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- *1901 Census 93 Norfolk, b-5 Dereham, Page 8, Line 7*
Weeks, Omar A., Male, W., Son, Single, Born 25 Nov. 1884, Age 16, Rural Ontario, Presby.,
Obituary:
Omar Amos Weeks, born 1883, passed away November 26, 1954 in Chilliwack General Hospital in 71st year. Late of 426 Mary St, Chilliwack. He leaves to mourn his passing, 2 daughters, Mrs T. M. Thompson, Chilliwack and Mrs. T. Jackson, Vancouver; 1 son Harvey Weeks, Chilliwack and 3 grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Monday, November 29 at 1:30 pm Chilliwack. Chapel of Henderson's funeral Home - Rev. Dr. G. Glover officiating. Cremation to follow.
LOCAL BARBER OMAR WEEKS DIES AT 71
Source: The Chilliwack Progress - Wed., Dec. 1, 1954; page 5
One of Chilliwack's pioneer residents and one of the first barbers in town, Omar Amos Weeks, 426 Mary Street, collapsed Friday and died in Chilliwack General Hospital. He was in his 71st yar.
Mr Weeks was born November 25, 1894, at Tillsonburg, Ontario. He had lived in B.C. for 41 years. He was a familiar figure to many who visited his barber shop on Yale road west and well known for his various club activities. He was an active member of the Oddfellows. Mr. Weeks belonged to Chilliwack Lawn Bowling club and was keen on the sport. He contributed press reports on the club's activiites for some time.
Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. T. M. Thompson, Chilliwack; Mrs. J. Jackson, Vancouver; one son, Harvey, Chilliwack; one brother and one sister in Ontario; five granchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Margaret Jane, October 4, 1950.
Funeral service was held Monday at 1:30 pm, from the Chapel of Henderson's Funeral Home, Chilliwack. Rev. Dr. Geoffrey Glover officiating. Cremation followed.
Pallbearers were Herbert Pook; Charles Davis, Ernest Pearson, William Teetzel, Kenneth Boake and H. Darling.
Omar Amos Weeks
1954, Nov. 26; age 69
Chilliwack, B.C., Canada
Reg # 1954-09-011685
B.C. Archives # B13222, GSU Microfilm # 2032968
COMMUNITY PROJECTS - CHILLIWACK PROGRESS NEWSPAPER - MARCH 30, 1949
OMAR A. WEEKS ...... barber
Pay as you go is the unwritten motto of a man who has carried on a successful business in Chilliwack for more than 38 years.
"This not only applies to individuals but also to governments. If we keep abreast of financial and moral obligations the rest of life takes care of itself."
Briefly stated, this is the philosophy of O. A. Weeks: barber, bowler, bicyclist.
At 64, Omar - known to many as simply "O.A." claims he is still too young to use the sit-down type of barbering adopted by many shops.
He was born in Tillsonburg, a small Ontario town which has grown to be ... a small Ontario town.
"Nothing ever grows in Ontario," says Mr. Weeks. "It's too cold."
"Sure I like the West," he says convincingly. "I like the way young people get out on their own and progress. They make mistakes but they profit by them. and," says Omar wryly, "they don't elect Conservative governments."
Why does a man become a barber?
Omar Weeks was born and spent his early youth on a homestead farm carved from the Ontario timberland. The few hours away from the rigors of clearing land, plowing and tending stock, he spent in or near the town's only four -chair barber shop. Here in the nostalgic atmosphere of perfumed hair off and singed moustaches was the center of masculine gossip, the dispensary of travelled eloquence and harbingers of fascinating monologue.
Mr. Weeks had few regrets when he turned from strenuous agrarian labor to an apprenticeship in the four-chair shop.
His conversations with travelled customers soon filled his imagination with the opportunities of the West. Lock, stock and scissors he moved to New Westminster. That was 1910. a year later he caught the steamer for Chilliwack.
Omar's shop - the second tonsorial parlor in Chilliwack - consisted of two chairs and a thriving business. Gasoline lamps hung hissing from the ceiling and hand clippers cut their labourious way over the gnarled pates of loggers, homesteaders and ranchers, and the conversation was the most painless part of the operation.
There were never any moustache cups in Omar's shop, despite the fact they were still a fashion necessity for gentlemen during the early 20th century. "O.A." had definite ideas about moustache cups. As a matter of fact he claims without hesitation to be one of the instigators of the downfall of barber shop ceramics.
Twenty years ago Mr. Weeks' business reached the four-chair stage and his establishement was twice as large as it is today. Then came the depression.
Two months ago his shop - still in the Hart block where it was originally located - lost its third chair, an unused reminder of busier days.
Memories of Omar Weeks, from Granddaughter Myrna Peacock, 2003.
My grandfather was always a hard worker. When we were around him, he was not exactly a happy go lucky fellow, but rather serious to we his grandchildren. He was loving, but also stern, as was Grandmother Margaret too. Grampa Omar always wore a wig; his barbershop was open 6 days a week. He never owned an automobile, but rode his bicycle everywhere. His pattern for the week was Monday to Saturday, go to his barbershop and open early and close late. On Sundays, he and his wife Margaret would attend the United Church morning service. After his lunch he would cycle to the local hospital where he voluneered his barbering services to those that were hospitalized - haircuts and shaves.
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My Scottish "Wilkie" Family
1884 - 1954 (70 years)
