Herbert PINDER

HERBERT CHARLES PINDER. SR
1923 – 2014
On the evening of October 30, 2014, at the age of 91 years, Herb Pinder passed away peacefully with members of his family at his side. The Service of Remembrance will be held at Knox United Church (838 Spadina Cres. East, Saskatoon), on Thursday November 6 at 2:30 p.m. The family wish to thank Dr. Dick Baltzan, Dr. Bruce DuVal, and the doctors and nurses of St. Paul's Hospital Emergency Care unit for the outstanding care provided. Herb Pinder was born, raised and educated in Saskatoon, attending the University of Saskatchewan before joining the Royal Navy in 1942. In school he was accomplished having accelerated through three years in one. His athletic endeavours were significant being honoured on the Wall of Fame at the U of S for football, basketball and swimming. He quarterbacked his football team to the Hardy Trophy in 1941. To the end he was an avid supporter of the U of S Huskies football team. Over the course of 7 decades he competed in countless golf tournaments locally, nationally and internationally with great success.
Herb Pinder's military career started in the Volunteer Reserve during university, then active service to Halifax and officer training, which was followed immediately by transfer to the Royal Navy for 2 years. He served on the destroyer HMS Keppel, for duty in the North Atlantic and off West Africa. But convoy escorts to Murmansk, Russia through the North Sea were the most active duty with U-boats prevalent and many lost ships and men. The Keppel served in the D-Day invasion off of Omaha Beach. Then he returned to the Canadian Navy as Executive Officer on the frigate Prestonian and finally as XO again on the destroyer Qu'Appelle.
While at U of S he met his soul mate Shirley Hughes. They were married in January 1946 after his service in WWII, and moved to Boston in that year where he attended Harvard Business School (MBA '47) and where their first child was born. They returned to Saskatoon where four more children were born. Herb and Shirley were married for almost 62 years. They cherished and cared for each other in sickness and health.
Herb's business life was focussed heavily on Pinders Drugs with his brother Ross. They took over the business after the death of their father, R.M Pinder, and accomplished substantial growth of the retail/wholesale businesses well beyond Saskatoon. With business companions he undertook a number of other business ventures over many years. Most notable among those was the founding and leadership of Canadian Devonian Petroleum in 1952 which discovered Saskatchewan's first light oil in 1952. Herb was a Cabinet Minister in the early Saskatchewan government of Premier Ross Thatcher in 1964. As Minister of Industry he was integral to the birth of the potash industry in Saskatchewan. He began a long career in corporate governance in the '60s beginning with a directorship at CN, then many years as director of John Labatt, TransCanada Pipelines, Royal Bank, and Ideal Basic in the US, which became Holnam Cement of the US and Switzerland. He valued the many associations and friendships he and Shirley made on those boards. His community focus was significant with service on the Banff School of Advanced Management, Canada West Foundation, Expo 67 Worlds Fair, Olympic Trust of Canada, and locally on the Board of Governors of the U of S and as its chair. He also served with the predecessor to the Abilities Council, and YMCA National Campaign. He served as National President of the Kinsmen Club. Herb was awarded an Honorary Degree from the U of S and the Order of Canada in 1997.
Family and friends will remember wonderful times at Waskesiu, and in Solana Beach, CA and on many golf courses. We have admired his passion for people, as he engaged and connected with so many, with whom he shared his deep well of memories and his sense of humour. We will continue to value his uncommon use of common sense. He leaves behind many friends across North America. Herb is predeceased by his wife Shirley Pinder, his mother and father Helen (Rose) and Robert Pinder, his siblings Ross Pinder, Phyllis MacPherson (Thompson) and Muriel Orr. His memory will be cherished by his daughter Patty (Gary Rolfe) who watched most carefully over him, by son Herb Jr. (Madeleine) and grandchildren Scott and Danielle, son Gerry (Kaylene) and grandsons Matthew, Patrick and Brett, son Dick (Mona) and grandchildren Tyler, Tate (Kendra and granddaughter Lauren), Abbey and Thomas, and son Tom (Kathy) and grandchildren Ryan, Kristi (Ben McAllister) and Robert. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Heart and Stroke Foundation, (279 3rd. Ave. N. Saskatoon SK S7K 2H8) or, in memory of Shirley to Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan (1405 Faulkner Cr. Saskatoon, SK S7L 3R5). Condolences may be sent to mail@saskatoonfuneralhome.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Saskatoon Funeral Home.