Keith Monroe, retired area manager for BC Hydro in Prince George, has a family history in McBride that spans six generations.
His grandfather George Monroe arrived in the Robson Valley in 1914. He was a rancher from Alberta who followed the original Grand Trunk Pacific Railway west to the Robson Valley, drifted down the Fraser River on a homemade raft and landed in McBride. It wasn't long and he filed homesteading rights on some land and started farming.
Keith's father, Everett Monroe, a trapper in the area, was one of the three children of George Monroe. The history of the Monroe family can be found in the book A Robson Valley Story written by retired school teacher Marilyn Wheeler.
Keith was born in 1943 and is one of the eight children of Everett Monroe. He began his 37-year career with BC Hydro as a diesel operator at the old
McBride power plant and eventually moved up through the ranks of management by working in Bella Coola, Burns Lake, Fort St. John and finally Prince George in 1989. He retired from the company in 1997.
Keith met and married Esther Mernett in 1965 and they recently celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary. They had two children - Arlene (Wayne) Oystryk, who lives in Prince George, and Warren (Jennifer) who lives in Vernon. They have six grandchildren and one great grandchild on the way.
Esther had a career in banking and retired in the mid-'90s.
Keith said, "Esther is a great knitter and knits preemie toques for local hospitals. I was especially proud when she knit toques for an entire bicycle group that was traveling through Prince George.
"She has been an active member of a ladies walking group for nearly 15 years. They try to keep fit and they have a great social group as well.
"She is an avid gardener and a great wife who is tolerant of my expensive hobbies. She quietly supports my volunteer time with the Old Time Fiddlers. She is always in the background and helping out as needed."
Keith has been a member of the Old Time Fiddlers Association for over 20 years. It all started out when Keith and Esther went out simply to dance and enjoy their music. Keith now plays the keyboard for the group and loves every minute of it.
He said, "John Broderick, Cy Fortin, Denice Gudlaugson, Alice Friend and I teamed up and we take our music to the shut-ins at Gateway, Laurier Manor, the Chateau and the Simon Fraser Lodge on a regular basis. We also entertain once a month at senior centres in Vanderhoof and occasionally McBride. The music we play to reach these people who are not well is special and it will soon be a thing of the past. We know we are doing OK when we see the people come alive, when they start to smile and when they participate in our music."
Keith is a past president of the West Lake Community Association and takes care of the 125 kilometres of recreation, ski and snowmobile trials in the area. After 28 years of volunteer work, he was honoured with a lifetime membership award in the West Lake Community Association.
Keith obtained his fixed-wing pilot's license in 1962 and has since racked up over 3,500 hours of private flying time. In fact, he has his Cessna 185 floatplane parked in his backyard.
He likes to fly into remote areas and in particular he enjoys the annual gathering of like minds at Germanson Lake. They get together during the second weekend in June - ahead of the mosquitoes and the tourists. They fly into Rainbow Cove at the west end of Germanson Lake and set up their camp. There is an airstrip there for wheeled aircraft and also a rough gravel road to Rainbow Cove. This is a four-day event with anywhere from nine to 77 people showing up with music being the order of the day.
Keith explained, "I have been flying for many years and I had to make emergency landings a few times due to engine problems. To make a long story short I had hours and hours of pleasure while flying which was interrupted by moments of sheer terror. You just have to keep a cool head and carry on.
"Life in Prince George is good. Esther and I try to look after ourselves and each other. We have a great family and good friends and we live in a great community."
May birthdays that I know about: Lino Nadalin, Silvia Spoletini, Millie Conklin, Dawn Wigmore, Betty Broderick, Rita Wiebe, Alannah Shandler, Joe Anderson, Jean Shiels, Dan Watt, Willa Osis, Sally Roe, Evelyn O'Sullivan, Isabel Fleck, Larry Young, Margaret Humphreys, Olga Boudreau, Paul Richter, Iris West (98), Margaret Gauthier, Neal Cook, John Hiebert, Susan Chin, Germaine Bachand, Shelby Cooke, Gail Lindley, Luanne Koocher, Richard Mintenko, Clyde Smaaslet, Bill Hoksbergen (93), Steve Sintich, Orville Claffey, Sanna Denicola, Heather Mohr, Ruth Orydzuk, Irene Sitoski, Jack Little, Sally Roe, Aileen St. Germain, Edgar MacPherson, Susan Adair, Gladys Cormack, Jeannie Knox, Keith McLachlan, Kevin Blood, Stewart Law, Colleen McLaughlin, Shirley Smith, Ann Dekker (91), Vern Goglin, Laurent Plouffe, Ruth Reid, Marion Idiens, Fay Eckert, Jo-Anne Stainton, Bud Burbee, Jim Liness, Judy Griffith, Diane Ellis, Aime Dumoulin, Raymond Cosh, Clarence Lapp, Tom Whyte, Ernie Gragorash, Trixie Bartlett, Ellen Bracey, Henry Deslaurie, Vi Pfefferle, Jim Weisbrodt, Patricia Horning, Trudy Jechow, Lorraine Prouse, Lynn Yaskow, Brenda Beaulieu, Bill Burt, Elizabeth Warren, Havy Brantnall, Debra Pfefferle, Fred Muntau, Marlene Mccarthy and Donald Clouston.
May anniversaries that I know about: 62 years for John and Mary Row, 56 years for Bill and Sharon Baxter, 55 years for Supi and Lil Peter, 49 years for Bob and Fran Dods, 48 years for Garry and Pat Watson and 48 years for Terry and Heather Carter.
