Most afternoons at coffee time, you will find Norman Roebuck and his wife Edith at Manos, along with his friends, reliving and recounting events of past years.

Norman Roebuck (Norm as he is usually known) in his 90 years has experienced many careers from elite seed grower to a television personality, from a university senator to alderman of the City of Yorkton, from a rural municipal councilor to president of the Western Canada Fairs Association.

Born in Yorkshire, England, Norm came with his family to the Melville district, later moving to the Waldron district to the family farm.

As a farmer, Norm specialized in dairy farming and through herd improvement built up a pedigreed herd of Holsteins.

He graduated in 1941 from the University of Saskatchewan College of Agriculture and became a registered elite seed grower, which in turn led him to becoming the first president of the Northeastern Seed Company of Yorkton.

He served for four years as a municipal councillor and was on many local and provincial farm and agriculture boards and organizations. For seven years he worked as a 4-H leader.

Norm was appointed to the Senate of the University of Saskatchewan and was on the Advisory Council of the College of Agriculture. In 1972 he was president of the Yorkton branch of the University of Saskatchewan Alumni and was a trustee of the University Foundation.

In 1986 he was honored with the Distinguished Graduate in Agriculture award from the University of Saskatchewan for service to the community and province through leadership in the areas of 4-H, agriculture, service clubs, university and community improvement.

Norm is a past president , honorary life member and senator of the Yorkton Exhibition Association. He was elected for the 1963-64 term as president of the Western Canada Fairs Association and was chairman of the attractions committee of the "B" Fairs Association of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

He was president and director of the Saskatchewan Agricultural Societies Association from 1956 to 1958.

In 1985 he received Yorkton Agricultural Societies Association Citizen of the Year award in recognition of his contribution and long term association with the Yorkton Exhibition. This was the first such award to be given in the province.

In 1987 he was presented with an Honorary Life Membership in the Saskatchewan Agricultural Societies. That year he was also inducted into the Saskatchewan Agriculture Hall of Fame in Saskatoon.

In 2000 he was given a life membership in the Saskatchewan Institute of Agriculture.

He served for eight years as municipal representative on the Agricultural Extension District Board and as a member of the Yorkton Agricultural Manpower Board.

In 1962 he was appointed chairman of the Advisory Committee of the PFRA for the three prairie provinces.

Norm was one of the original shareholders and chairman of the board of the Yorkton Television Company and was in the employ of the station when it went on the air in 1958. He worked in the news and public relations department and was producer of the CKOS farm show until his resignation in 1973.

In 1977 he was elected as alderman to the Yorkton city council and served for two terms. In 1993 he received the city's Meritorious Service Award for his contribution to the community.

For ten years he was president of the Yorkton branch of the Red Cross as well as a director of the provincial body.

He is a past board member of the Yorkton -Melville Health district as well as the Anderson Lodge and Yorkton Senior Citizen Housing.

He is a charter member and past president of the Yorkton Lions Club and in 1961 received the Club Civic Award from Lions International. He is a past president and honorary life member of the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce and served for many years as the chairman of the agriculture committee.

For six years, Norm chaired the annual Threshermen's Show and was on the provincial board of the Western Development Museum and in 1998 was made a life member of the Yorkton Threshermen's Club. For a number of years he was responsible for assembling special historic displays at the annual show.

He was appointed to the Provincial Advisory Committee of North West Centennial and Saskatchewan '85 and received Friends of the Heritage award for outstanding contribution to local heritage. That year he also was awarded the Saskatchewan Senior Heritage award for contribution to the province.

He was appointed to the Yorkton Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee from 1988 until his recent resignation. In 1990 he was given the Volunteer Recognition for support and service to Heritage conservation. In 1991 was appointed to the board of the Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation.

On his 80th birthday in 1991 he was recognized by the Government of Saskatchewan and the Government of Canada. In 1993 he was awarded the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Canadian Federation, and in 1994 the Western Development Museums award for contribution to preservation of Saskatchewan history.

In 1994, in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Yorkton branch of the University of Saskatchewan Alumna Association, the University made a presentation to him as the past president of the branch alumna.

In 1999 Norm was honored with the Provincial Honoree Award to mark the International Year of the Older Person.