6) Mary (Millham) Gordon

MARY

Mary Frances Millham, the fifth child of Charles and Sarah Millham, was born at Headingly on March 11, 1871 and was baptized there on April 2. She subsequently moved with her family to Minnedosa and later Hazelcliffe.

In about January 1890, Mary married William Merril Gordon, a homesteader in the Hazlecliffe district. Willie was born in 1865 near Paisley (Bruce County), Ontario and moved west with his parents William and Jane (Merrill) and family in 1880 to settle on NE28-18-33 W1. In 1885, Willie built his house and the following year, made entry for his homestead on SW28. By the fall of 1890 when his application for patent was approved, Willie had a 1 and ½ story house (22×26); log stable (20×60); 18 acres fenced with rails; 19 acres broken; 2 horses and 3 cattle. (See accompanying application for patent, and homestead inspector’s report.)

Mary and Willie had four children prior to her death on September 20, 1899. She was the first burial in Hazelcliffe cemetery on NW21-18-33, the site being donated by the Gordon family. In 1965, their daughter Dora had the grave marked by a suitably engraved fieldstone which was selected from the homestead quarter.

Following the death of their mother, the children were separated to be raised by relatives; Alvie stayed with his Aunt Carrie McGregor at Dubuc. Willie, accompanied by daughter Jessie, went to Sherbrooke, Quebec where, in time, he met and married Nellie. They came back to Hazelcliffe and the family was reunited for a time. However it seems, the children were very unhappy in that situation and were not very well treated. In 1914, the farm was sold to Fritz Schildemeyer and Willie, moved, with the children, to St. Walburg, Saskatchewan, northeast of Lloydminster,

In 1929 or 1930, Willie married Lillian from Foam Lake. They lived in Foam Lake until his death in 1932, followed by burial in Saskatoon. Lily died shortly after.

Willie Gordon Family Dora Mary Albert Jesse alvie

Saskatchewan Homestead Patent

Homestead Inspectors Report

Mary Frances Millham Gordon Grave Willie

Gordon Family Jesse Alvie Dora Albert


MARY AND WILLIE GORDON
(1871-1899)  (1865-1932)
married 1890

  1. Jessie (1891-1960)
  2. Alvie Mirls (1893-1964)
  3. Dorothy Laurence [Dora] (1895-1966)
  4. Albert William (1897-1970)

 

1. Jessie – Alexander Menzies
1. Mabel – Alvin Christensen
 ….. 1.Dorothy 2. Peter
 2. Cameron – Florence Nodwell
1. William 2. Hugh
3. Dorothy – Arthur Thomas
4. Jessie – Ralph Lundahl
….. 1. Susan 3. Roy
2. Betty
5. Hazel – Harry Reed
 …
6. Margaret – Harold Ritchie
1. Eileen 3. Gordon
2. Jeanne
2. Alvie – Florence Black
1. Ralph – Irene Cotton
1. Perry 2. Blair
2. Gloria – Joseph Kozmeniuk
1. Stephen
3. Kenneth – Diana McDougall
4. Arla – Neil Humphrey
1. Elizabeth 4. Valerie
2. Douglas 5. Gordon
3. Duane
3. Dora – Redge Bolsover
1. Thea – Joseph Pisetti
4. Albert – Jessie Inkster
1. Vernon – Venice Bonneville
1. Linda 3. Diana
2. Danie
2. Wylie – Phyllis Edwards
1. Rick 3. Brent
2. Wendy

 

JESSIE (GORDON) MENZIES
(By daughter Jessie)

Jessie Gordon, the eldest child of William Merril and Mary Frances Gordon, was born October 25, 1891 on their homestead in the Hazelcliffe district.

In 1910, Jessie married Alexander Henry Menzies who was born June 6, 1888 in Bruce County, Ontario. Until the early 1920’s, Alex was an engineer in a salt plant at Dana, Saskatchewan, where most of their six children were born. He was then chief engineer at the Battleford Mental Hospital until his death due to a brain hemorrhage on February 26, 1935.

Mom lived in Vancouver until the early 1940’s, moved to Winnipeg for a few years, then back to Vancouver in the later ‘40’s where she lived in the upstairs of her Uncle Albert Millham’s home while her daughter Margaret attended UBC. During this time, Mom worked in the kitchen of Shaughnessy DVA Hospital. Later, she moved to New Westminster where she could baby-sit Susan while I worked. When we moved to Coquitlam into our present home, she moved in with us where she stayed until her fight with cancer in 1960.

For the last few weeks of her illness, she went to live with my sister Hazel in Oak Harbor. By that time, I had three children and Hazel had none, so Mom felt she would be less of a burden there. The day before her death, she was brought back to the New Westminster Hospital. Jessie died June 4, 1960.

MABEL (MENZIES) CHRISTENSEN
(submitted 1990)

Mabel Sophia, the eldest daughter of Jessie and Alex Menzies, was born August 14, 1912. She taught in several Saskatchewan schools prior to her marriage.

On June 18, 1945 Mabel married Alvin Christensen and they lived on a farm south of Marshall, Saskatchewan where they raised two children. Alvin had been in the armed forces during World War II. Mabel taught school during some of their years on the farm. They separated about a year before Alvin’s death in 1975, and Mabel moved to Lloydminster where she worked for several years in the SPCA animal shelter.

She is now retired and studying at the college there, as well as tutoring young students who are trying to upgrade themselves for college.

Mabel Christensen Roy Lundahl

 


 

Dorothy (Christensen) Flewell

Dorothy Christine, daughter of Mabel and Alvin Christensen, was born June 4, 1947.

On June 20, 1970 Dorothy married Robert Flewell, a garage mechanic. They reside in Lloydminster.

 


 

Peter ChristensenPeter Christensen

Peter Cameron, son of Mabel and Alvin Christensen, was born February 27, 1951. He graduated from Lloydminster Comprehensive High School in 1970 with a 85.125 average and received a provincial scholarship for his efforts. He then studied electronics at NAIT.

On October 18, 1988 Peter married Georgina Riel, a descendant of a brother of Louis Riel. Georgina has two children from a previous marriage. Peter and Georgina reside on the farm south of Marshall.


 

CAMERON MENZIES
(submitted 1991)

Hugh Cameron, the only son of Jessie and Alex Menzies, was born November 30, 1913. He was a steam engineer and served in the navy during World War II.

On August 4, 1940 Cameron married Florence Betty Nodwell and they had two children. Cameron worked for years as an engineer in a hospital and later in schools in Vancouver. He is now retired and resides in Richmond, B.C.

Hugh Cameron Menzies Marion Michelle Christine Bill

Bill Menzies

William Cameron, son of Cameron and Florence Menzies, was born April 21, 1946. He joined the RCMP in 1966 and was stationed in several locations, including Shaunavon, Saskatchewan where he was sergeant. Bill has recently been transferred to Prince Albert.

On December 14, 1968 Bill married Marion Ann Meneice and they have two daughters.

Michelle Leanne Marie, daughter of Bill and Marion Menzies, was born October 10, 1975.

Christine Louise, the second daughter of Bill and Marion Menzies, was born March 24, 1978.

 

Hugh Menzies

Hugh Gordon, the second son of Cameron and Florence Menzies, was born March 7, 1949. He is a member of the RCMP in Armstrong, BC.

On September 12, 1975 Hugh married Maureen Elizabeth Neil and they have two children.

Shannon Kristine, daughter of Hugh and Maureen Menzies, was born August 21, 1977.

Ryan Michael, son of Hugh and Maureen Menzies, was born October 24, 1979.

Dorothy Art Thomas

DOROTHY (MENZIES) THOMAS
(submitted 1991)

Dorothy Mary, the second daughter of Jessie and Alex Menzies, was born June 6, 1915.

On March 22, 1941 Dorothy married Arthur Thomas who worked with the Bank of Montreal. They lived in Winnipeg and then Port Arthur, Ontario. They had no children.

Dorothy died of cancer in June, 1953. Arthur passed away in 1980, also due to cancer.

 

JESSIE (MENZIES) LUNDAHL
(submitted 1991)

Jessie Gordon, the fourth child of Jessie and Alex Menzies, was born February 19, 1917. She graduated in Psychiatric Nursing from Essondale, B.C. in 1943 with a medal for General Proficiency, and from Vancouver General Hospital in 1946 with her RN degree and a prize for bedside nursing. Following post-graduate studies at McGill in 1946 – 47, Jessie was a nursing instructor, supervisor, and director until 1958, and nursed again in Intermediate Care after her children were grown.

On July 28, 1951 Jessie married Ralph Arthur Lundahl and they had three children. Ralph operated an electrical wiring business until his retirement. They have lived in Coquitlam, B.C. since October 1954.

Jessie Ralph Lundahl

Susan (Lundahl) Zuckerman

Susan Fay, daughter of Jessie and Ralph Lundahl, was born June 5, 1952. She was on the team “Reach for the Top” in 1969.

On May 2, 1972 Susan married Charles (Chuck) Zuckerman. He is a longshoreman now, but was also a double degree school teacher. Susan teaches gifted children and was recently awarded a silver medal for distinguished service to her school district (Coquitlam). She has been granted a scholarship for as long as she continues her present pursuit and as long as her grades warrant it. She attends SFU (Simon Fraser University) each summer. Susan and Chuck have two children and reside in Coquitlam.

Marisha Ginger Jessie, daughter of Susan and Chuck Zuckerman, was born November 25, 1973.

Blake Edward, son of Susan and Chuck Zuckerman, was born December 30, 1981.

Susan Chuck Marisha Blake Zuckerman

Betty (Lundahl) Hess

Betty Jean, the second daughter of Jessie and Ralph Lundahl, was born February 17, 1955. She trained as a hairdresser.

On March 3, 1979 Betty married Richard Alan Hess of Thompson, Manitoba. Rick is a metallurgist and works as a consultant in mining for Coopers and Lybrand in Vancouver. They have two sons and reside in Port Coquitlam.

Travis Alan, son of Betty and Rick Hess, was born October 29, 1979.

Scott Richard, the second son of Betty and Rick Hess, was born September 30, 1981.

 

Roy Lundahl

Roy James, son of Jessie and Ralph Lundahl, was born December 15, 1958. He trained as a heavy duty mechanic. His present occupation is cab driver and relief driver of mail trucks. Roy is single and lives at home with his parents.

Hess Betty Scott Travis

Reed Harry HazelHAZEL (MENZIES) REED
(submitted 1991)

Hazel Ingersoll, the fifth child of Jessie and Alex Menzies, was born April 21, 1919. She graduated from Regina General Hospital in 1943 and held nursing positions in Winnipeg, Hawaii, San Diego, and Mesa.

On February 11, 1955 Hazel married Harry Reed, a member of the US Armed Forces. They have no children and lived for quite a number of years in Arizona, until their retirement. They now reside near Linden, Washington.


 

Ritchie Harold MargaretMARGARET (MENZIES) RITCHIE
(submitted 1991)

Margaret Elizabeth, the youngest daughter of Jessie and Alex Menzies, was born March 13, 1925 and graduated from UBC in 1948 with her Bachelor of Arts Degree. She then moved to Australia before settling in New Zealand where she obtained her Master’s Degree with honors at Auckland University. She taught school for a short period.

Margaret married Harold Ritchie in New Zealand and they had three children prior to a divorce. Margaret now owns and operates a very successful secretarial college in Christchurch, N.Z.

A New Zealand newspaper article by Bruce Scott, in lamenting the apathy of the younger generation with regard to spelling, had the following to say:

“Mrs. M. E. Ritchie, principal of a Christchurch commercial college, is one of the doers. She has founded FIRST. It stands for “Fostering Initial Reading Skills in Time.”

A large city firm, which must remain unnamed, is one of those which has bowed to the inevitable. Mrs. Ritchie used to give spelling tests to applicants for typists jobs for this firm.

But recently the manager said: “Don’t bother any more. It’s hard enough to get a good typist without worrying about spelling.”

Says Mrs. Ritchie: “Spelling is only the tip of the iceberg. It is symptomatic of a lack of grounding in the basic skills of language.”

She once gave a spelling test of 50 ‘business words of moderate difficulty’ to a group of women. They were words such as psychology, parallel, analysis, arctic, and principle. Older women got 45 to 50 right. Younger women in some cases got as few as four right. Many of the words they did not attempt.

So Mrs. Ritchie decided to do something about it. She wrote letters to newspapers throughout New Zealand…”Nearly all those who wrote were parents, and many were teachers or former teachers,” says Mrs. Ritchie. There were letters from university lecturers who said that the standard of spelling dropped each year.

Mrs. Ritchie thinks the only hope of salvation lies in the return to the teaching of phonics, which is the relation of spelling—and reading—to the sounds the letters make. She brushes aside the fact that English is far from being a phonetically written language. “There is not a word in English which is not at least partially phonetic.”

She quotes her own native British Columbia where phonics were recently reintroduced. The standard of spelling improved miraculously almost overnight. The look -and-learn system of recognizing words by their shape is no good. Children must be taught the sounds the individual letters and all the various combinations make. Children seem to take the many exceptions in their stride. Reading and spelling go together, and phonics help reading as much as they do spelling.

With this in mind, she taught her own daughter to read at the age of 4. Spelling came as a natural corollary. On the other hand, she left her son to the mercies of the education system. By the time he was 8 he still could hardly read. Then, when he was confined to bed with illness for two weeks, she went to work on him with phonics, and had him reading passably well on his return to school. “I was amazed at his eagerness to learn once he had the key,” says Mrs. Ritchie. “Because he sensed that he had failed, he was developing a behavior problem before he started reading.”…

Mrs. Ritchie hopes that FIRST will be able to awaken public feeling and be instrumental in reintroducing phonics into the schools. “But first we must see how strong the interest is. So we are playing it by ear in the meantime.”

Of course, meny peeple think that spelling is purely sicologigal and that an analisis would show that there are paralels in many other lines. After all, it’s all vary well for the principil of a collidge to talk.”

 

Eileen (Ritchie) Alcock

Eileen Margaret, daughter of Margaret and Harold Ritchie, was born May 6, 1952. She has an R.N. Degree.

Eileen married Jeff Alcock and they had two children prior to a divorce.

Victoria, daughter of Eileen and Jeff Alcock, was born in 1975.

Blair, son of Eileen and Jeff Alcock, was born in 1977.

Jeanne KiddieJeanne (Ritchie) Kiddie

Jeanne Elizabeth, the second daughter of Margaret and Harold Ritchie, was born in 1954. She works for a New Zealand newspaper. In 1980, Jeanne traveled to Canada and visited relatives from Vancouver to Saskatchewan.

Jeanne married Ross Kiddie; they expect their first baby in June 1991. In 1990, Jeanne and Ross visited Vancouver, one stop on a world tour.

Gordon Ritchie

Gordon, son of Margaret and Harold Ritchie, was born in 1958. He is single and works for the same newspaper as his sister, Jeanne.


 

Millham Alf Olive Ed Haskins Alvie Gordon Dora Balsover

Cameron Menzies Florrie Hill Aunt Betty Nixon Elsie Mckenzie Albert Alvie Gordon


ALVIE GORDON

(written by his wife Florence in 1989)

Alvie Mirls Gordon, the second child of Mary and Willie Gordon, was born August 10, 1893. As his mother had died at an early age, Alvie was brought up in the homes of several aunts, and consequently received his education in numerous Saskatchewan school districts. He mentioned going to school in Hazelcliffe, and his friends the Delmages and Bradleys. He told of carrying water for the school and of lighting fires in the mornings. One of his teachers was his uncle, Mr. Joe Greer. Alvie told of the necessity of wearing boots to school as the only weapon of defense against a couple of boys that ganged up on him.

Alvie worked at various jobs before coming to the Hughenden district of Alberta in 1914. He clerked in a hardware store, then went to the Cypress Hills to work on his uncle’s ranch and also for Mr. Ben Cheeseman. In 1951, our friends Frank and Annie Mossman and Alvie and I took a trip to the Cypress Hills and as we drove across the plateau, haying operations were in progress where Alvie had cut hay 45 years before. In the Hughenden district, he acquired the homestead NE23-39-8 W4 before buying our present home S 1/2 17-40-8 W4 from the CPR in 1919.

On April 21, 1926 Alvie and I were married. I was Florence Marjorie Black, daughter of Hector J. and Emily Ruth Black of Hughenden. Four children arrived in later years.

Alvie was an exceptionally good farmer and he loved the land. He worked very hard in the early years and in harvest time, would cut the grain with four horses and the binder during the day and stook late in the evenings when the horses were resting. He bought his first six horses from Dr. Barrick of Salvadore, Saskatchewan for whom he had worked in previous years. He brought them from Salvadore by riding Gypsy, the saddle horse, and leading Bob, Frank, Bess, Lucy and Nellie. They and their offspring were Alvie’s farm power until 1945 when he bought a secondhand Cockshutt 80 tractor at a farm sale. Our tractor experience was very limited in those days, but by trial and error we did learn, especially after I managed to get the tractor high centered on a rock we were trying to haul off the field, and other like incidents.

Threshing time was always a very pleasant and busy time. Stanley Millham, Alvie’s cousin and our closest neighbor, owned a threshing outfit and Alvie was his separator man for many years.

Much of our land was covered with poplar and willow brush and sloughs, and Alvie’s winters were spent cutting and burning in preparation for next year’s breaking with 8 horses, a breaking plow and a good axe.

Cows, especially milk cows, were never one of Alvie’s loves and he vowed never to have them on his farm. All went well until I came along and succeeded in changing his mind by instilling the thought of cream cheques that may help to pay the grocery bills. We thanked the Good Lord for those few old Bossies and the cream cheques when the 1930’s and hailstorms came along.

In 1928 we bought our only brand-new car—A Model A Ford sedan which carried us around for 20 years. In the early 1930’s, we built an addition to our little two-room home to accommodate our growing family and, money being scarce, we built a roof on it with very little pitch and used roofing paper instead of shingles. All went well until hailstorms shattered the roofing paper and we had more water inside the house than outside. Every time there was a shower, out would come the buckets and boiler. In 1936, we changed again by tearing apart a granary for lumber to build a peaked roof and even bought real shingles!

In 1945 when our country schools were closed in favor of bussing country students into larger centers, Alvie bought a vacant house and moved it into Hughenden, and we moved in for the winter months. We rented the farm out for a year and Alvie worked in the garage in town until 1951 when we returned to the farm.

In 1953, one of the most amazing experiences of our lives happened when electricity was brought into our community and in 1954 we were hooked up. Just imagine, we could have a refrigerator and didn’t have to haul cream, butter, etc. to the ice house by the well, and a deep freezer so we didn’t have to can meat any more. What a thrill to press a button and have lights instead of washing lamp glasses and filling gas lamps.

In 1962, we decided to build a new house and on May 1, the Nelson Company of Lloydminster arrived with our house material all on one large truck. A neighbor carpenter was hired to put in the basement and construct the house. Our son Ralph was on hand to do the wiring and other electrical work, set up the furnace and propane installation and other jobs, until tragedy struck our family when Ralph was accidentally killed while doing another job in Killam.

Gordon Florence Alvie Humphrey Beth Douglas

Since Alvie’s death on March 27, 1964 our son Ken has farmed our land and has added several more quarter sections to it with the necessity of bigger and better machinery.

(continued by daughter Arla) This is where my mother’s notes ended—she was found dead by neighbors in the kitchen of her home on Monday March 6, 1989, dying probably the night of Friday, March 3 or very early Saturday. She had been working on this history possibly hours or minutes before her death as these papers and pictures were spread over the kitchen table.

Mom suffered from high blood pressure and died from, in medical terms, “hypertension cardiac arrest” which we understand is very instant. She was a special woman and a devout Christian with an unwavering faith in God so there is no question in our minds that she is with Him now and completely at peace. She lived a good life. We have many beautiful memories of our Mom and Dad. Dad was also a very special person and I suppose, my “idol.” Although a very strong and rugged man, he was so kind and gentle. There were never many frills in our home but we were loved and cared for so well and felt very secure— such an atmosphere to grow up in!


 

RALPH GORDON
(submitted 1990)

Gordon Ralph Irene PerryAlvie Ralph, the eldest child of Alvie and Florence Gordon, was born August 24, 1929 and received his education in the Poplar Site country school and Sedgewick High School. He apprenticed in Electricity and obtained his journeyman’s and gas-fitting certificates at Killam, Alberta.

On June 7, 1957 Ralph married Irene Cotton at Knox United Church in Killam and they had two sons. Ralph and Irene set up a thriving electrical and gas-fitting business in Killam in 1958 – 59. Irene was a bookkeeper in Killam Co-op Stores for several years before her marriage and until their first son was born. She is a very busy person, being deeply involved in the United church in Killam, on the town council, and is a paramedic and drives ambulance.

Ralph was killed in an electrical accident on July 19, 1962. Irene was remarried June 10, 1973 to Leonard Fossen of Killam.

 

Perry Gordon

Perry Douglas, son of Ralph and Irene Gordon, was born August 28, 1959 and graduated from high school in Killam. He worked in the local drugstore for 2 years and a year in the Camrose drugstore until he decided to go farming and worked for a large grain farmer for several years.

On June 22, 1986 Perry married Leanna Farquharson and they have a daughter. Perry obtained employment with a carpentering contractor two years ago; at present, they are building a recreation complex in Killam.

Noelle Gail, daughter of Perry and Leanna Gordon, was born January 9, 1990.

 

Blair Gordon

Blair Kent, the second son of Ralph and Irene Gordon, was born July 23, 1961 and graduated from high school in Killam. He is employed by Killam Transit Mix, working there while in school, evenings and weekends, and has been on full employment since leaving school.

On July 23, 1988 Blair married Terri-Lee Pedersen and they have two sons.

Mark Kent, son of Blair and Terri-Lee Gordon, was born January 24, 1989.

Scott Douglas, the second son of Blair and Terri-Lee Gordon, was born July 5, 1990.

 

GLORIA (GORDON) KOZMENIUK
(submitted 1990)

Gloria Frances, the second child of Alvie and Florence Gordon, was born November 21, 1931 and received her education in Poplar Site and Sedgewick schools. She moved to Edmonton and worked for many years at Safeway.

On May 19, 1953 Gloria married Joseph Stephen Kozmeniuk in Edmonton. Joe, at that time, had a used car lot. He then went into the trucking business, moving house trailers, etc. and setting them up. Joe’s first love is horse races which he studies religiously.

With their son, Gloria and Joe lived in Whitehorse, Yukon from 1968 to 1973 where Joe was selling trailers and Gloria worked for Super Valu. In early 1973, they moved back to Edmonton. Gloria sold mobile homes for a couple of years, and is now operating a food concession business in an office complex.

Dale Kozmeniuk

Stephen Dale, son of Gloria and Joe Kozmeniuk, was born March 10, 1954 and received his early education in Edmonton and Whitehorse. He has suffered from rheumatoid arthritis since he was 16 years old and has undergone many different operations and medications. He attended university in Victoria, B.C. until his arthritis got steadily worse. He moved back to Edmonton to finish university and received his B.A. in Political Science on November 21, 1981.

On July 21, 1983 Dale married Christine Rilla Bedford whom he had met in 1980 while she worked for Nova Corp. in Edmonton. Dale spent most of his holidays in Whitehorse (where his parents had bought property) and in 1981, he and Chris moved there to live.

Dale is employed by the Yukon Territorial Government as Director of Community and Transportation Services, Policy, Planning and Evaluation. He travels to many different towns in the territory, helping them plan strategy and keeping an eye on financial matters. He plans on continuing his education, with a Masters degree in mind, but for the present, raising his two sons is in the forefront.

Chris took several courses in computers at the Whitehorse University and is now employed with an optometrist.

Stephen Noel, son of Dale And Chris Kozmeniuk, was born May 13, 1982.

Joseph Landon, the second son of Dale and Chris Kozmeniuk, was born December 27, 1985.

 

KENNETH GORDON
(submitted 1990)

Kenneth Charles, the third child of Alvie and Florence Gordon, was born September 8, 1936 and completed his grade 12 in Hughenden in 1957. He took two years electrical training with his brother Ralph but decided that wasn’t for him, as farming was his love. So he helped his dad when he was home, particularly with combining, and farmed with his Uncle Stan Millham most of the time. After his dad passed away in 1964, Ken has farmed the land and obtained land of his own also.

On October 29, 1983 Ken married Diana McDougall of Edmonton and took on the responsibility of being a father to her three children: Jim, 15 years, Shannon, 13 years; and Sonia, 11 years. The marriage ran into difficulties and in September 1986, Diana and the children left. They were divorced in 1987.

After harvest 1988, Ken took up long distance trucking with a local trucking company and is very happy with the job. He likes the trips to the United States the best. In 1990, Ken moved his mobile home from the farm to Edmonton and leased the land to neighbors.

Alive Gordon Family Chris Joey Dale Leanne Perry Beth Jim Ken Duane Joe Gloria Stephen Florence Arla Dustin Neil Douglas

ARLA (GORDON) HUMPHREY
(submitted 1991)

Arla Elizabeth, the youngest child of Alvie and Florence Gordon, was born August 18, 1939. She completed her high school education in Hughenden and a secretarial course in Alberta College, Edmonton before being employed by the Manufacturers Life Insurance Company, mortgage division.

On November 7, 1959 Arla married a neighbor boy, Neil Thomas Humphrey in the Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Hughenden. Neil worked for the Northern Alberta Railways until the summer of 1961 when they moved to Calgary and he obtained his Journeyman’s Welding Certificate while working for Canadian Oil Tool, manufacturing oilwell drilling bits.

Neil was never content with city life so they bought 3 quarters of land in the Alix district in 1965 and set up a dairy business which continued until 1981. Now they have quite a large herd of Charolais cattle and have expanded their land holdings. Neil has purchased and raised several registered Quarter horses and spends many days and weekends trail riding in the local area and in the mountains. Arla doesn’t share his love of horses but goes along in the motorhome and “keeps the home fires burning.” Arla and Neil have five children.

Beth (Humphrey) Weleschuk

Elizabeth Gloria, the eldest child of Arla and Neil Humphrey, was born October 5, 1961 and received her education at Alix. She went to the University of Alberta where she took Education and now teaches in Grand Center.

On August 10, 1985 Beth married Jim Weleschuk, an electrician with Esso Resources at Cold Lake, Alberta where they live with their two children. Beth shares her dad’s love of horses.

Marissa Joy, daughter of Beth and Jim Weleschuk, was born April 29, 1988.

Amy Elizabeth, the second daughter of Beth and Jim Weleschuk, was born June 16, 1991.

 

Douglas Humphrey

Douglas Neil, the eldest son of Arla and Neil Humphrey, was born February 20, 1963. He received his heavy duty mechanics license from SAIT and NAIT, and works for Enerflex, Pamco Division, out of Edmonton. Douglas has a son.

Dustin Robert Douglas Marshall, son of Douglas Humphrey and Jackie Marshall, was born November 30, 1985 and is being raised by his mother in Alix.

 

Duane Humphrey

Duane Ross, the second son of Arla and Neil Humphrey, was born June 12, 1968 and adopted at the age of one month. He obtained his education in Alix and Lacombe, and lives at home to help his dad with the farm work.

Valerie Humphrey

Valerie Dawn, the fourth child of Arla and Neil Humphrey, was born June 18, 1970 and was adopted at the age of three months. She received her education in Alix and now lives in Calgary. Valerie is very artistic. She is presently studying Architectural Engineering at SAIT.

Gordon Humphrey

Gordon Scott, the youngest child of Arla and Neil Humphrey, was born November 13, 1973 and graduated from grade 12 in 1990. He spent the summer working on pipeline construction and is now working for Precision Oilwell Drilling, and living in Red Deer.


DORA (GORDON) BOLSOVER

(submitted 1991)

Dorothy Laurence Gordon was born March 4, 1895, the third child of William and Mary Gordon.

In 1916, Dora married Thomas Redgway Bolsover and they had one daughter. Redge was a conductor on the CNR in Saskatoon. In 1940, Dora moved to Vancouver where she worked as manager, clerk, etc. in a small hotel. She died January 20, 1966.

Bolsover TheaTHEA (BOLSOVER) PISETTI
(submitted 1991)

Hazel Dorthea, the only child of Dora and Redge Bolsover, was born December 5, 1921 in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and moved with her mother to Vancouver in 1940. Prior to her marriage, Thea was an office worker and later a radio operator.

On December 22, 1952 Thea married Joseph Pisetti. They lived in Calgary for seven years and at present, live in Pt. Roberts, Washington where Joe is retired. Thea works in Ladner, in a friend’s health food store. They had no children.

 


ALBERT GORDON

(by son Vern)

Gordon Albert Vernon Jessie WylieAlbert William Gordon, the youngest child of Mary and Willie Gordon, was born September 22, 1897. At the age of 12, he went to work on a ranch in southwest Saskatchewan. In 1914, Albert joined the 44th Artillery Battery; he returned to Canada from France in 1919.

On November 9, 1921 Albert married Jessie Maud Inkster (born December 28, 1899), daughter of John Inkster and Herriott Swain of Winnipeg. Until the spring of 1940, they farmed near Prince Albert, where two sons were born. Albert again joined the army (in the Veteran’s Guard) until his discharge in 1946 in Medicine Hat. He built and operated an apartment block and a grocery store in Calgary where he worked until his death on March 11, 1970. Jessie continues to reside in Calgary, in a senior citizens’ home.

 

VERNON GORDON
(submitted 1991)

Vernon Mearl, the elder son of Albert and Jessie Gordon, was born on April 13, 1923. After high school in Prince Albert, he attended a machinist course and worked in a gun factory near Montreal for 2 ½ years. Later he joined the RCAF for three years.

On May 20, 1944 Vern married Venice Adeline Bonneville (born September 20, 1926), daughter of Frank Bonneville and Louise Terro of Cornwall, Ontario. After the war, Vern worked as a mechanic in Calgary for 20 years and attended 12 years of evening courses at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. He became a certified automotive instructor at Keyano College in Ft. McMurray, Alberta for 11 years. He then transferred to the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology as heavy duty automotive instructor where he worked for 12 years until retirement. Vern and Venice have three children and presently reside at 5135 Dalham Crescent N.W. in Calgary.

 

Linda (Gordon) Ivanco

Linda Louise, daughter of Vern and Venice Gordon, was born August 9, 1951. After high school, Linda became an insurance agent and currently works in that field in Calgary.

On February 27, 1970 Linda married Jack David Ivanco from Outlook, Saskatchewan, and they have two children. Jack is a welder by trade and is presently in maintenance in Calgary.

Leslie Monique, daughter of Linda and Jack Ivanco, was born July 25, 1971. After high school, she is currently working as a dental assistant in Calgary.

Michelle Lynn, the second daughter of Linda and Jack Ivanco, was born January 9, 1982.

 

Daniel Gordon

Daniel Vernon, son of Vern and Venice Gordon, was born May 26, 1953. After high school, Daniel attended the University of Lethbridge, University of Saskatchewan, and the University of British Columbia where he obtained a Doctorate Degree in Economics. He is currently a professor of Economics at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

On May 31, 1975 Daniel married Gloria Judy Harrasym of Fort McMurray and they have two children.

Jillian Ashley, daughter of Daniel and Gloria Gordon, was born May 15, 1986.

Mark Daniel, son of Daniel and Gloria Gordon, was born September 3, 1988.

 

Diana (Gordon) Senger

Diana Lynn, the second daughter of Vern and Venice Gordon, was born January 1, 1955. After high school, Diana attended college and received a diploma in advertising and public relations. She currently works as a writer/producer for a Calgary television station.

On August 2, 1975 Diana married Ronald Eugene Senger from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and they have two sons. Ronald is in natural gas marketing in Calgary.

Gregory Gordon. son of Diana and Ronald Senger, was born April 15, 1987.

Steven Ronald, the second son of Diana and Ron Senger, was born October 13, 1990.

 

WYLIE GORDON
(submitted 1991)

Wylie Mervin, the second son of Albert and Jessie Gordon, was born March 24, 1926. After high school in Prince Albert, he became an RCMP constable for three years.

On April 29, 1950 Wylie married Phyllis Isabelle Edwards of Red Deer, Alberta and they have three children. Wylie worked with Imperial Oil for 25 years, then joined the Calgary School Board Systems for ten years until retirement.

 

Rick Gordon

Rick Albert, the eldest child of Wylie and Phyllis Gordon, was born November 2, 1950. After high school, Rick became an aircraft mechanic and is currently living in Calgary.

Wendy (Gordon) Irving

Wendy Leah, daughter of Wylie and Phyllis Gordon, was born September 24, 1952.

On May 23, 1973 Wendy married Gordon Irving and they have two children. They reside in Airdrie, Alberta.

Jennifer is the daughter of Wendy and Gordon Irving.

Dale is the son of Wendy and Gordon Irving.

 

Brent Gordon

Brent Wylie, the second son of Wylie and Phyllis Gordon, was born August 23, 1955. After high school, Brent too became an aircraft mechanic and currently works in the transportation industry in Calgary.

On January 26, 1976 Brent married Sheila Brown. They have two children and reside in Calgary.

Deanna is the daughter of Brent and Sheila Gordon.

Scott is the son of Brent and Sheila Gordon.