Barbara (Olds) Murray was born right here in Prince George 90 years ago. Her mother was born on Prince Edward Island and her father was born in California and they met in Endako.
Barbara is not sure why or when her parents arrived in Prince George. It was a long time ago and there are no accurate records but it is believed that her father Charlie Olds walked from the Okanagan to Endako, an area near Burns Lake, to meet up with his father Charlie Olds Sr., who had walked up earlier with his ox. The railroad eventually moved her father to Prince George, which was a regular stopping point for picking up passengers and freight.
Barbara's father worked for the railroad, was a trapper and an inventor. He kept an extensive diary which he later turned into a book called Looking Back down Time and Track. Unfortunately there is very little history written down about her parents.
Barbara's father always encouraged her to stay in school and get a good education. She had a job with the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). However, her father insisted that she go on to school because he felt the bank just did not pay enough.
She continued on with her education in Vancouver and graduated from the Western School of Commerce business school. From there Barbara went to work for Pump & Power Equipment, a business that supplied and installed water well equipment and supplies. Barbara loved the job and made many new friends and in fact one of those friends set her up on a double date and that is how she met her future husband Arthur Murray (deceased).
Barbara said, "My new friend Arthur was a real nice guy. We always went to movies and spent a lot of time together. One day Arthur suggested that we had been going around as a couple for so long that we might just as well get married. Well, I thought about that for awhile and decided why not.
"I phoned my parents and told them I was getting married. They met Arthur, and they liked him so they thought marriage was a good idea as well. My parents suggested that we move to Prince George because there were many jobs here to pick and choose from. We moved home to where my parents, my sisters Fran and Norma and my brother Charlie all lived. I hadn't realized how much I missed all of them until I moved back home."
The young couple both enjoyed the outdoors so Prince George proved to be a perfect place to start their family.
Together they raised three daughters: Joanne Stuart, who lives in Salt Spring Island, Nancy, a veterinarian in St. Albert, Alta., and Patricia (Bob) Hubbard, who owns and operates CMH Underground Utilities, a service that specializes in the installation, damage prevention and maintenance of underground utilities.
Barbara now has five grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
Barbara and Arthur lived on Pine Street in the early '50s and then moved out to the Haldi Road area. Each of the three girls had their own horse and became proficient in Gymkhana, an event consisting of speed pattern racing, controlled actions and tight teamwork between the horse and the rider and much more.
Barbara worked as an assistant in the library at Connaught elementary school and later on at D.P. Todd secondary school.
She watched as the school children grew up over the years and made many good friends along the way.
Arthur was a Second World War veteran and a past president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce to name a few of his accomplishments. He owned and operated Central Freightways Trucking Company for many years and passed away in 1987.
Barbara said, "I had an interesting life. I loved the outdoors and when I was young I walked everywhere. I remember when some of us would pack a lunch and spend the day climbing the cutbanks. I just had to make sure that I was home before dark. I am thankful that I had a fulfilling life. I have great friends and a wonderful family."
June birthdays that I know about are: Matt Pauley, Diane Sultano, Louise Bundock, Jean Liversidge, Gladys Thorp, Francine Bussieres, Ethel Rhodes, Carol Bailey, Linda Wenzel, Adele Mingay, Pauline Anderson, Lee Abra, Pam Meyer, Otto Arndt, Connie Buchanan, Robert Reid, Mary Kirby, Dianne Graham, Lois Bittner, Lil Brown, Frank Mauro, Helen Checkley, Gladys Goyer, Euclide Goyer, Jackie Derksen, Lena Dumoulin, Dody Morehouse, Jean Rogacz, Ivor Buchi, John Wemyss, Heather Carter, Bonnie-Jean Foulds, Linda Earles, Madeline Collins, Mike Werstiuk, Caroline Burkhardt (93 years old), Anne Cherniawsky, Lorna Sawatzky, Garnet Webber, Roberta Case, Skip Cleave, Phyllis Forseth, Margaret Girling, Doreen Gray, Joan Griffiths, Keith Hawn, Red Horning, Mickey Horning, Olga Green, Len Reitlo, Elizabeth Sinclair (97 years old), Dave Stolar, Susan Schaefer, June Everall, Jean Claude Mulaire, Ellie Van Del Pol, Linda Parkinson, Viola Leer, June Mackay, Dave Erickson, Kay Wendland, Helen McLane, Adolph Schock, Shirley Vhal, Stan Sauerwein, David Smith and Eugene Davis.
Wedding anniversaries: 61 years for Mike and Louise Bundock and 46 years for Terry and Heather Carter.
