Jelto was born in Herford, Germany in 1926, between the two World Wars. Since his father practiced large animal veterinary medicine and surgery from the house, accompanying him on farm calls was as natural a diet as mother's milk.
His high school education was interrupted by the war and military service. He avoided prisoner-of war camp by dressing, looking and acting like a teenager. Matriculation in 1958 and education in agriculture with a diploma seemed to reach a dead end, unless willing to marry some farmer's only daughter.
In 1953 he emigrated to Canada, arriving by ship in Quebec City with a bank account of minus $250. Homesteading in the Peace River Country looked like a poor and hopeless choice, even at $ 3.50 an acre of bush in those days. In order to survive, he worked at various jobs in and around Calgary.
In 1956, his "mail-order" bride, Christa, arrived. They got married within 10 days and together started to build their future.Two years later they moved to Guelph, ON, where Jelto enrolled at the Ontario Veterinary College, fulfilling his life-long dream to become a veterinarian. Five years and two boys later they found themselves back in Calgary.
Fulfilling another goal , they moved to Edmonton in 1972 and aquired the Spratlin Animal Hospital. When some clients still called Jelto "Dr. Spratlin" 10 years later, he changed the name to Mayfield Veterinary Hospital. Jelto's son, Martin, born during final exams in Guelph, took over the practice, the fourth generation of Veterinarians.
Dr. Spratlin introduced Jelto to Rotary in 1972. Jack Lewis (Lewis Estate), a member of the Edmonton Rotary Club, sponsored him. Although practicing 24 hours/day seven days a week then, there has never been any hint of regret. While a member of the Edmonton West Rotary Club he became "seed-stock" for the Mayfield Rotary Club in 1976, and its president in it's second year.
