Jessie and Ken Walker

John Walker

Jessie became a schoolteacher at the age of seventeen and first taught in the Peace River County in the summer to a class of forty students. She attended the Olds School of Agriculture in Alberta and graduated in 1922 with a diploma in Home Economics. She then continued her studies at the University of Alberta and graduated in 1926 with a B.Sc. in HE (Home economics). In the late 1940s she took several summer school classes at the University of Alberta in Edmonton for her teaching certificate. She was an adventurous lady; playing hockey (goalie at times), horse back riding as well as racing horses with the natives and cowboys. Jessie also played the violin in the school orchestra. The next year (1927) she taught in Taber at the Raymond School of Agriculture where she meet Ken Walker, another teacher, who played the clarinet in the orchestra. She first taught in schools for Native Canadians whom she considered were good students, including those near Sundry and Frog Lake. For a few summers, Jessie would go to the Peace River Country to teach the Natives and the farm children of the area. She always rode a horse because it was too far to walk around the scattered settlements.

Jessie married Ken on July 15, 1930, at the farm in Lacombe. Ken was an agriculturist (B.Sc.Ag, 1928 and later an M.Sc. in peat soils and fertilisation in 1934 at U. of Alberta). He played football and stayed at St. Joesph's College while at University. The couple lived in Raymond, Alberta for a few years, where Jessie taught cooking and sewing at the college. She had Paul, their first child, who was born in Raymond in 1931. They moved to Edmonton where Ken studied for his Masters at the University of Alberta. Douglas was born in Edmonton in 1932, Patricia in 1934 and John in Stettler in 1937.

Ken was an implement dealer for John Deer in Stettler for 3 years but it was during the depression and a bad time to be selling agriculture machinery. Ken got a job with the provincial government as a district agriculturist and the family moved to remote Youngstown in the winter of 1939. Here he travelled throughout his large district to meet and guide the farmers and the 4H clubs for 13 years. The family first stayed in the Youngstown Hotel for nearly a year. Then they moved onto a small farm about a mile northeast of town and near the Special Areas #5 garages for road equipment. They had a comfortable two-story home with a large garden and two barns and a garage. Ken raised chickens, bees, a few hogs, and cows, while Jessie had about 200 mink a few fox and some chinchillas in a small house with a shop. They also had a horse and a stubborn Shetland pony for the children to ride (Doug is on the pony below with Paul and Pat).

Lucille McPhee was the nanny for the first year or so as Jessie was teaching at the local school in Youngstown. Everyone worked on the farm looking after the animals and the garden. Peas, corn, rubbarb, cabbage, turnips, potatoes and carrots were harvested each fall and sauerkraut was made from the cabbage while honey was extracted from the combs of several bee hives. Doug raised about 50 mink and sold the pelts to buy woodworking tools. The children helped milk the cows and sold the milk to customers on the way to school each morning. There was also an ice house on the farm, which provided plenty of ice during the summer for a refrigerator, and for making ice cream. Ken had a heavy Buffalo coat which he used when it was very cold to go to walk to the curling rink on the far side of town (about two miles) as gasoline was rationed during the war. Ken put together a wind powered electrical system with a number of large batteries in 1945 for lights for the house. The country and nearby town were a delightful place for the children to grow up as they were free to roam all over the farms, countryside and the nearby shops for the road machinery. Paul cycled many miles up and down the highway collecting beer bottles for extra money. A slough near the farm generally had enough water in the springtime to float rafts which were much fun to play on. Church services were held each Sunday in the nearby senior's home opposite the machine shops.

The family moved into Youngstown in 1947 and lived in a bungalow on the east side of town. Ken had a dugout made by the road to catch the spring runoff from the ditch and used the water for irrigation for the large garden in the summer. Ken and Jessie also acquired about a 40 acre field nearby for the animals which were kept in a neighbours barn in winter. The dugout was also a great swimming hole which was enjoyed by most of the children in town. A garage and a second house was added for the chinchillas and for a wood working shop. Doug had acquired several power tools which he mounted on one bench and connected them to a motor via a long shaft with belts and pulleys for each machine. Trees were again planted around the new house and yard which eventually grew very tall.

The family moved to Strathmore and a home in the Western Irrigation District's (WID) facilities on the south side of the highway in 1950. The area had a lovely road with large pine trees down to the different homes. A small house was moved in and used for extra bedrooms and for the chinchillas. Ken continued as the district agriculturist and Jessie taught on the reserves at Turner Valley, Carbon and then Gleichen and also raised the chinchillas. One Sunday while returning to Carbon she got stuck in the snow and the Hutterites rescued her and she was forever thankful. Doug and John had a woodworking shop and bunks in the chinchilla house. John went through three motorcycles while in high school and loved to fly up and down the highway on the bikes. He also worked in the nearby orchard for the WID for several summers for 35 cents an hour and then attended the army cadet camp at Vernon for two summers. He was in charge of the Lion's swimming pool and the instructor and lifeguard for the summer of 1954. He then worked for COMINCO in Calgary for the following two summers while staying in the basement of grandmother Fairy's home.

Ken and Jessie were keen on their children getting the best education possible. Both Doug and Pat attended the University of Alberta obtaining degrees in chemical engineering and education respectively. Doug joined the Officer Training program while at University and learned to fly Harvards at Trenton, Ontario. John first attended Mount Royal College in Calgary for a year and then the University of Saskatchewan to get his B.Sc. (Eng. Physics, 1960 ) and later M.Sc. (1962). He inherited Doug's old Triumph Mayflower car in 1958 when Doug moved to Ontario and later drove it to Saskatoon. It was a very cantankerous car and eventually died and he then bought a new Ford Falcon in 1961. Jesse was always interested in sporty cars and first had a Volkswagen Carmen Ghia and then a blue Rambler Marlin, which eventually John acquired so she could buy a newer white Marlin.

After Ken retired they moved into a larger home formerly owned by a doctor in Strathmore. The sizeable garden again produced many vegetables and flowers for friends and neighbours. Ken took courses in Calgary for a few years and became a certified appraiser and practised for several years around Calgary. Ken and Jessie then bought a trailer-home in northwest Calgary for their summers. They also had one in Tucson, Arizona, which they used for 14 winters. Jessie took up oil painting and captured many beautiful scenes of the nearby desert and mountains in Arizona.

In 1978 they left Calgary and moved to Penticton, B.C. and lived in a bungalow at 289 Windsor Ave. There Ken kept another splendid garden with several fruit trees and was a member of the Penticton Garden Club and the Masons. He curled, bowled and golfed there for many years. Jessie raised blue ribbon Boston Bull Terrier dogs that won numerous awards. She added a studio to the house to do her painting and other crafts. She also painted some wildlife and some portraits - her favourite one was " Old Man with a Pipe" and some of her grandchildren. She enjoyed sewing, weaving, crocheting and sketching. Jessie passed away in April 1991 and Ken just a few years later in December 1994. They are both resting in the Penticton cemetery overlooking Lake Okanagan.

Paul Walker

Paul first started working on the railway at Field B.C. at the round house in the winter 1949-50. He then worked on seismic crews in Alberta and Saskatchewan and then at the Machosham ware house in Calgary. Subsequently he worked for many years on the CN, CP, Northern Alberta and PGE railways in Alberta and B.C. until he suffered a back injury in 1953, while moving a heavy railway switch. He then worked for Machosham Firm in Edmonton and then in a hatchery in Calgary. He retired to Penticton in 1977 where he has numerous friends. Paul has a special kindness and gentleness about him and enjoys visiting friends and walking about the town. He also likes travelling and often visits friends in Calgary, Carmangay, Princeton and family in Toronto and Ottawa and occasionally in New Zealand.

Doug and Liz Walker

Elizabeth "Liz" was the daughter of Mary Jean (McGuire) and James Hamill who lived in Glasgow, Scotland. She was born on July 6, 1918 and the youngest of ten children. Liz was a very compassionate, caring, intelligent and articulate lady who was quick of mind and wit. She chose a career in nursing which complimented her natural talents and abilities. To become a Registered Nurse, Liz studied in London, England. For several years she practised midwifery there using a bicycle to get about the city during WWII. She also practised in the Channel Islands for a couple of years. Liz was an adventurous lady and took a holiday cruise in 1938 to explore New York City. Liz was an accomplished ballroom dancer, winning many trophies and medals. In the 1950s she immigrated to Canada with three nursing friends. She first worked for a few years at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal.

Doug worked in Valleyfield west of Montreal and on weekends went into town were he met this lovely Scottish nurse, Elizabeth Hamill, in March 1958. They were married at the Presbyterian Church in Mount Royal, PQ, on October 31st, 1960. They first lived in Valleyfield, PQ then in Kitchener and later in Brampton and then an apartment in Toronto. They finally bought a home at 43 Cleethorpes Blvd. in Scarborough. During this time Liz worked in a number of hospitals, including the East General, and was highly regarded as Head Nurse in the Operating Room. Doug worked for the Johnson, Higgins, Wells and Faber Insurance company in Toronto. He travelled throughout eastern Canada and evaluated commercial and industrial property and became acquainted with the many different Legions in the evenings while away from home. Doug enjoyed an extensive workshop in the new home on Cleethorpes Blvd. He refinished the house and made it into a lovely home. He also made a fine dinning table and four chairs for his parents. Doug enjoyed curling, golfing, swimming and sailing. Liz and Doug worked together to make a beautifully decorated home with a fine vegetable garden and yard. They were a most gracious couple and hosts to their many friends and relatives each and every time they dropped by or stayed awhile. Delicious meals were always prepared and served on beautiful china in their lovely dining room. Liz was always stylishly dressed and loved parties. The Grey Cup was a very special party they liked to host each year. Doug and Liz enjoyed travelling to Europe, Florida and the Caribbean. Numerous trips were also made to visit friends and relatives in Scotland, Alberta and B. C. Liz was a loving sister to Mary Peoples, Isa Thompson, Jean Lowden, and Margaret White. She was a dear aunt to Frances, her husband Tom Whyte and son Martin. Liz was a special friend to her young neighbour Mariam, her mother and other neighbour Sandy. Liz was a wonderful godmother to Annette and a thoughtful aunt to Sherry, Burl and Lyle. She was quick to come to Ottawa and help when the children and grandchildren were ill and provided a wonderful role model for them.

Doug passed away on Nov11, 1997 and was revered and deeply missed by Liz. Liz died suddenly on Nov. 21, 2002 after suffering first from breast cancer and then from bone cancer. Doug and Liz are resting side by side at the Pine Hill Cemetery in Toronto in Section 15, lots 565 and 566.

Pat Walker

Pat completed her B.Ed. at the University of Alberta in 1958. She taught at numerous places including Banff, Kitimat, Cold Lake, West Germany, British Guyana and recently at Canberra, Australia. She retired in 1998 and has travelled extensively and returns to North America nearly ever year to visit friends and relatives.

Pat was very fond of Granny Walker, called Nanna by all the grandchildren. For several summers, Pat and her cousin Bev Walker would go to Calgary and stay with Nanna, and go to the Calgary Stampede, and also help Nanna do some shopping. When at the University of Calgary taking a teachers course in Education, during the summers Pat stayed with Nanna for awhile. Later during the summers between going to University Pat worked at the Banff Springs Hotel as a waitress and another summer at the Chateau Lake Louise, in the kitchens, preparing food. Banff was always a favourite place for her, and in 1959-1960, she started teaching first class there for a year, and had a great time on the ski slopes that year and still has friends from in Banff. Skiing became very popular with Pat and she continued to ski a lot when in Cold Lake, and when teaching in France and in Germany for D.N.D. She enjoyed her 6 years with D.N.D. as she did not have to do any cooking at all, always going to the Officers Mess for meals and entertainment. Many friends were made at the Base as it was a different life and had lots of time to socialize. From Cold Lake to Kitimat, so much snow, and beautiful B.C. scenery, from there to Guyana , teaching children of so many different nationalities. However, the Alcan Company was Nationalized and all expatriates were advised to leave. No jobs were to be had in Canada in 1972, so off to the other side of the world, Australia, and a very different life as it never got cold there, not like in Canada. Once a house and a pussy cat were acquired, it was impossible to leave, not to mention a good job, and good Aussie Friends and a chance to see another part of the world. She has two passports, and enjoys being able to call both countries Home. A few members of her family have been Down Under to visit her, and have also enjoyed the Aussie hospitality.

John and Violet Walker

John met Violet Leinweber on a blind date. Vi was a new teacher in Strathmore in 1957, who was from Acme, Alberta. He later married her in August 1960 in the Acme Anglican Church. They lived in Saskatoon for two years while John finished his M.Sc. in upper atmospheric physics and then they moved to Ottawa where John worked at the Geophysical Observatory for the Federal Dept. of Energy, Mines and Resources. He studied the large currents associated with the northern lights and made numerous field trips to the Arctic to gather data for modelling the currents and the aurora. They had two girls while in Ottawa: Annette (1962) and Sherry (1964). Twins Burl and Lyle were born in Edmonton in 1968 while John was working on his Ph.D. in space physics at the University of Alberta. The family returned to Ottawa in 1970. Both Annette and Sherry became good pianists while Lyle and Burl enjoyed playing hockey like their grandmother Jessie Walker. They travelled back to Alberta twelve times by car to visit relatives and friends with the kids and generally camping along the way.

Eileen and Bruce Hannah and son Miles, John and Vi Walker, Murray Alary, Andy Norlander and flower girls Ruth and Beccie Leinweber, August 20, 1960.