Another year has nearly passed and at this time I would like to recap the names and a bit of information of the many interesting subjects of my column throughout this past year.
These are some of the people who helped make Prince George the great city that it is today:
June (Swanky) Parker, a well known Prince George artist was born in Vancouver in 1931. Her family moved to Prince George in 1933 after first being selected and then approved to take advantage of a provincial government land settlement program that encouraged families to leave Vancouver and relocate in the north; they settled in a preselected homestead site out in the Chief Lake Road area known as Garvin Canyon. June showed talent in art at an early age and her family arranged for her to attend summer classes at the School of Fine Arts in Banff, Alberta. She married Laurie Isenor Parker in 1950 and after 63 years of marriage he passed away in 2013 due to a fatal car accident.
Viola (Stafford) Merritt was born in Norgate, Man. in 1923. She went to school in Vancouver to train as a psychiatric nurse and worked at Essondale in the children's ward.
She married Lloyd Gordon Merritt in 1946 and shortly after moved to Giscome with a promise that they would only stay ten years and then they would move back to the coast; a promise that by mutual consent never came to pass.
In 1953 they officially opened Lloyds Drive-In Caf which was located at the end of 20th Avenue. Vi said, "We were married for 63 years when sadly Lloyd passed away in 2009 from a heart attack.
Baljit Sethi was born in 1933 in Lahore, Pakistan and immigrated to Canada 45 years ago. Baljit who is now retired said, "I feel very lucky that God gave me the opportunity to help other immigrants through my work. When they cry I understand immediately because my heart and my life was always dedicated to helping them through my programs at IMSS. I am their Canadian mom - what a compliment. Life in Canada is good. Canada is a friendly and safe country and we all need to value this as the best country to live in and then make sure that we all look after one another."
Len Shankel, a long time retired president of Local 9 of the Pulp, Paper and Woodworkers of Canada (PPWC) union, was born in Liverpool, N.S., in 1937. He moved west in 1956, worked as a longshoreman on the docks in Prince Rupert and later he worked at the Columbia Cellulose Pulpmill; this was the start of his 34 years as a journeyman pipe fitter and union leader in the pulp mill industry. Len said, "There was a time when we had 800-900 pulp mill workers at Intercon and PG Pulp; now due to automation and modern equipment there are about 460 workers. My heart is still in the industry and I still spend time at the PPWC union office."
Doris Aitken was born in Edmonton in 1925. She married Dr. Bill Aitken who was born in Prince George in 1920. They both sang in the Knox Church Choir. When the children had completed high school, Doris went to work as the receptionist in Bill's dental office. Bill liked that because he would not have to learn a new name for his receptionist as the retiring receptionist's name was also Doris. Doris said, "Many patients asked how I could stand being with my husband all day in the office. I just laughed and said it was easy as I kept my back to him at work."
The family of local author and historian Ray Olson lived in Crescent Spur until 1957 then moved to Penny and lived there until the mill closed due to the mill bankruptcy. Ray met and married Gail Warburton from Vancouver; they settled in the Six Mile Lake area. Ray is active in recording and preserving the local history of the communities that once existed in the area east of Prince George. He has written and self-published three books on the topic.
Bill and Lori (Nelmes) Brand met in Boston Bar at a caf where Lori was working. Bill was born in Carrigana, Sask. in 1930, moved west, found work with the Canadian National Railway (CNR) and worked in the office as a telegrapher. The job took him all over B.C. and he eventually ended up in Boston Bar where he met Lori. Lori was born in Chilliwack in 1938 and married Bill in 1955. They moved to Prince George in 1966. Bill went to work for Northwood Pulp and retired in 1992 after 26 years in the industry. Lori worked in retail and later cooked for many years at the Chuck Wagon Cafeteria in Spruceland where Shoppers Drug Mart is now located; she retired in 1992.
Charlie Bircher was born in 1941 in the Alps in Central Switzerland in a town called Adelboden. He was seven years old when his family arrived in McBride; they chose to live in McBride because the mountains and the scenery was much like their hometown in Switzerland. He married Delores Henze from Rockford, Sask., who worked as a practical nurse until they started their family of five children.
Retired missionary worker and Pastor Emeritus, Bob Reid was born in 1936 in Stony Creek, Ont. He married Ruth Rothenberg from Thunder Bay in 1962. The young couple departed for India and started work as missionaries for the next 37 years.
Mary (MacDonnell) Jarbek was born into a family of 13 in Cape Breton, N.S. in 1949 and moved to Chilliwack where she eventually met and married Andy (Bob) Jarbek. Andy was a qualified pipe fitter so they moved to Prince George in 1976 with the hope of finding work and to start a new life. They purchased the McCloud 9 Eatery restaurant in 1994 and went on to operate it for the next 10 years.
Yvonne (Foxcroft) Stewart, a long time Prince George resident was born in Bersey, Sask. in 1935. Yvonne laughed and said, "I was so small when I was born that they had to put me in a shoe box and place it on the oven door to make sure I was kept warm all the time. I was quite often and lovingly referred to as a shoe box baby."
Elizabeth Jane Schepp, a self proclaimed psychic reader was born in London, England in 1937. Due to complicated medical issues concerning her mother the family left England and joined relatives in Rossland, B.C. in 1947.
Gary and Heather (Harvey) Couch are Hart Highlands Ski Hill volunteers who moved to Prince George in 1969. Heather said, "Everything was going along nicely and in 1969 Gary wanted to apply for a job as a steam engineer for Northwood Pulp in Prince George. Of course I didn't want to move to Prince George but we did and we have been here ever since."
Philis (Bambrick) Welch was born in Kamloops in 1938 and raised on the Bambrick ranch, about 75 km southwest of Williams Lake in the historical ranching community of Big Creek. Philis said, "I was raised in Big Creek and because there was no school in the area my parents sent me to boarding school in Williams Lake at an extravagant cost of $25 per month. This was a lot of money even though it covered everything.
Philis concluded by saying, "I love Prince George. I have a great family and lots of good friends. We have four beautiful seasons to enjoy and I enjoy every day of every one of them."
Keith Monroe, retired Prince George area manager for BC Hydro, has a family history in McBride that spans six generations. His grandfather George Monroe arrived in the Robson Valley in 1914. Keith was born in 1943 and is one of the eight children of Everett Monroe. He married Esther Mernett in 1965. Keith has been a member of the Old Time Fiddlers Association for over 20 years.
Bonnie Meikle was born in 1937. She was raised on a farm in Manitoba, the eldest of six children and the only one in the family to leave Manitoba. She married Lyle Meikle in 1955. She was in nursing school and Lyle was a returning soldier from the Korean War. They arrived in Mackenzie in 1969 and after her husband passed away she moved to Prince George to be closer to the family. She is now 81 years old and volunteers at the Hart Highway senior centre nearly full time.
Don Ford was born in Tisdale, Sask. in 1933. There was no work in Tisdale so he decided to head west, took the train to Vancouver and arrived in Prince George in 1952. He married Erna Southoff in 1956. He has been a member of the Elks for the past 26 years and a fraternal member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #43 since 1957. In 1999 Don was presented with the Life Membership Award from the Legion (Pacific) #43 Branch and the Meritorious Service Award B.C./Yukon #43 Branch in 2005. He received the Legionnaire of the Year award in 2001.
Tony (Antonio) Carpino was born in Italy in 1946. He is the third generation of his family to come from Italy to Canada in search of work. The big difference was that he stayed and raised his family in Canada. Tony arrived in McBride in 1968 at the age of 21. He married his childhood sweetheart Flora Guarascio in 1966. When he left for Canada he had to leave his wife and five month old son behind. He sent for them just as soon as he could. In 1985 they bought the Tabor Deli and then started PG Classic Touch Catering. It wasn't long and they started the Luna Rossa Restaurant at 20th and Spruce Street.
Dr. June Frye FRCPc and the late Dr. Russ Frye - described by many professionals as the local cornerstones of psychiatry - were honoured by being inducted into the Northern Medical Society Hall of Fame in 2017. Dr. Russ Frye worked as the chief of psychiatry in Prince George for 22 years. June practiced for a total of 35 years and was the first woman to be inducted into the Northern Medical Society Hall of Fame. June reflected back and said, @We were enormously happy here. We were married for over 50 years when sadly Russ passed away in November of 2016 at the age of 80."
Walter and Marilyn Shelest recently celebrated 61 years of marriage. His parents emigrated from Poland to Prince George in 1929; Walter was born in Prince George in 1934. He married Marilyn Peacock the love of his life in 1956. Walter worked for R.F. Klein Contractors and later went on to start a small plumbing business of his own. He expanded and took on the Aqua Soft Water Conditioning service installing water conditioning equipment, water treatments and water filtration systems.
Joseph Zettl was born in 1934 in Sopron, Hungary, was schooled in Stuttgart, Germany and at the age of 18 he successfully finished his apprenticeship training as a brick layer and immigrated to Canada. He said, "I had $40 to my name and I was thankful for every penny of it. To make a long story short I arrived in Prince George in 1954 and landed a job at Schlitt Sawmills in their logging camp on Buckhorn Road falling trees with a cross cut saw. When I met Evelyn I knew she was the one; it was love at first sight. We married in 1956."
Charlie (Charles) Forden was born in Punnichy, Sask. in 1937, moved to Prince George in 1969 where he met and married Vi Butler McAuley in 1977. Vi was born in 1940 in Bradner, B.C. Her passion was her volunteer work for the Prince George Ski for Light Event for blind skiers back in 1987.
Kathy Cline-Gardner Haynes, the daughter of a war bride, was born in Leeds, England in 1941; she arrived in Canada when she was only five years old and ended up in Prince George in 1952. After graduation she worked at Roses' Ice Cream Plant on Second Avenue where the parkade is now located.
Ed and Muriel Olichny, longtime Prince George residents, just celebrated 60 years of marriage. Ed was born in 1933; his father immigrated to Canada from Czechoslovakia in 1929. Ed, Muriel and their three children moved to Prince George in 1968. They operated Tropical Pool and Spa until 1994. Ed retired at the age of 84. Ed and Muriel concluded by saying, "Our 60 years of marriage is a real milestone and we are grateful for one another and thankful for our reasonably good health."
Dr. Eldon Lee, often referred to as the "father of modern obstetrics in northern British Columbia," delivered over 10,000 babies in his 32 years of medical practice. Eldon was a home schooled high school graduate, a cowboy and a rancher. He completed his medical training and in 1957 he answered a medical calling and accepted a position west of Prince George in the Hazelton area.He married Royal Columbian Hospital nursing graduate Marjorie Cartmell 65 years ago. He has always recognized the major role his wife has played in his successful professional life. Eldon said, "I fell in love with her the minute I saw her. When we first got married we talked about a family; I wanted three children and Marjorie wanted three children so naturally we produced six."
Cornelius (Corny) Hughes, a retired lawyer and the eldest of seven children, was born in Victoria in 1935. He retired in 1995 at the age of 62 after 22 years in his profession. His wife Christa (Vogt) Hughes owned and operated Contours Hair Salon for 20 years until she retired.
Bob (Robert) Gable, a Second World War veteran was born in Edmonton in 1925. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy at the age of 17 and shortly after that he boarded the HMCS La Hulloise and went off to war in the north Pacific. Bob was on shore leave in 1945 when a friend of his set him up on a blind date to meet Kathleen (Kay) Forster. Kay was born in Forestburg, Alta. in 1927. Kay married her sailor in 1947.
Bill Mintenko, a retired Northwood Pulp Mill superintendant was born in the small town of Pense, Sask. in 1926. His father died when he was seven, when his mother died two years later Bill and his younger brother were sent to Sturgis, Sask. where they were raised by their grandmother. He married Barbara Ellchuk in 1952. They were married for 53 years when sadly she passed away.
John and Ellen Norman, retired school teachers, recently celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary. The couple met and dated in high school, graduated together, separated for awhile and met up again while attending UBC; they married at the age of 21 and started their teaching careers in Prince George. John taught school for five years and principled for 30 years. He retired in 1996 after 35 years in his field of school administration. Ellen specialized in special education and never gave up on her goal of obtaining her degree. With full support from John she managed to teach, raise the girls and obtain her degree at the age of 50. She retired in 1996.
Margaret (Davidson) Smith was the Prince George New Years' baby in 1944. She grew up here, was educated, worked, married, volunteered and raised a family here and has lived here all of her life. She married Stanley William Roy Smith in 1965; he was born in 1944 at the saw mill site that his father owned near Bannock, Sask. in 1944. Stan worked as a welder and specialized in steel fabrication.
Gloria (Proudlock) Thorpe a retired school teacher was born, raised and educated in Vancouver. She said I was born in 1932 just two days after the Burrard Street Bridge was officially opened. I am 85 and I am just as old as that bridge." Gloria's first teaching job was in Merritt and that is where she met Leonard (Len) Thorpe who at the beginning was just a good friend. They married in 1965; Len passed away in 2010. After 33 years of teaching in the public system, Gloria retired and became an active member of the Artist Co-Op where some of her art is on display.
Jim Weed was born in Greenwood in 1945; he arrived in Prince George in 1970. Over the next 20 years he worked for the John Deere equipment dealership during the winter months and built houses and log houses in the summer. His wife Val Dodds was born in Montreal in 1944. She earned her Master of Social Work degree in 1968 and arrived in Prince George in 1974. She worked for Mental Health Services mainly in counseling and developed various successful programs throughout her career. Together they shared a passion for many outdoor activities with both being involved with the Tabor Mountain Recreation Society for the past 10 years.
Lou (Ettinger) Sinclair was born in 1942, raised by her grandparents and educated in Richmond. She arrived in Prince George in the late 60s and worked in various accounting positions over many years and retired in 2014 at the age of 72 due to medical issues.
Jeannine Walker was born in Edmonton in 1936 during the Great Depression. She worked as the secretary for St. Mary's Parish for over 20 years until she retired because of a bad back. She said, "It was a great job and an interesting job. I got to know so many people. First I processed many marriage certificates for the parish and then a few years later I was processing baptism certificates for those same couples. I am always amazed when these people are able to recognize me because back then I had black hair and now I have gray hair."
Shirley (Benson) Ballum was born in Kamloops in 1941. Shirley said, "I have lived in Prince George for 74 years. I grew up and attended high school here so I guess I can be called an old timer." Shirley married Arnold Ballum in 1963 and they just celebrated 56 years of marriage.
Arnold was born in Prince Edward Island in 1935 and served in the navy. He arrived in Prince George in the early 60s looking for work and he has been here ever since. He worked as a heavy duty mechanic, a job that nearly wore him out until he retired at the age of 65.
Fred Buchi was born in 1924 in downtown Prince George. He did not know it but three years later Eva Utjesenovich came into the world destined to be his long time wife of 71 years and still counting. Eva was born in 1927 at the family home at 457 3rd Ave. Fred started working in the sawmill industry at the tender age of 14. He joined the army at the age of 19 and is proud to say that he is a Second World War veteran. Fred said, "I am 93 and Eva is 90; we had a good life, we have a great family and wonderful friends and we are happy. I believe it was made to be."
