Andrew Gall was born in Czechoslovakia in 1914. While searching for a homestead in Canada, his father met a man named Carl Nosan in Alberta. When Andrew was only 16 in 1930, he went with Carl Nosan to the homestead which his father had purchased in Valleyview. Andrew had been sent to build a home on the homestead. By this time his parents were in BC. In 1932, the parents arrived in Valleyview, bringing with them furniture and some cattle. The first few years on the homestead were very hard. As they had no horses, they had to walk to Sturgeon Lake for groceries and mail. Soon they had some of their own horses, plus pigs, and more cattle. Grain was purchased, and wild hay was cut in the meadows. The family lived 2 ½ miles from a main road, so it was hard hauling anything on the ungraded roads. In the first year, they cleared 5 acres of land, which as very difficult using an ax and grub hoe! Oats were planted as a first crop. At this time, Andrew also worked for farmers in Lethbridge.
During WW II, Andrew served for 4 years, and afterwards he purchased his own land through the VLA (Veterans’ Land Act), farming 12 miles south east of Valleyview. He grew grain, clover, and alfalfa, and raised cattle and horses. About this time Andrew was married to Dorothy (Doris) Basaraba, and they had a family. In 1965 he sold that homestead, and he and his family moved closer to Valley, still continuing to farm. Andrew wrote in his biography, “I think this country has been good to me and my family.” Doris died in 1982; Andrew died at age 86 in 2001. Both are buried at Valleyview Cemetery.
Source:
Valleyview (Where the Red Willow Grew) p. 303 Name in Roll or Honour – War Veterans
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AGS Obituary Index
Find – a – Grave Memorials (Valleyview and District)