Welcome to part two of my three part series about four Prince George very senior seniors. Last week I introduced Caroline Burkhardt, Millie Christiansen, Anne Sharp and Rose Gaal all of which are currently 91 years old and I told you a bit about their families. This week I will talk about their careers and the work they did all their lives. Next week I will share with you their feelings and thoughts about their favorite subjects.
Caroline (Schneider) Burkhardt came to Prince George in 1956. In her younger years Caroline worked in a saw mill for 11 years. She said, "My job was packing shingles and shakes. I was a hard worker and I could pack 32 shakes a minute. This was not a job for sissies and you had to keep up. I did a lot of physical work in my day. It was hard work but you do what you have to do to raise your family. I believe it was that hard work that has allowed me to be healthy all of my life.
My first job in Prince George was working for Northern Dairies down on 1st Ave. I worked there for nine years. I was the manager of the ice cream department along with the buttermilk and cottage cheese departments. The company was sold to Palm Dairies, the unions came in and I moved on. I went to work for Rose's Ice Cream which at that time was owned by the Fawcett's. I worked for Kresge's for ten years and from there I worked at Canada Safeway until I retired in 1978."
Rose (Domonkus) Gaal says, "I am thankful each morning to wake up and see the sun shining and expecting another perfect day. Life has been good.
My husband was a sawmill worker and that meant having meals on the table when you heard the sawmill whistle. After moving into Prince George I worked at the hospital in the housekeeping unit for ten years. Other than that I was a domestic engineer for most of my life and I might add that it was a wonderful and fulfilling way of life. I have always lived in Prince George and I have never wanted to live anywhere else: It is home and no other place can beat it."
Millie (Hathaway) Christiansen moved to Willow River in 1951 and then the family moved into Prince George in 1954. Millie in her quiet way shyly said, "I am not too exciting. I was a domestic engineer all of my life. Raising the children kept me busy and I was content with that way of life.
Anne (Grant) Sharp said, "I worked at Kresge's for 21 years and it was my job to work at the check out, measure drapes, rugs and the fabric.
I don't do computers, and I don't own a cell phone. My kids wanted to get me one but I said if you do I'll just give it away."
The ladies all remembered the monkey that use to reside at the old Kresge's store. Apparently one day something scared the monkey and it crawled up into the attic to hide. Sadly that was the last time they saw it alive.
Stay tuned and I will tell you a bit more about each one of these amazing ladies who at the ripe age of 91 years old inspired me to want to be just like them when I get to be their age.
