William JAGER

JAGER, William (Bill)
William (Bill) Jager passed away peacefully Sunday, May 25, 2014 at the age of 94. Bill will be remembered always by his cherished wife of 37 years, Donna, along with his children and grandchildren. He is survived by his sister Julie of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and his brother Johnny of Edmonton, Alberta and predeceased by his brother Tony of Richmond, Saskatchewan, his brother Eddy of Calgary, Alberta, his sister Emily of Calgary, his sister Pauline of Medicine Hat, his sister RoseMarie of Medicine Hat and his sister Tillie of Grande Prairie. Bill was born in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan in 1920, the fifth of nine children. He faced hardships at an early age, none better epitomized than living in a house with mud plastered to the walls to keep out the bitter Saskatchewan cold. He then moved to Lethbridge where he was a jack of all trades until deciding upon becoming a house builder and moving to the vibrancy that the early oil boom days brought to Calgary. His first basement was dug with a pick and shovel and the luxury of a horse to move the dirt. It was from this humble start that a great success story was to be born. Jager Homes and later Jager Industries became recognized as one of the most trusted names in land development, home building and the building materials industry over six decades. One of the unique features that an early life of hardship brings is an indomitable spirit to realize certain dreams and aspirations no matter what the circumstances. In this regard Bill, who had no formal training but a great and active intuitive mind, was not going to let challenges stand in his path. In the 1950's-1960's when the City of Calgary controlled the sale of residential lots, Bill joined with some like-minded individuals, including V. Keith and others, to form Calgary's first private land development company which would change the way land was developed in the city. It was this pioneering drive, which in later years took Bill into the building products business as a complement to the home building and land development business. When his truss plate supplier refused to sell to him, he took matters into his own hands and developed his own truss plate, which would become the largest truss plate business in Canada and one of the largest in North America. The same drive took him into the I-joist business with similar results. Bill was always very proud of his land banking insights and at one time had one of the largest land positions in desirable areas throughout the City of Calgary. When time permitted, Bill had a love of golf, which would continue until his eyesight was too poor to play. Even then he would still try to play with trusted partners who would tell him where his ball had landed and assist him with his next shot. Bill married Donna in 1979 and together they worked tirelessly as a team for over 37 years further building the businesses. After six decades of growth, Bill and Donna decided to sell the businesses and enjoy some well-earned time to themselves. Bill always enjoyed his summers in Kelowna, often sitting at the end of his beloved dock just admiring the lake. When winters became too harsh, Arizona beckoned where he and Donna enjoyed their extended family. Calgary always remained home however, and the original homestead in DeWinton was a place of contentment for Bill and Donna throughout the years. In particular, Bill loved his dogs Rudy, Amy and Mr. Higley. They often had a seat at any meeting just as important as any business colleague. Bill had a life fully lived with many colorful chapters throughout his years. He was a businessman who succeeded without any formal training but with a great sense of reason and foresight. In many respects he was larger than life with a personality that could be boisterous at times and thought provoking at others. Funeral Services will take place at Eden Brook Funeral Home (corner of 17 Avenue S.W. and Lower Springbank Road, Calgary) on Monday, June 2, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. followed by burial thereafter at the grounds. A reception will follow at the Calgary Golf and Country Club at 12:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Foundation for Fighting Blindness (www.ffb.ca). Condolences may be forwarded to the family by visiting www.edenbrookcemetery.ca. Arrangements entrusted to EDEN BROOK FUNERAL HOME, 24223 Township Road 242, Calgary, AB T3Z 3K2.