Trailblazer
Hank Pallister
Guy and Evelyn Pallister raised thirteen children on the ranch near Tuner Valley. Only one of the kids followed Guy into the cattle business; that was their son Hank.
When he finished school, Hank Pallister took to cowboy life like a duck to water and worked for the OH and for Joe Bews at the Y Cross. Like a lot of good cowboys, Hank realized the wages barely paid the bills and he started a long and successful career as an Alberta brand inspector in 1950. He kept his hand on the reins though, spending nearly all his vacation time in the saddle riding on the big fall gathers.
By 1964 he was the supervisor of brand inspectors for Southern Alberta and the same year, he married Joyce, his wife of 41 years. Hank and Joyce had two boys, Guy and Wade.
By 1968 Hank was supervising the brand inspection service for entire province. Highly respected by the R.C.M.P. ‘K’ Division, he was called to court many times to testify on cases of stolen cattle.
He retired 1n 1992 after 42 years of dedicated service and the Western Stock Growers Association presented him with an honourary lifetime membership.
He organized the Old Timers section of the Calgary Stampede for over 25 years and was on the committee that established the Bar U Ranch National Historic Site near Longview.
Hank Pallister rode across the Great Divide in 2005. In 2007, Joyce compiled his many newspaper and magazine column manuscripts into the book, “Smoke from the Branding Fire, Hank Pallister’s Tales.”
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