Obituary of Johnnie Lucky

LUCKY - 'Smilin Johnnie' 1924 - 2010. Mr. John Lucky, beloved husband of Eleanor of the Wroxton district passed away on June 5th, 2010 at the Kamsack Health Care Centre. He was 85 years of age. John was born September 2nd, 1924 to Mike and Mary (Mostoway) Lucki, at the family farm, 8 miles north of Wroxton. A shy child who was always interested in music, he attended Brandon school, 2 miles from home, where that interest was nurtured by one teacher in particular, Fred Tetoff. Mr. Tetoff invited him to be a part of his dance band. Friends encouraged him to audition for a program on CJGX radio not long after the station started in Yorkton, and he was given an early morning show there. Some young fellows from St. Joseph's College asked him to lend them his sound system and drive them to their dance dates, the band eventually became Smilin' Johnnie and his Prairie Pals in 1946. The group worked out of CJGX for a time,then went further affield playing throughout Canada. After moving from Yorkton, Johnnie lived for a few years in Swift Current, Regina, North Battleford, and Saskatoon. Over the years, he found dances weren't as popular as they once were, so he began playing concerts. Those concerts and Johnnie's unique spirit of adventure found him becoming the first entertainer to take shows north of the Arctic Circle in 1963. The initial tour brought requests from other communities till the Smilin' Johnnie Show had played every community of any size in Northern Canada from west to east. In 1975, Johnnie married Eleanor Dahl and a year later they moved back to the family farm to be close to his parents who were aging. The years spent on the "farm" brought him much happiness, and to share the enjoyment of the place, he held Jamboree's there from 1988 till 1999. He still toured and entertained, and he ALWAYS kept planning for the future. In the fall of 2009 he got promotion ready, and was planning to tour with his grandson, Zachary-that plan was cut short by a stroke on November 5th, from which he never recovered. This gentle man, with such gusto and zest for life leaves to mourn him, his wife, Eleanor, and four children: Jerry (Sue) of Victoria, BC, Bobby (Cheri) of Saskatoon, Tamara (Doug) Greenwood of Edmonton, and John Jr. (Natasha) of Edmonton; Grandchildren Rachel Lucky of Vancouver, Zachary Lucky of Saskatoon, and Morgan (David) Dean of Warman. Great- grandchildren Lucas and Kezia Dean of Warman. Johnnie was predeceased by an infant daughter Marie; his parents Mike and Mary Lucki, sister Kay Kuprowski and brother Walter. The funeral service was held on Friday, June 18, 2010 from the Brandon School, north of Wroxton. Pastor Trevor Cherry of the Yorkton Congregation of Grace Communion International officiated. Cremation arrangements were entrusted to Bailey's Funeral Home.