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LLI GOLINE/NORMAN WELLS
Edward Hodgson doesn't necessarily like to call himself the man for the job, but his community is more than willing to do that for him.

Tracy Cross Gauthier, District Commander of District 7 of the Royal Canadian Legion, presents a Queen Elizabeth ll Diamond Jubilee Medal to Ed Hodgson in Norman Wells on June 15. - photo courtesy of Heidi Hodgson-Deschene

That's why the 80-year-old Norman Wells resident was selected for a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, which was presented to him on June 15. His daughter-in-law, Sherry Hodgson, nominated him for the award.

Hodgson was born on the north shore of Great Bear Lake in 1931. His father worked as a scow operator, helping to move people and equipment performing uranium exploration in the area.

"The discovery of uranium was quite big on the agenda in those days, so my family moved around," Edward said. "My dad was a river man, he had a contract, they call it the scow, which hauled a lot of freight and stuff like that. So he was busy."

Hodgson was one of many children in the family. His mother had eight children from her first marriage and an additional six during her second marriage.

"My family was quite large, so we had a couple dog teams to move us around," Hodgson said.

The family settled in Norman Wells and Hodgson attended residential school in Fort Providence for a year, but returned home at age 11 after his father was killed in a hunting accident.

"When I went home for summer vacation, my mother said she couldn't manage without me because there were too many chores," he said.

He began working for Imperial Oil at age 16, starting off as a dishwasher. His career with the company lasted more than three decades.

He survived tuberculosis and spent more than two years in the Charles Camsell Hospital in Edmonton before returning home, but had to spend an additional two years in Fort Simpson after a relapse.

"Then I got better and went back to pick up my job," he said.

In addition to being a hard worker, Hodgson has contributed much to his community.

He was a founding member of the Norman Wells Metis Local 59, which would pave the way for the Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement and the Norman Wells Land Corporation.

The building that houses the corporation, the Edward George Hodgson building, is named after him.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he persuaded Pete Fraser, MLA at the time, to build low-cost housing units in Norman Wells for Imperial Oil's seasonal workers from other communities. The log homes are still in use today.

Hodgson also helped develop the town's first gas station, Norman Wells Transportation.

One year, he borrowed equipment from Imperial Oil to build a road to Jack Fish Lake, a popular spot now enjoyed by many community members.

Hodgson has also maintained the town's cemetery for the past 50 years, keeping graves free of weeds, cutting grass and maintaining the flowers planted by his wife, Maria "Mitzi" Hodgson.

"My dad was the first or second person to be buried out there," he said.

Mitzi came to Norman Wells from Yugoslavia in the 1950s and she and Hodgson were married at St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church in Norman Wells in 1957. The couple have worked together cleaning the church for the past 40 years.

Hodgson spent many evenings after his wedding playing chess with the priest who married them, Father Bellamy.

"I tried to get him to curse just a little bit," Hodson said with a chuckle. "He did say something in French once that I didn't understand."

Mitzi said her husband has definitely earned his award.

"He did a lot for this town, he's always there to help," she said. "He's very generous with his money and his time. I'm very proud of him."

Hodgson also loves teaching young people about the land, skills he said he learned from a friend during his youth.

Hodgson has taken that knowledge and shared it, spending countless hours teaching school children how to trap, make fires and snowshoe.

Mitzi said Hodgson enjoys sharing his skills.

"He does a lot, even with the kids, taking the kids in the bush and training them and telling them all about it," she said.

Hodgson said while his life has had its share of ups and downs, he enjoys looking back and reflecting on the journey.

"My life was beautiful in many ways, I've been blessed with marrying a good woman from Yugoslavia," he said. "I was blessed by having good people around me helping out a lot, too.

"I have such a long history of blessings."

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