Ed Huber is a long-time resident of Spruce Grove and has continually served the community throughout his life. Ed was born in Wetaskiwin in 1938 and moved to Spruce Grove in 1952. He graduated from Stony Plain Memorial High in 1956. He worked with his dad Jacob and brother Harry in running the family business Central Garage which was later incorporated as J. Huber & Sons in 1967. In June 1968, there was a fire in the shop so it had to be demolished and rebuilt to accommodate moving the gas pumps from First Avenue. After Jacob passed away in July 1968, Ed and Harry continued to operate the business until 2007 when they closed after 54 years of operation.

Ed joined the fire department in 1958 at the age of 20 and became the youngest fire chief in Alberta. This was also the year he married Isabel Lunan and they built their home, which they still live in today. Ed served as volunteer fire chief until 1976. After his time as chief came to an end, Ed continued to stay on with the Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter. In 1983,when Deputy Chief Robb Jonker passed away he was asked to fill the role of Deputy Chief, which he accepted and served in that capacity until retiring from the department in 1999 after 40 years of service. To this day, Ed remains the longest serving member of Spruce Grove Fire Services.

Ed’s key achievements include receiving the Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal from the Governor General of Canada and the Stylized Maple Leaf for extended fire service also from the Governor General of Canada.

Over the years Ed has been active in his church (Peace Lutheran) and has held many positions and is currently president of the congregation. Ed has also been involved with the Spruce Grove and District Agricultural Society. In 2010, he led a fund-raiser that raised $20,000 for the Agricultural Society and coordinated the moving of a historical water tower from a field on the east side of Spruce Grove to the grain elevator site.

Ed has also been very active in sports through the years. He played fastball with Spruce Grove North Stars when they won the Provincial Junior Men’s Championship for three years in succession in the 1950’s. He played senior men’s baseball for a number of years in the 1970’s with Grove TV. He played hockey for Henry Singer from 1955-1957, then retired. He came out of retirement in 1963 to play recreational hockey. This lasted for three years until the Yellowhead League was formed. Ed also played for 10 years for Huber’s Oilers, which was sponsored by his company. This team won many league championships. In 1976, Ed moved from senior hockey to old-timers’ hockey with the Grove team, the Oldtimers and Others, and finally retired from hockey at the age of 55.

Ed has a history of stepping up to the challenge and pledging his duty to Spruce Grove above himself. Through his sense of volunteerism, he was placed in a position of the greatest trust in the City of Spruce Grove. All of these qualities make him a most deserving inductee into the Spruce Grove Awards of Excellence.