Many stories are told of the caring, the high principles, and the rational response to human and social problems of Dr. C. J. Houston and his wife Dr. Sigga Houston, who gave over 55 years of service to Yorkton and area.

One such story is told by Mrs. Joseph (Goldie) Molnar of Yorkton. After the birth of her baby on Dec. 31, 1937, she became very ill. Dr. Houston went by train to McKim, some 20 miles from Yorkton, to tend to her.

Her condition was such that she could not be moved to the hospital in Yorkton by sleigh, due to the snow- blocked roads.

As a last resort, Dr. Houston contacted Ed Fletcher, a pilot from Yorkton, and arranged for Mrs. Molnar to be taken to the Yorkton hospital in his plane.

This plane was small, and the stretcher on which Mrs. Molnar was placed had to be lifted to the top of the plane so that there was room for Dr. Houston to keep a check on her. Dr. Houston, a tall man, had to remove his buffalo coat to give himself room to tend to his patient.

An ambulance was waiting at the primitive airport and transported Dr. Houston and his patient to the hospital where she was given an immediate blood transfusion to assist in her recovery.

This was the first time, in this area, that a patient had been transported to a hospital by plane. The story of this flight was noted in papers across the west.

Clarence Joseph Houston was born in 1900 in Ottawa, Ontario. He came to Saskatchewan with his family, and grew up and received his education here. He graduated with a degree in medicine from the University of Manitoba in 1926.

That year he married a fellow classmate, Sigga Christianson, and the couple practiced medicine in North Dakota for two years before coming to Yorkton.

In the thirties when money was almost non-existent, patients would pay their doctor bills in kind. One such patient brought in a live turkey in a gunny sack.

Since the doctor was not in the office at the time, the receptionist put the turkey in the business office and closed the door. Imagine the sight when the door was opened and it was discovered the turkey had escaped from the sack.

After a long hard day of performing operations, doing hospital rounds and seeing patients at the office, Dr. Houston would put on his Public Health Officer hat and he, along with public health nurses (one of whom was Nancy (McKenzie) Ferguson, would hold immunization clinics.

Dr. Houston was the doctor-on-call for St. Joseph's College, a boys' residential school, and he was recognized by the Catholic Church for his contribution to the College.

Apart from his huge medical and surgical practice, Dr. Houston was involved in medical associations. He held almost every office with the College of Physician and Surgeons of Saskatchewan, and the Saskatchewan Medical Association. He was appointed to and worked on many health-related committees.

For his efforts and contributions, he was recognized by the Medical Council of Canada, which he headed in 1962-63. He was a founding member of the Canadian College of General (Family) Practice; a certificant of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada; a fellow of the American College of Surgeons; author of 10 published papers in medical journals and the co-editor with his son Dr. Stuart Houston of Pioneer of Vision, the Reminiscences of T. A. Patrick, MD.

Not only did Dr. Houston serve the community as a doctor, but he will be remembered for his many other contributions to Yorkton.

He served as chairman of the Yorkton Collegiate board for many years. When the former St.Joseph's College was taken over by the public school board, it was renamed the C. J. Houston Junior High School in recognition of his work in education.

Dr. Houston, along with Mr. O'Reagan, carried out the wishes of John Anderson in the formation of the Anderson Lodge.

Dr. Houston was a life member of the Yorkton Rotary Club.

CJ, as he was fondly known, enjoyed the outdoors and along with other like-minded citizens, was instrumental in the formation of York Lake Regional Park. His efforts are remembered with the naming of the campgrounds at York Lake Regional Park as the C. J. Houston camp grounds.

For his many contributions to Yorkton, Saskatchewan, and Canada, a lake near Otter Rapids was named in his honor.

To recognize his many contributions to the city, Yorkton city council bestowed on him its highest honor, The Medal of Merit.

Dr. C. J. and Dr. Sigga retired to Saskatoon in 1984, where he died at the age of 87 in 1986.

Dr. C. J's and Dr. Sigga's dedication and devotion have been carried on by their son Dr. Stuart Houston of Saskatoon; their grandsons Dr. Stanley of Edmonton and Dr. Donald of Rochester, Minnesota, their granddaughter Dr. Margaret and her husband Dr.Richard Ehman of Rochester, Minnesota, and grandson David of St. Catharines, Ontario.