JACK CALVERT
Jack Calvert was born Sept. 19, 1916 and raised by his mother, Gertrude, and father, Ernie, with help from his older sisters, Phyllis and Irene, in Rainy River, Ont.
As he was growing up, he spent time with his dad like all boys, doing typical guy stuff. At the age of six, he started helping his dad stock bass fingerlings from Lake of the Woods all the way to Rainy Lake taking different routes and countless portages.
They would carry fry in cream cans and wash tubs, then release them into lakes along the way each summer for many years, thus introducing smallmouth bass to this part of Canada.
His mother said that once school got out, she never saw him until classes started in the fall.
Ernie Calvert later was inducted into the Fishing Hall of Fame and given the Gold Medal of Honour for being the best-known musky fisherman in North America and for his work with conservation and the stocking of waters.
When Jack got to be old enough to start helping with his dad’s tourist business, one of his jobs was to drive the custom-built Calvert’s Camp bus from Rainy River to International falls to pick up guests coming from Chicago on a special train called “The Calvert’s Express,” which was a direct, non-stop fair for his father’s camps.
Jack would deliver the guests to Rainy River, where they boarded the famous “Clipper,” which was a 90-foot steam ship that carried the guests in grand style to one of their many camps on Lake of the Woods.
Jack became more and more involved in camp life. During this time, the Calverts had one of the largest tourist operations in Northwestern Ontario.
There were three big camps—one at Cedar Island in Sabaskong Bay, the Whitefish Bay Camp, and the Miles Bay Camp. There also were smaller camps at Height of Land, Camp Bay, and The Pipestone Camp.
After his father’s passing, Jack owned and operated all the camps. He worked hard on the constant camp maintenance, boat and motor repairs, sports shows, putting up ice, and trying to keep those darn light plants running.
Jack also was a family man with wife, Mildred, daughter, Rolene, and son, Danny. He did a great job, but with the Kenora highway and easy access to Lake of the Woods, the resort business had changed.
After leaving camp life, Jack stayed in the hospitality industry—it was in his blood. He went on to the motel business, where he owned and operated motels in Ontario, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, and finally in Iowa, where he started son, Danny, in the business.
He also bought a night club in International Falls that daughter, Rolene, ran for many years.
He finally started to relax a bit in his mid-70s. Jack enjoyed spending time on Rainy Lake at the cabin, fishing, and even snowmobiling on the nicer days in the winter.
His last fishing trip was right at 90 years of age. Fishing with his son, Danny, and grandson, Hunter, he caught almost 40 walleyes, one at eight pounds, and bested the boys that day.
He is survived by his two children, Rolene and Dan; three grandsons, Jody (Horn), Troy (Horn), and Hunter (Calvert); and three great-grandchildren, Fin (Horn), Ella (Horn), and Cooper (Horn).
Jack was predeceased by his wife, Mildred, whom he was married to for 50 years.
He was a good and very kind man who lived a very simple life. He will be deeply missed.
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