Mike St. Germain was born in Rivire Qui Barre, Alberta in 1922 and Aileen Ward (Dalgleish) St. Germain was born in Weekes, Saskatchewan in 1936.
Mike and Aileen met in Prince George and they have been together for 37 years.
They have a total of 13 children and three generations of grand children.
Aileen, who is now 77 years old, recalls her 31-year career as a telephone operator at B.C. Tel. Aileen said, "I loved the work, the people, the customers and the company. It was a great job until the computers came in. When that happened I took a buy out and retired. I would go back there and work in a heart beat if I could work on those old cord boards again. It was a great era and I am glad that I was a part of it."
As a war veteran Mike served in the Calgary Highlander Infantry and then got a job with the Alberta Power Company.
After moving to B.C. he went on to a great career working for B.C. Hydro for 30 years as foreman for the line crews.
Mike is now 91 years old and still loves to dance and play the fiddle when he is up to it. Mike said, "I come from a family of self-taught musicians. We always had a good time. We had some great jam sessions over the years so we formed the Old Time Fiddlers Club. The nonprofit group is still alive but we always need new members to help us to keep it going. You can always find the Old Time Fiddlers at their jam session on a Thursday night at the senior centre at 1692 10th Avenue. The admission is only $2 per person so feel free to drop in and dance to their tunes or just sit back and listen."
If you do not know Mike and Aileen you can easily pick them out on the dance floor because they are two of the rare masters of the double step also known as the hoe down step. Mike said, "I knew that step before I joined the army. It took a bit of practice but Aileen mastered it in no time at all with my help."
Mike served as the president of the B.C. Old Time Fiddlers for a decade as well as the president of the Provincial Old Time Fiddlers establishing branches in many other areas.
Mike said, "My son Brian St. Germain is a great musician and is now the president with our good friend John Broderick as his right hand man. John is always ready at a moments notice to help out. There are so many great members that help to keep it all together that I can not even begin to name them all. We are all volunteers and it is important that the B.C. Old Time Fiddlers keep teaching the kids to play the fiddle in our style. If we don't we will lose the old time music."
Mike and Aileen have volunteered for many good causes here in Prince George over the past 35 years.
In 1982 Mike was presented with the City of Prince George Recreation Award of Merit. He has spent many hours playing the fiddle at nursing homes and senior centres.
I remember seeing Aileen volunteering for the B.C. Tel - Telephone Pioneers of America 25 years ago in the building on 6th Avenue where we both worked.
I thought she was pretty darn special way back then and now after meeting Mike I think they are both pretty darn special.
You can usually find them down at the Simon Fraser Lodge visiting or entertaining at 10:30 a.m. on a Thursday morning. What a great chance for you to drop by the Simon Fraser to catch a short visit with this amazing couple.
