One of Hay RiverSA国际影视传媒檚 long-time residents will be missed not only for his volunteer service in the community, but for his dedicated work as a teacher to countless Grade 6 and 7 students.

Peter Osted died in March of this year and a memorial service was held at the Hay River Legion in June to pay respect to the individual who touched many lives through his innovative methods of learning-by-doing.

Vince McKay was one of those students who benefited from OstedSA国际影视传媒檚 unconventional but effective teaching style.

SA国际影视传媒淧eter was my Grade 6 teacher and he was a really good teacher and role model,SA国际影视传媒� McKay said. SA国际影视传媒淗e was an old-school teacher but he was also fun SA国际影视传媒� he made the best paper airplanes.SA国际影视传媒�

Learning by doing

McKay recalled that Osted taught his students the value of manual labour by getting them involved in such projects as the behind-the-scenes work for the school Christmas concert involving the stage set up, the audio and lighting.

He also remembers vividly the class project that saw Osted oversee the building of a scaled-down replica of the entire Harry Camsell School.

SA国际影视传媒淲e would measure a wall and shrink it down to the exact size. For Grade 6, learning (to do) that with math SA国际影视传媒� it was pretty amazing,SA国际影视传媒� he said, adding that the minute details of the building were exact, right down to the bathroom fixtures.

OstedSA国际影视传媒檚 daughter, Kate Latour, said her father had a life-long enjoyment of building scaled-down models of a variety of interesting objects.

SA国际影视传媒淭here were a group of kids who built kayaks, model trains, kites, puppets and masks,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

As a personal hobby, Osted also built model airplanes and boats, Latour said, adding that he had been adapting model kits to look like SA国际影视传媒榯hings that were used in the NorthSA国际影视传媒�.

SA国际影视传媒淭he kids never realized there were lessons he was teaching the whole time but never knew it,SA国际影视传媒� Latour said.

Characterizing her father as the SA国际影视传媒榮trong, silent typeSA国际影视传媒�, Latour said he wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 one for frivolous talk.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen he took the time to say things, it was because it was really important or really interesting.SA国际影视传媒�

Life-changing events

Latour said she misses her father and the past few years were difficult for him.

Because her mother has dementia, she said her father became her caregiver and as the NWT does not have a retirement residence where couples can live together if one of them has dementia, they finally had to move to Edmonton to remain together after first having their home severely damaged by the flooding in 2022 and then again from the gas explosion that rocked a neighbourSA国际影视传媒檚 home later that year, causing total destruction of the OstedsSA国际影视传媒� house next door.

And in a further sad twist of fate, many of OstedSA国际影视传媒檚 model kit creations that had been saved in the flood were subsequently destroyed in the explosion, Latour said.

A lifetime of service

Born in Koge, Denmark in 1940, Osted immigrated into Winnipeg with his family at the age of 14, and eventually met his future wife Margaret while at teacherSA国际影视传媒檚 college.

The pair then moved North to Hay River where they began their teaching careers.

During his lifetime in Hay River, he was an avid volunteer in Cadets, and was a founding member of the Hay River Museum Society. He was also a member of the Royal Canadian Legion and he built the torches used for the NWT Track and Field Championships in Hay River. Osted was also instrumental in creating the Yards in Bloom awards in the town.

A father remembered

In his eulogy to his father, Poul Osted described him first and foremost as an exceptional teacher SA国际影视传媒� not only for his classroom students, but for the cadets he trained and for him and Kate.

SA国际影视传媒淢y dad was a teacher and all teachers are students. He was always learning he things, and he enjoyed sharing that knowledge with others,SA国际影视传媒� Poul said in his eulogy.

SA国际影视传媒淚t becomes pretty evident that my dad was a teacher not just in his job, but in his heart. And the few who got to get the teaching from his heart, can carry on, knowing his lessons will last forever,SA国际影视传媒� he concluded.

McKay, a past president of the Hay River Legion, said lessons taught to him by Osted will indeed remain with him for his lifetime.

SA国际影视传媒淚 learned a lot about being involved in the community,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淗e touched many lives and in general and it is a huge loss for history and volunteering. He was an all-round genuine nice guy.SA国际影视传媒�