The Lacombe Curling Club honoured a long time member during the Lacombe Senior’s Bonspiel this week.
John Stol passed away earlier this year and since then the Lacombe Curling Club hasn’t quite been the same.
His family and friends were on hand Nov. 15 as his son Dan Stol threw the first rock of the Lacombe Senior’s Bonspiel in honour and to get their hands on his wife Teena Stol’s world famous tarts.
Stol was active in the Lacombe and Alberta curling community for over 60 years. The winter months kept him busy organizing and playing in bonspiels, more often than not bringing home ribbons and trophies.
Christine Olthuis, says that like her father, her brother is the most athletic of her and her siblings. She shared stories of bringing her kids down to come watch John and Dan play, armed with homemade cheer props. During those weekends, the people at the curling rink became family and over the years special friendships were formed.
It’s been a few years since Dan Stol has held a broom but the crowd of spectators and players were none the wiser as he slid the opening rock down the ice towards the hog line.
He used to play in a Curling Super League with his father and says that the league was a great challenge and although they did manage to get a few wins while playing in the league, Dan saw it as a way to stay close with his father and share something that meant so much to both of them.
