, AB, Bennett Bayes (Kendra) of Trochu, AB, Charlene Bayes and Drew Bayes of Trochu, AB, Zachary Waddell and Shealyn Waddell of Camrose, AB.  Step-grandchildren, Jordon Rutherford (Tessa) of Edmonton, AB, and Drew Rutherford (Josh) of Edmonton, AB.  Great-grandchildren (8):  Ethan, Jake, and Lincoln Lazarick of Killam, AB, Bentley James of Beaumont, AB, Merrit and Karis Bolduc of Stavely, AB, Cohen and Blaire Bayes of Trochu, AB.  Step-great-grandchildren Ryleigh and Danikka Osborne of Beaumont, AB.  He is also survived by his brother Gordon Rott (Catherine) of Outlook, SK, brother’s-in-law Allan Freadrich (Jeannett) of Killam, AB, and Glen Freadrich (Bonnie) of Camrose, AB, and numerous members of his extended family.

He was predeceased by his father, Christian Rott, his mother, Bertha Rott, and his brothers Melvin and Clarence Rott.

A memorial service will be held for Herb on March 13, 2019 at 2 pm at the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Olds, AB.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute (CLBI) 4837 – 52A Street, Camrose, AB, T4V 1W5.