A noted figure in the Prince George region's agricultural scene has died.
John Harold Ryser passed away on Fri., Dec. 9 after a long battle with cancer. He was 90 years old.
Ryser was one of the founding members of the Prince George Farmer’s Market, served on the region's first Farmer’s Institute and was active in the Prince George Cattlemen’s Association.
But perhaps he was best known for his potatoes.
The varieties he grew - Kennebec, Chieftain, Sangre, Norland, Yukon Gold, Caribe, Sieglinde, and different types of Russets - became staples at the Farmers Market, Northern Hardware and local restaurants and his seed potatoes were an item at Art Knapp's Home and Garden for some 50 years.
His favourite variety was the Nooksack. And no wonder - it served him well at the provincial seed fair where he was grand champion 13 years in a row. For that achievement he was dubbed "Prince George's potato king."
Ryser was born in 1932 into a farming family in the region - his father had immigrated from Switzerland and, after a foray in the prairies, settled in the Prince George area.
In the 1950s, he had taken over the family farm in what is now Moore's Meadow. In the 1960s, he moved to a large property on New Dale Road in the Red Rock area. When his brother Thomas passed away, it became too much to handle for the aging Ryser and, in the late 1990s, he sold the operation and moved to the family's smaller property in Stoner.
Ryser was also a patron of the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation. In 1997, he was front-page news when he made its predecessor, the Prince George Regional Hospital Foundation, the sole beneficiary of his life insurance policy, worth $300,000.
"I have lived here all my life and people have been good to me. This is a way to give something back," Ryser said at the time.
In June 2021, and after 80 years of producing food for the local market, he suffered a serious mishap.
He went to change a tire on his tractor when he lost his footing. The tire fell on him and he was pinned on the ground outside overnight and at the start of the heat wave that had struck the province. He was found the next day and rushed to the hospital.
Given he was 89 at the time, it was a miracle he survived, but while doctors did everything they could, they eventually had to amputate his lower left leg.
It was about that time that some good fortune came into his life in the form of a culinary venture launched by Natasha and Wayne Kitchen. Graced with a portrait of Ryser on its side, for a time Legendary John's Spud Truck dished out high-end poutine and hotdogs, with the potatoes sourced from Ryser's farm
Ryser's other passions were old time fiddling and dancing. He was known to show up to a dance in Pineview in a two-piece suit, ready to cut the rug.
Ryser is survived by his loving companion Margaret Ketter; brothers Wilhelm Ryser, George Ryser (Debbie); and Dan Ryser; and numerous nephews, nieces, other relatives, and friends. John was predeceased by his mother and father (John and Margaret Ryser), and brothers Ernie, Thomas, Frank, and Werner.
A funeral will be held on Tues., Dec. 20 at Assman’s Funeral Chapel, 1908 Queensway St., 11 a.m. start.
"A future celebration of life will also be held when we have warmer potato planting weather!," niece Laura Murphy said in an obituary supplied to the Citizen.
