Gottleb “Pop” Eckert arrived in Lumby with his wife Matilda in 1953. Pop worked for various mills including Stewart and Fisher Planer Mills until his retirement. The Eckerts raised 12 children: Ed, Bob, Olga (Koss), Andy, Elsie (Wilson), Herb, Harvey, Ben, Harold, Alfred, Les and Nelson. As the oldest gentleman living at the new Saddle Mountain complex, Pop, along with Joe Martin and Miss Lumby Ann Fisher, officially opened the doors to the new facility on February 24, 1977. It was John Engler and Mayor Pat Duke who lobbied successfully for the provincial government to purchase the newly vacated MacGillis & Gibbs 2.5 acre property for the future Saddle Mountain Seniors facility. In December 1974, the provincial government sold the property to the newly formed Saddle Mountain Society and a contract was awarded to Fred Westen Construction to build the complex for $808,400.00.
