The Goodwill Committee reaches
out by sending birthday cards to members aged 80 and
older, as well as acknowledging bereavements, illness and
other life occasions. Committee members also make phone
calls and, when feasible, in-person visits and interviews,
to mark significant birthdays. For the Holiday season, the
committee arranges the presentation of poinsettias or
other gifts to members in long-term care or retirement
homes and “senior” seniors living independently. Please
let Goodwill Committee members know of any RTO/ERO
-Lambton member whose circumstances have changed.
Kathy Bandla -
kbandla@cogeco.ca;
Pat Gleason -
patgleason@cogeco.ca
Linda Smith
- jturvey@mnsi.net
|
Lois
Marilyn Ellen Gray was born on April 21st, 1934.
Her parents were James and Lyla Gray of Plympton
township. Lois was the only girl with six brothers.
She was always proud that she shared a birthday
with the late Queen Elizabeth.Lois
attended a one room school just outside Wyoming called
SS 41/2 for seven years and then went to Wyoming
public school for grade eight.Lois
attended Petrolia District high school where she
participated and enjoyed the choirs and Drama
clubs.In 1953 she attended London
teachers College . This was the former normal school.
The school was designated as a college because it now
offered both one and two years of teacher training.
For three summers Lois attended summer school in
Toronto after which she and and Paul Marley were
married and moved to Toronto where Lois taught in a
large elementary school and Paul finished his degree
at College of Pharmacy, university of Toronto.
When Paul graduated in 1958, they moved back to
Sarnia area. Lois again was hired by the Sarnia board
of Education and began teaching at Errol Rd elementary
school.In 1962, Lois and Paul
purchased the pharmacy and business from Paul’s
parents and continued there for 49 years. Lois helped
in the store as well as doing some supply work in the
Wyoming and Petrolis area schools , Wherever they
lived in those years Lois participated in choirs as
well as a vocal soloist. She also was busy with Sunday
school work.Upon retirement they
enjoyed much travelling including a cruise each year
as well as a yearly trip to U K where their youngest
son and family lived.They also did a
church service and hymn sing each week at local
nursing homes before Covid..Sadly
Paul died two years ago after sixty six years of
marriage.Lois is still in the united
church choir as well as a community choir.
She is so thankful of the support of her family
and also the private help she has so she can still
stay in her own home.
Marylin Garrett
After
an idyllic childhood in Kitchener On where I was born in 1934 to a
mother who was a “home child “ from Ireland and a father who ran
his families Glove business, I eventually obtained a history
degree from UWO because I always loved school-mainly for its
socialization.
Moving to Toronto to attend OCE, I taught at Leaside High
1958-1962. Teaching jobs were so plentiful then that the
Globe and Mail ran 8 pages of ads for them.
I luckily met and married Lorne who taught in
Scarborough and after our two sons were born we moved to the
welcoming community of Sarnia to be closer to his aging parents.
Lorne taught at Northern and I became a full time homemaker. We
made many friends .
Being a bad bridge player and hating curling and cooking ,I
got a job teaching history at Central in 1969 and went to Great
Lakes after Central closed.
Life passed quickly with family graduations , weddings and 5
grandchildren on which to dote.
Taking advantage of early retirement, offered in 1989 to make room
for newer teaching grads, Lorne and I were lucky to travel the
world for the next 30years while still spending our summers and
autumns at the Port Elgin family cottage where I had gone since
1937.
Moving to Fairwinds just before Covid hit, Lorne and I were happy
there until our unit was completely burnt out in January of 2023.
In the words of Joannie Mitchell’s song “you don’t; know what you
got till its gone “
Thats when you realize your family is irreplaceable.
Son Hugh and his wife Judy ( also retired teachers ) not only had
us at their house, but worked tirelessly at getting us
replacement documents, clothing , furniture etc.and moved us
to Landmark where we spent the next 10 months until Fairwinds
reopened . We are grateful also to son Alex and his wife Julie who
did all they could for us from London On.
Unfortunately Lorne’s health declined quickly and he died at
age 91 this past January .I am consoled by the 63 married
years we had together .
Thanks also to RTO and their wonderful support and interest
throughtout our.lengthy retirement
Denise Raiche
(Feb.
2024, 90 yrs old)
Life is a gift
My sister and I left Timmins, by train,arriving late August
1958. The heat, the smog, the sulphur smell – SARNIA.
Learning is my passion, therefore teaching was a sensible
choice. Here is the fast track to a lifetime career :
St. Joseph School – a remarkable principal St Hildegarde :
St Patrcia Grade 9 and 10 History, Geography, French – a heavy
workload : School libraries. I laminated hundreds of book
covers for my poetry contest : Ecole St.Thomas d'Aquin – a
unique school with it's distinct French Canadian culture
Highlights: Setting up the first school library at Sacred
Heart School A month long course at Quimper, Bretagne in
language and culture, compliments of the French government.
I gained 4Kilos. Life also happens outside of work. I
enjoyed family, church friends, hobbies and shopping.
Summers were for travelling. My favourite sport is walking.
After retirement, I volunteered at Bluewater Health. No
matter how I feel, I get up, dress up and show up for life!
Bio written by Denise Raiche
Dwayne
Mclinchey
Ninety Years, where have they gone?
It all began on a farming community midway between Grand Bend
and Parkhill, Ontario where I was born. I had an older sister
and a younger brother. As I grew, I realized that rural
life in those days required much manual labour. Every family
member was expected to assist with daily chores which included
milking cows, feeding livestock, chopping firewood, plus many
other tasks. At age six I began school at a one room
country school that included eight grades, All under the
guidance of one teacher. I was very fortunate to have had
excellent teachers who worked very hard in providing
meaningful educational experiences for all students. During my
last year in this school, I assumed the duties of custodian.
This meant keeping the classroom neat and tidy each day, as
well as lighting the furnace in cool weather and carrying
water from across the road. High School presented new
challenges for me. Fortunately by this time busses were
provided for transporting students to high school. I was
determined to do well at the secondary level, so I worked hard
but enjoyed the opportunity to learn each day. At this
point I spent much of my time taking music lessons on the
piano. This led to being convinced to help with the music
program at churcn. I did not realize at tne time that it
would deveop into a life time interest In church music and
eventually some experience in playing pipe organs. Because of
my interest in music, I set a personai goal that I would
continue with this interest in music until I would be ninety
years oid. That goai has been reached at the present time.
With the completion of high school I was forced to decide my
next step. Teaching was one of the possibilities, so I
enrolled in Normal School. (now called Teachers College).
Fortunately I was awarded teaching positions with the Petrolia
Public School Board and later LCCVI secondary school.
During this time I met and fell in love with a Petrolia girl.
Noreen Kells, a nursing student, who later became my wife.
Together we raised a family of four; three daughters and one
son; Janice, Judith, Jill, and Jeff. It gave us great pleasure
watching them grow up and becoming successful citizens At
this point I became aware of the need to improve my teaching
qualifications. This meant taking courses after school hours
and during the summer. After much hard work I was awarded a
university degree. At retirement time I felt that I needed
another challenge. When the opportunity presented itself; I
accepted a management position with the local branch of the
Canadian Red Cross. I found it refreshing to be involved with
such a large organization that was doing so much good
throughout the world. And now retirement proper; where I
can take "power naps" whenever I wish. In fact, I must
close this story now as I feel a nap coming on!
Janice
Greidanus Baker was born on April 24, 1933
in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. During the Second
World War and right afterwards, our schooling was
somewhat precarious, to say the least.
In 1950, our family emigrated
to Edmonton, Alberta. Four years later, I
married my sweetheart, Horace Baker. Both of us
became interested in taking more education. I
started taking high school courses by correspondence.
We lived in Edmonton, in Winnipeg for a number
of years and then in Ottawa. In 1972 I
successfully completed Ottawa Teachers College,
persevered in taking many University courses by
correspondence, in the evenings or summer. My
reward was a B.A. from Western in 1985. In the
meantime our family had moved to Sarnia in 1974 which
has been "my sweet home" since then.
I taught at Ottawa Christian,
Wyoming Christian, Sarnia Christian and then 9 years
as FSL teacher at St. Theresa’s and Sacred Heart
in Sarnia.
My husband, Horace Baker, and
I enjoyed spending time in Quebec in order to fully
immerse ourselves in French culture. In 2006 I
took Gr. 11 and 12 Spanish at St. Pat’s which came in
handy when I volunteered at 2 week Eye Care Clinics in
South American countries. Before going on a trip
somewhere, I try to study its language and culture
for at least 3 months which makes the actual trip much
more enriching.
We have four married children
living in B.C., Alberta and Ontario, 10 grandchildren
and 16 great grandchildren. I am thankful that I
am able to use the computer, and Facetime to keep in
contact with them and other family members.
Weekly, I participate in
a conversational Dutch group via Zoom, with RTOERO in
French and enjoy reading in French or English, having
been an active Book Club member for more than 20
years. Many hours in the past were spent
visiting shut-ins, volunteering at something in
the church, or art events. Before Covid, my life
was enriched so much by taking bus trips with Beyond
Borders, Trafalgar or Great Canadian. Through
borrowing DVDs from the Public Library, I still
“visit” other countries.
By God’s grace I have been able to deal with the challenges in my
life, like the sudden loss of my soul mate in 1996, and
later on getting used to the limitations of mobility. I
really appreciate the flowers I received for my recent 90th
birthday. Such a lovely gesture of friendship which warms my
heart.
Dolores (Doyle) Murray
Having had a very full and rewarding
life, I find it hard to believe that I had time to reach 90 years!
But here I am!
I was born at home by Nurse Dubbin, who delivered most of the
babies in our neighbourhood. My arrival thrilled my parents, Bert
and Bell Doyle, who waited 20 years for this to happen. I was
their only child. I was brought up in Whitney Pier, a part of
Sydney, Nova Scotia, on Cape Breton Island. The "Pier", as we
called it, was the first multicultural community in Canada. It was
home to people from Ireland, Scotland, Italy, France, Ukraine,
Hungary, Lebanon, and Greece.
My mother was a very progressive woman, and so I became the first
girl from the Pier to attend St. Francis Xavier University. It was
there that I met my future husband, Robert, from Boston. Shortly
after we graduated, we got married. We lived with my parents and
later rented their upstairs apartment for $30 a month!
We were married for 57 years despite our outward
incompatibilities: he was from a big city, I was from a small
town. He was the youngest of ten, I was an only child. He was an
American, I was a Canadian. He was an introvert, I was an
extrovert. The only common denominator was our Catholic faith. But
as they say, opposites attract. I lost Bob in 2011 and I still
miss him every day.
My first teaching job was in Glace Bay. Because I often missed the
only bus, I would hitchhike, being picked up by the pop truck or
the bread man who I knew because my dad had a variety store. My
next job was in Sydney. My husband taught Junior High math and I
taught Home Economics. I recently met a student of Bob's who said
he was the best math teacher she ever had. I taught sewing and my
best friend, Kay, taught the cooking. (Kay later became head of
Home Economics for the province of Nova Scotia.)
In 1956 Bob was working for less than $2500 a year. By this time
we had 3 children. His friend attracted us to Alberta where Bob
would earn $7000! It was hard to refuse the offer. I only taught
for 3 months at Crescent High School in Calgary. At that time
Ernest Manning High School had closed circuit TV in each class for
supply teachers. The affluence was overwhelming. I could have
taught full time but I was busy raising our family. Because of the
opportunity, it was tempting to stay in Alberta but our hearts
were in the east. We did not want to return to Cape Breton so we
settled in Sarnia, close enough for me to go home to Cape Breton
for summer vacations.
In Sarnia, Bob taught in the elementary system, and was a very
traditional teacher. When the Hall Dennis Report was introduced in
the schools, he left the profession. He switched careers and
worked at the Bluewater Bridge Authority. I returned to teaching
once the children were school aged. I taught Family Studies for 26
years at St. Patrick's High School and I loved it! Because I was
the only Family Studies teacher in the Separate system, I really
appreciated it when the public school teachers included me in
their meetings.
I retired in 1996 and never looked back. Presently, I am enjoying
my life here in Sarnia. With 4 of our 7 children living here, I
have been blessed to be a regular part of their lives and my
grandchildren's and great grandchildren's lives. I continue to see
my old St. Pat's colleagues, enjoying lunches, dinners, and going
to the theatre. I even get back to the "Pier" every year in
October! This Pier Girl is enjoying life and all that it, and my
profession, has offered me!
Bertha-Rose (Annett ) Park
Live in Inwood on Park Street Born: Dec. 2, 1932. Brooke
Township, Lambton County
EDUCATION: Elementary,
Secondary, Normal School, University Location and dates 1.
Elementary S.S. # 5 Brooke Township , started after Easter Break
one-room 2. Secondary Watford District High School 1946-1951
3. London Normal School 1951-1952 4. University of Western
Ontario. B.A. ’72, MEd ’78, M.A.T. ’86 ( Master of Arts In
Teaching - Geography ) 5. Numerous Departmental courses
including a specialist certificate
TEACHING EXPERIENCE: schools and
dates Watford Public 1952-53 Alvinston Public & Brooke
Central 1967-82 Sabbatical and earned second Masters (U.W.O.)
1982-83 Brigden Public 1983-87 Wyoming Public 1987-1989
Travelled several years with Field Trip Canada planned by London
Free Press, assisted by Sheila Rose ( Petrolia teacher ).
Some locations included Northern Ontario, New Brunswick, Yukon
This was at the end of the school year and before summer school
started.
FAMILY 3
daughters, one son Husband Marshall Park. ( Deceased ( 2019 )
Diane Park RN retired registered nurse 43.5 years at Toronto
Western Hospital. Marilyn McKinlay retired Westover Treatment
Centre Thamesville Tom Park retired Arlanxeo Sarnia Beth
Michailidis employed at Parkwood Hospital London 6
grandchildren 8 great-grandchildren
RETIREMENT: 1, Womens’
Studies Certificate - University of Western Ontario 2. Supply
teaching 3. Literary programs at Retirement Homes ( separate
school board ) 4.Ontario Senior Games - including swimming
medalist for Ontario at Activist in Ottawa 2000 5. Line Dancing
Instructor - Young At Heart group entertain for 20 years 6.
Clogging with groups in London, Sarnia, Watford, Petrolia 7.
Founding Member of Crown Jewels of Canada ( inception 2008),
Golden Senior (90 years), Queen of Eureka Jewels, Petrolia
member of Sassy Angels - London, Participated in Annual Convention
in Etobicoke, Ontario 2022 Making plans for
Convention in Etobicoke, Ontario 2023 8. Member, queen,
ambassador for the Red Hat Society ( worldwide ) for more than 20
years, Eureka Red Hats Petrolia, Wacky Women - Southern
Ontario Groups in London 9. Member of Boomers (seniors ) at
Petrolia YMCA, Friday Sisters Alvinston, Inwood - Shiloh Church,
Inwood Book Club, Inwood Writing Club 10.TRAVEL Before and
After Retirement sailed on the Empress of Canada ( ship ) to
England , Scotland, France Travelled in Canada and U.S.A. by
bus and plane Australia and New Zealand, Hawaii Travelled with
daughter after we both graduated the same year from Western
University -to England, Mediterranean cruise, Holy Land -
Bethlehem, Jerusalem,, Turkey, Egypt in Cairo and Alexandria
Autumn of 2022 , at a ceremony at U.W.O. received a lapel pin in
recognition of 50 years since I received one one of my degrees.
GOING ONWARD: Attending
line dance workshops Clogging Workshop “Snowdance” in Sarnia
February 2023 Visiting family in Toronto, Orillia and other
Ontario locations Own a managed woodlot in Euphemia Township -
anticipate a harvest of 1000 trees in winter of 2023 Continue
to have family gatherings in this woodlot , and visit “little
people” who live there in hollow stumps. We never see them but
we think they look like gnomes. Their homes are very fancy with
tiny furniture , and a fireplace inside. They decorate for
Thanksgiving, and Christmas ( battery operated lights up the
trunk ) They leave notes for visiting children, even candy treats
for Halloween . When trees are harvested their homes will be
fine. Fitness classes at Petrolia YMCA Exercise classes and
Social Events - Lambton Elderly Outreach Jamborees where there
is music and dancing Drive wherever I want to go
Marian Douey
Congratulations
to Marian Douey on her 102nd birthday. Marian celebrated her
special day at her home with family and friends. Marian would
like to say thank you our local RTO District 38 for all it has
done, and continues to do, to recognize her throughout the years.
She sincerely appreciates being remembered!
Read a more detailed bio of Marian further down this
page.
Doug Barber
With the creation of County School
Boards in 1969 Doug returned to his home county. Born in Petrolia,
raised in Alvinston, attended Alvinston Public School and
Continuation School until it closed in 1946 when all went to
Watford District high School. Off to London Normal School in 1950,
followed by a year of teaching in a one room School at Crumlin, a
year at Manor Park in London before marying Evelyn Bradshaw in
1953. Off to what is now Mississauga to teach Doug then became a
principal in 1957. After 7 years Doug got the opportunity to go to
France as a principal for two years with DND. On their return to
Peel Board of Education as a principal he completed his Med and
qualified as an Ontario Inspector of Schools. Life moved quickly
and in 1969 he returned to his Home County. Doug and
Evelyn had two daughters Jill and Pamela, and son Darrin. With a
north Sarnia home location they all enjoyed participating at Grace
United and The Sarnia Riding Club. Jill went off to York and
became a teacher, Pam went to Ottawa and returned to Sarnia where
she worked as a Probatio Officer, married Charles Lutz, had two
children, Alexander and April. Darrin worked in the chemical
valley, married and in 2010 moved to St John NB where he lives
with Ann and two adult girls. After 18 very enjoyable years as
a school superintendent with the Lambton County Board of Education
he retired in 1987. This was followed by a brief career in Real
Estate. During those next 18 years Ev and Doug played golf at
Greenwood and sailed out of the Sarnia Yacht Club on the Genie B.
Unfortunately life made an
abrupt turn when Ev died suddenlyi n 2005. With the compassion and
caring of Peter and Bev Cassel Doug met Cairn, who had lived in
Corruna when her husband worked at Hydro. In 2012 Doug and Carrin
moved to Simcoe where Cairn’s daughter lived. Her mother at 102
years still lives in Renfrew. Simcoe made it possible to go north
and west.
Of all the places Sarnia, on the lake and river is as good as it
gets. For 18 years I enjoyed the teachers and staff of the
schools. The welcome and acceptance of this stranger into your
midst was appreciated daily but change comes in one’s life and
retirement beckoned in 1987. Can you imagine a retirement of 35
years as of now? The trip has been fun but not without some pain
when I lost my wife Evelyn very suddenly in November 2005. Family
and friends gathered round and life goes on. In a short period of
time I met Cairn, a widow, who lived in Corunna when her husband
worked at Hydro. We found similar interests and a move to Simcoe
where are we now live. The highlight of her life and mine is her
mother who turned 102 on February 28. She lives with another
daughter in Renfrew.
As the wheel turns Ev and I had purchased a home in Florida in
1993. We enjoyed our years there as Cairn and I have but Covid
forced us to not go for two years and as the calendar says there
is a time and the sale of the place has been completed. Life has
been wonderful and thank you for letting me share mine.
Mary Jean (Pritchard) Gardiner Happy
90th Birthday!
Mary Jean was born and raised in
Petrolia. As she says...”A true Hard Oiler”! She attended business
college in Sarnia for a year, and then went into teaching. Mary
Jean taught eighteen students in grades 1 to 8 for two years at
SS21 Sombra. Mary Jean continued her career by teaching junior
grades at George Perry School in Sarnia for 26 years. She spent
her last seven years in resource at Centennial School. While
teaching, Mary Jean obtained several specialist certifications
including special education and many others. She was also involved
in the local and provincial teachers' unions. Mary Jean is an
honorary life member of FWTAO and RWTO. Mary Jean married Joe
Gardiner in 1973 and moved to Bright's Grove. She has three
step-children and four grandchildren living in British Columbia,
Nova Scotia and Ontario. Mary Jean now resides back in
Petrolia. After retiring at 55 years of age, Mary Jean did a
lot of volunteer work. Some of these activities included story
hour at the library, Alzheimers Society, Lambton County Music
Festival, and nursing home volunteer work. She was very active in
the Presbyterian Church, holding several positions, even leading
some services when needed. After having been retired from
teaching for 35 years, Mary Jean continues to do knitting and
crocheting for the Salvation Army. In 2019, she reached her goal
of donating 100 pairs of mittens that year. She had also
donated several lap blankets that she was able to crochet. Mary
Jean stays active at her residence by lending a helpng hand
whenever and wherever help is needed
Anne Wilton: Congratulations on your 90th birthday
Anne attended London Normal School and began her teaching career
in Vercholye, southwest of Ingersol in 1950. There was a general
store, a cheese factory, a church and a school in the small
farming community. Anne taught 40 of the younger students in the
two room school. The senior room had 35 students. One memory is
the tradition of the daily “hot lunches” prepared by the senior
students. These were served from December to March and really only
consisted of one food item, for example: Monday-tomato soup,
Tuesday-hot potatoes, Wednesday-macaroni/cheese,etc..The problem
was that all children do not like the same foods. Also, the
pudding was often burned by the students making it, and one time,
the boys carrying the pot of boiled potatoes dropped the kettle
and they were all over the floor. Eventually, Anne and the other
teacher convinced the director to get rid of the hot lunches.
After 2 years in the country school, Anne taught the next 4 years
in London. Anne married and spent the rest of her teaching career
in Windsor. She always wanted to teach kindergarten, and since
Windsor did not require piano skills, she taught the rest of her
career in kindergarten. Anne saw the value of early education, and
worked on a committee to help get JK into all schools. In 1980,
they bought a cottage near Forest. Anne has 2 daughters and enjoys
spending time with her 4 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren
at the cottage and her home in Grand Bend. Anne's hobbies
include choir singing (was in the rainbow Singers), and playing
bridge.
Jim Cassin B.A., B.Ed.
90 Years and Counting
Lambton
County has been home for almost all of my 90 years. I was born and
raised in Corunna, which in 1931 boasted a population of about
400. For several years we lived on the bank of the St. Clair River
which was a great place for kids, especially for the family of 9
children of which I was the eldest. There was swimming fun
particularly on Sundays when American passenger boats (lots of
them) would cruise up the channel between Stag Island and
Corunna sending out wonderful waves for us to swim through. In
winter there was skating and hockey when the river would ice over
from December through mid-February. My educational journey
started in a one room school house with my “Mary Jane and Peter”
book in hand. I recall it was published by T. Eaton Co. and cost 4
cents. There were three pupils in grade 1 and perhaps 20 students
in the entire school. Much of the work was assigned and we learned
quite a bit from each other and in paying attention to what was
going on in the higher grades. My desk had a hole in it for an ink
well and the well was refilled from a large bottle of ink which
stood in the corner of the classroom. In grade three we learned to
write with that ink using a pen-nib in a holder. A plaster cast on
the teacher’s desk demonstrated the proper way to hold a writing
instrument and we had a “writing practice book” to be used to
practice our strokes and “O’s”. As our family grew in numbers
and size, we moved to a farm in the country and attended S.S.#6
Moore which was again a one room school but with larger classes.
From grade 7 on I attended a large single grade classroom school,
St. Joseph’s Corunna. I remember that our grade 8 graduation class
numbered 42 pupils! High school was St. Pat’s and I was bussed
from Corunna for the first time in my school experience. Two large
grade 9 classes became a single graduating class by grade 12. It
was a time when many students left school at age 16 to enter the
job market with a grade 10 Intermediate Certificate. This was just
after WWII and there were plenty of jobs for them and even more so
for those who stayed on and graduated from Grade 12. I stayed on
at school through grade 13, and spent my summers gaining job
experience. For several years I worked on the Canadian
Steamship Company’s passenger liner, “Noronic” as a dish washer,
then a porter and finally as a bell-boy. This job ended when
“Noronic” burned in Toronto Harbour during its last cruise of the
season (which I missed) in September 1949, killing at least 118
passengers. Summers after that I found work in steel fabrication
and later, on an Imperial Oil tanker. Following grade 13, I
went to the University of Western Ontario, but dropped out before
I could finish my degree. In an odd twist of fate, school boards
at that time were unable to meet the demands caused by the “Baby
Boom” expansion of pupils following WWII and they looked to hire
unqualified persons to teach based on “Letters of Permission”.
Definitely unqualified, I was hired to teach grades 9&10 at
St. Patricia’s in Sarnia. Mandatory summer school courses for
teachers such as myself introduced us to lessons in “Pre Printing”
and “Reading Readiness” among other topics. In 1956, now
married to Valerie, we moved to London so I could finish my
degree. My summers were spent working as a painter on (and under)
the Bluewater Bridge, Point Edward. Imagine sitting on a beam,
under the bridge with a bucket of aluminum paint and a brush…cars
and trucks passing overhead as the steamships and pleasure boats
cruised down below! After graduating from UWO I worked at Dow
chemical for some time, then in 1960, with Valerie and our three
children, I moved to Petrolia and began teaching at the Petrolia
District High School. Later, after several summers of taking extra
credits to earn my Type A Geography Certificate, I became Head of
the Geography Department. Meanwhile, Valerie and I welcomed three
more children who, by nature of having been born in Petrolia, are
our “Hard Oilers”. The late 1950’s and early 1960’s saw
tremendous changes in Ontario education with the formation of
consolidated central elementary schools, mostly in the rural
areas, followed by expansion of secondary schools under the “Davis
Plan” which introduced “streaming”. One result of the “Davis Plan”
was the expansion of central high schools to provide
industrial/trade focused shops to be staffed with tradespeople who
would then be required to become qualified teachers. This
innovation was very successful at L.C.C.V.I. and other composite
high schools with many graduates being career-ready and in demand
for jobs in Sarnia’s Chemical Valley and beyond. In 1969,
multiple county Boards of Education were reorganized into one
Board of Education for each county. I was appointed to be one of
two new Vice-Principals at L.C.C.V.I. during a number of
administrative realignments in that year. While still brand new in
the V.P. position in September 1969 I was asked to be Acting
Principal during the illness absence of our Principal. Sadly, our
colleague and Principal passed away and I continued to serve as
Principal of L.C.C.V.I. until 1980. In this role I had the
privilege to work with talented administrators, teachers and
support staff in all areas of education. In addition to seeing my
own 6 children attend L.C.C.V.I. I was fortunate to know so many
wonderful students over the years and I continue to follow their
successes with interest and (admittedly) pride for L.C.C.V.I.! In
1980 I was appointed Superintendent of Schools for Lambton County
and was fortunate to contribute to education in this position
until my retirement in 1992. As I look back over my 90 years, I
can honestly say that life has been good to me. I have had losses
which are hard to bear at times, but I still have my faith, my
health and an inquisitive mind. I enjoy my long-time friends…some
of whom grew up with me and my late wife Valerie in Corunna, and I
find comfort in our many memories and common values. Reading good
books and sharing ideas with these friends has been an amazing way
to continue learning and staying connected especially through
these long months of Covid-19 isolation. I remember my 80 th
birthday and it doesn’t seem as though it could be 10 years ago
already! So many former students, teaching colleagues and friends
came to the Sarnia Riding Club and shared in the celebration with
me and my family. Though we cannot have a similar event this year,
I appreciate the many folks who do stay in touch by phone or drop
a line now and then to get caught up on news. We are truly a big
family in the world of education! I value the gift of having been
given a good education and being able to pass that gift on during
my formal years of teaching as well as through my volunteer
activities, through mentoring, and in parentingmy own children. I
could say that I was born into the role of being an educator by
being the eldest of 9 children, an experience that did shape me
immensely. A great family and a network of equally great friends
have carried me through the good times and the bad on the long
road to 90. I literally could not have come this far without them
and I can only hope, as I enjoy this milestone birthday and
beyond, that I will be able to continue to give back at least
as much as I have received!
Bonnie Lester
Bonnie was born on a farm in Biddulph
Township located north of London between Exeter and Lucan. She
attended London Normal school to become a teacher. As a student
teacher, she did a lot of practice teaching (unlike in the later
years in her opinion). The student teachers went to a school at
least one half day a week, driven by taxi. For the 3 full weeks of
practice teaching, the got to observe the first day, and then
teach full days, all subjects for the rest of the week. Upon
graduation in 1950, Bonnie was offered a job in Lambton County at
SS 15 Moore. Her job included 47 students in grades 1 to 8. Bonnie
tells of taking her three grade 8 students to Toronto to observe
parliament in action. She contacted the MPP to make some
arrangements. The students were especially amazed at the dining
car on the train for breakfast and the “strange edges” on the
tables. The MPP had said they could join him in the official
dining room for lunch, then tour and observe parliament workings.
Bonnie vividly remembers that upon entering the official dining
room, that it was “like 70 pairs of eyes on her” as if to say “How
dare you come in here, let alone with three kids?” It was then
that she realized she was the only woman in the room. It had never
occured to Bonnie that there would be no women in parliament.
Her father had always told his children that they could grow to be
whatever they wanted. Bonnie eventually achieved her BA from
Western in Educatioal Psychology and her Masters of Education in
Reading and Mathematics from Wayne State University. During her
carreer, Bonnie took time off to look after her ill mother-in-law,
and raised her own son and daughter. During her time off, Bonnie
and her husband were active in the building of Central School in
Brigden. The school board “tormented” her, until she agreed to go
back teaching in Brigden in 1967. One year she had a grades 3, 4,
5, and 6 altogether. She often mentored student teachers in her
classroom. Bonnie loved putting on the Christmas Concerts...they
were very special to her. Bonnie expressed that it is sad to see
that concerts seem to have gone by the wayside. After retiring,
Bonnie and her husband spent 10 years travelling including
spending 3 months in Australia. Bonnie was married for 56
years, has one son and one daughter 2 grandsons and 4 great
grandchildren. Bonnie lives in her own home, and these days she
does lots of reading. All the best from RTO to Bonnie on her
special birthday!
Beth Vanderhoeden
Beth
was born in the parlour of her family home on the edge of the town
of Owen Sound. Her family had gardens and fruit trees. She
attended London Normal School in 1948-49. Her aunt lived in London
so she had a place to stay when she arrived. Normal School seemed
easy after grade thirteen.
Her first teaching job was in a three
room school in Tobermory. She taught grades one, two and three.
Tobermory in those days gave credence to the expression "there is
nothing to do."
Beth says "there was nothing to do"
except for house parties with kegs of beer. The school had no
phone so Beth had to go to the home of the telephone operator to
answer the call for a teacher in Timmins. All calls went through
Lions Head. When the job offer came in at $2000 a year the phone
operator listening in said, "Get me a job, too!"
In Timmins Beth taught grade one for
three years. After the war Timmins had many displaced persons who
did not speak English. Beth had no experience with English as a
Second Language but she loved teaching the children to speak and
to read English. She used pictures, phonetics and extra time at
recess to allow the children to catch up to their age mates.
After Timmins Beth moved to Sarnia
where she had a friend from Owen Sound. Beth taught at Meadowlea
in Sarnia (later Gord Swan’s audio visual centre, then ABC nursery
and now supportive housing), spent twelve years at Woodland (now a
church) and then at Cathcart for twelve years. She took some time
off when she and her husband Hans, from Holland, had five
children. Once she was back at work, Hans cooked and looked after
the children in the evenings while Beth studied for four years for
a degree in psychology. She had to do well as an example to five
little kids who were interested in her marks. Then she worked on
specialist qualifications in art, physical education, math and
science along with developing novel studies lessons. Later she
explored her passion for art by attending Buckhorn Art School with
a wonderful teacher Edwin Mathews, painting in Newfoundland,
taking classes with such artists as Jack Reid and Ariel Lyons and
becoming good friends with local artist Kathy Rath.
Travel also called to Beth. She and her
husband took bike tours. Their travels included Ireland, Holland,
France, Bulgaria, France and Austria. At March Breaks they would
go on cruises or island holidays. She visited the Galapagos and
Scotland with her mother and her sister. After retirement she and
her sister-in-law took a small ice breaker trip to Antarctica.
Her children have lived across Canada
so she has seen much of the country visiting them.
Hans lived through the occupation of
Holland. He said his life’s goal was to raise good citizens. Beth
feels they accomplished this. They raised three children to be
high school teachers, one a government worker, and another a
forester in Cape Breton.
She feels fortunate to have a grandson,
his wife and two dogs living with her during the pandemic. She
says, "I enjoy life. I walk and I belong to two books club (well,
before the pandemic) and I read all the time."
Marian E. Douey celebrated 103rd Birthday Marian Douey grew up in a farm
family with six children in the Watford area. She had three
brothers and two sisters. Her maiden name was KIDD. She and her
sister, Dorothy, were referred to as the “LITTLE KIDDS.”
The older KIDDS with secrets would say, “Don’t tell the LITTLE
KIDDS!”
Her grandmother lived in Watford so the KIDD kids
would visit her while the parents went shopping on Saturday
nights. All the KIDD kids were fortunate to stay with their
grandmother while they attended high school because school buses
were not available at that time.
She started her teaching
career in the country. For two years she taught in Fairbanks
School near Alvinston and for one year at Henderson School near
Petrolia. She remembers the days when married women didn’t teach.
She and her husband farmed for a short time before moving to
Windsor. He was transferred to Sarnia by National Grocers.
Marian’s mother-in-law suggested Marian submit her name for supply
teaching. At the time Marian and her family were staying with her
in-laws while her father-in-law was building a home for them on
Cameron Street. One year, Marian’s brother, Victor, the principal
of Queen Elizabeth School called her to work on the second day of
school. A newly hired teacher never arrived and Marian taught at
Queen Elizabeth until the end of June. Her final supply call came
to teach at Parkview and she stayed twenty-two years. Her first
principal was Morley McGregor. Another one was Howard Coleman who
had been Colonel Coleman in the army.
Marian and her
husband raised three children. Now she has five grandchildren
including nineteen year old twins. Her great grandchildren, aged
twelve, ten and eight, each wrote a lovely letter to her in
celebration of her 100th years. A granddaughter prepared a video
of Marian’s 100 years. Her two year old great grandson loved
Marian’s birthday balloons. He has a great sense of where to find
the biscuits at Marian’s and he does not forget! He has a new baby
brother who is 100 years and a few days younger than Marian! She
is grateful to her family for their support and assistance.
Marian reads the London Free Press everyday and does the
puzzles. She also enjoys jig saws. These seem to be common COVID
activities this year.
RTO celebrated Marian Douey 100th
birthday by delivering flowers, balloons and “a party in a bag.”
Also delivered to Marian was her RTO birthday certificate prepared
by Kathy (Doan) Bandla. Marian taught at Parkview when the five
lovely Doan sisters attended that school. For her 90th birthday
Marian was feted at Patterson Presbyterian. This time during
COVID19 the party was much smaller however RTO sends “big”
birthday wishes for Marian’s special year!
Sara (Sally) Townsend
Sally grew up in Sarnia until high
school, when she moved to the river at Courtright. She was named
"Sara" after her grandmother. When she was in Grade Seven children
teased her about her old fashioned name so she changed it to
"Sally." Now only her elementary school friend calls her "Sara."
All her teaching colleagues remember "Sally." What fun for pupils
of the fifties era "Dick, Jane and Baby Sally" preprimers to know
a teacher named "Sally." She began her teaching career withthe
Moore Township Board. Unlike today’s young teachers she was asked
"what do you want to teach" and "where do you want to teach." She
had many, many choices. The board was very good to its teachers.
They were given anything and everything that they requested. Her
first teaching assignment was in kindergarten at Courtright. At
the time Moore did not have a special education program. She was
asked to go to Colborne Street School in Corunna to set up that
program. After two years she began teaching Remedial Reading in
five schools including Lochiel, Lansdowne and Queen Elizabeth in
Sarnia. Her last years before retirement were spent in the primary
grades at Murray Street School in Corunna. Because she still lives
in Corunna, Sally often meets her old (as in former) kids (as in
students), and their parents. The cleaner and paper person in her
building are former Grade Two and Three students. Reconnecting
brings back great memories as Sally loved teaching and spent lots
of extra hours on the job. Sally has four children, two retired
teachers and two Polysar employees. She has six grandchildren with
four being teachers. Some family members even married teachers.
She also has eight great grandchildren. Her advice is, "Stick
to it, don’t ever give up." She feels young teachers today have
more challenges than she had. Sally likes to keep busy. She enjoys
reading, knitting and doing puzzles. These have all been good
pandemic activities along with her quilting. Best wishes to
Sally and to all members of District 38 as birthdays are
celebrated in new ways, during the unusual years of 2020 and 2021.
Hopefully, as Sally has done, everyone has found entertaining ways
to enjoy these unique times.
Donna McQuillin
Donna McQuillin was born in Kincardine and was raised with her one
brother. Their parents both worked in Malcolms Factory which made
the famous mosquito bomber airplanes. Her father worked in the
lumber yard at Malcolms. Her mom worked at the factory during the
war. Donna attended public school in Millarton, a tiny place about
two miles outside of Kincardine on Highway 9. She attended high
school in Kincardine. In 1950, teachers
were scarce so immediately after high school she began teaching in
a one room school. She went to teachers colleger in Toronto for
two summers to become qualified. Donna always wanted to be a
teacher. Even as a small child at home she would go upstairs alone
and "teach" her classes. One of her stories
happened while teaching in a brand new school in Bruce county. The
school inspector paid a visit to check out the new school. It was
winter. He had his coat on and was ready to leave but asked,
"Where is my hat?" Donna was saved from telling him when he
realized his hat was in his hand! Donna
taught in four schools in Bruce County before moving to Sarnia in
1953. By then she had married her truck driver husband. He wanted
a change from Ripley to either Toronto or Sarnia. Although Donna
thought that nobody goes to either place, they moved to Sarnia.
They had two children, a girl and a boy. In
Sarnia, Donna taught for eight years at Queen Elizabeth, two years
at Lakeroad and at Hannna at the end of her teaching career. After
teaching she managed a wine store in Lambton Mall for about seven
years. Donna says, "Retirement is a good job to have and I have
enjoyed it all!" She feels fortunate to have her daughter and
and her two grown children in London. Donna enjoys living in her
apartment near Centennial Park and driving her car for shopping
and errands. RTO sends greetings for
Donna’s special birthday!
Helen
Cassidy
Helen was born and raised in the mining town, owned by Inco,
called Copper Cliff. It is now part of Sudbury. Helen was one of
eleven children in a French Canadian family. Her parents spoke
French and so did she until she went to elementary school.
Although Sudbury at the time was populated by forty percent
French, Copper Cliff was predominantly English speaking, so she
and her siblings thought speaking French was not cool. She
attended high school in Copper Cliff. In 1947 she left home to
attend the University of Toronto. She took a general arts degree
at the time called Pass Arts. This course was intended to provide
a well rounded education with a smattering of many different
disciplines. She then attended teachers’ college at OCE and was
ready to teach French and Physical Education in Sudbury. While she
was teaching there, Clem Cassidy came on staff. Clem had taught in
Sarnia and wanted to return. The draw for him was the Polysar Glee
Club. They married in 1954 and came to Sarnia when Northern
Collegiate was opening. Clem taught vocal music and English at
Northern and was director of the Polysar Glee Club for some years.
Helen taught at Petrolia High School before giving birth to three
daughters. In those days mothers resigned from the labour force
and stayed at home with their babies. When their youngest daughter
was in grade seven or eight, Helen went back to work as a supply
teacher. Returning to teaching was eye opening. Previously,
students raised their hands to answer a question and when one was
recognized by the teacher, that student would stand up and answer
the question. The classroom was a formal place. When Helen
returned to teaching, discussions were open, no subject was
private and language was colourful. In addition to supply work she
continued to utilize her teaching skills by teaching night school
at SCITS twice a week. She taught gym classes (Slim and Trim) and
volleyball for many years. The facilities at SCITS allowed the
adults to use the swimming pool, too. Helen was also involved
with Girl Guides at Sacred Heart Church.
Today, Helen plays bridge and more bridge. She enjoys duplicate
bridge at the Sardo Club, formerly St. Peter’s Church. She feels
blessed to be able to attend numerous community activities
including the programs at the Art Gallery, films with CineSarnia
and Live at the Met opera at the local theatre. Recently she
celebrated her birthday in Toronto with her three daughters, nine
grandchildren, partners and one little great grandson who now has
a new baby sister. Two of Helen’s daughters are engineers and one
followed her parents into teaching.
Best Wishes, Helen!
Fran Lewis Fran is a life long Sarnian. She was born and raised here with
three older sisters and a younger brother. Her sister June
Bannister is also an RTO member. Fran attended a number of
elementary schools including Confederation Street and Wellington
Street. She then attended SCITS for high school where she later
taught for her entire career.
After finishing high school Fran worked at Polymer in the gas lab
for a year in order to save money to attend university at Western.
Then she was back at SCITS to teach English and French.
Fran embraces her family of a son who lives in British Columbia ,
a daughter and a son in law who live north of Toronto as well as
their two lovely daughters.
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Vera Johnston
Vera
Johnston has been a Lambton County girl from the beginning. She was
born on a farm on the 8th Line of Moore (now Rokeby Line) and Brigden
Road. She grew up with a brother who later farmed and was also a bulk
carrier truck driver.
After Grade Thirteen in 1949 Vera was in the last class attending
London Normal School. After that a new Teachers’ College was built.
One year at Normal School qualified Vera to teach up to Grade Ten. Her
friend Shirley (Shaw) Johnson, also an Lambton girl, was at Normal
School with Vera. Both girls were hired the same weekend to teach near
Highway 21 (now Oil Heritage Road) near Wyoming. Vera’s school was on
the townline of Plymton and Enniskillen and was identified as SS 2 and
24 Plymton and Enniskillen (later Sunbeam School.) Vera married a
Lambton farmer whose farm was near the school. She and her husband
raised three children, a son and two daughters. While her children
were young she did some supply teaching in rural schools. In 1959
teachers were difficult to find. Vera was asked to teach at Kertch
school on London Road, a one room school with thirty to thirty-five
students. With a one year old at home Vera did not think she could do
that but a school board member convinced her to supply teach for a
month while his wife babysat! For two years she covered maternity
leaves at Oban School on London Road West. For three years she was
principal’s relief for three half days a week. Then she taught Grades
Five and Six for ten years in Wyoming.
In 1979 the Johnstons bought a place in Zephr Hills, Florida. They
actually bought the land their winter home would sit on. Buying a home
where he did not own the land did not sit well with a farmer! Vera
enjoyed the snowbird lifestyle for fifteen years. In Wyoming she
lived for a number of years in the Royaleigh apartments and moved to a
Petrolia retirement home this past year. Still a Lambton girl, on the
day of the RTO Goodwill visit, Vera was driving some of her fellow
residents around the area to see the local changes.
Vera has six granddaughters and one grandson with two teachers among
them.
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Maria (Chris) Wolff
Chris
Wolff was born and raised in the Dutch East Indies, a Dutch colony,
now known as The Republic of Indonesia. After World War II and after
Indonesia's independence in 1948 all nonnative people had
to repatriate to their countries of origin. Chris and her mother went
to her mother’s country of birth, The Netherlands. There, Chris
trained as a secretary and worked as such until she left for Canada.
She first went to Mount Clements, Michigan, where she had relatives.
Her husband-to-be had left the Netherlands earlier and had secured a
job with the Ontario Research Foundation. He was stationed in Sarnia.
They married in 1957 and had two boys. About ten or twelve
years later the government offered re-education to
individuals interested in becoming French teachers. Chris decided to
give the program a try after taking grade thirteen at Northern
Collegiate. The boys were responsible and fairly independent by this
time. After receiving her diploma in teaching Chris worked for the
Lambton County Roman Catholic School Board. She began her career as an
itinerant French teacher in various locations such as St. Benedict,
St. Joseph, St. Margaret and St. Peter schools.
Later, when the number of classes warranted a full time teacher
she became part of the permanent staff at St Helen School for twelve
years. Her last school was Gregory A. Hogan from where she retired in
1987.
Chris' two sons became engineers. One works for Hydro at the
Bruce Generating Station and and other works in the United States for
MFF (Manufacturer of Flavors and Fragrances
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Frances
McLean
Fran was born in Blenheim. She grew up in a family of two girls and
three boys. Her father was a local merchant. Her childhood included
many happy summers at the family cottage on the main street into
Erieau.
Fran received her BA from Western and her MA from Windsor. She
describes teacher education at the time as creating “eight week
wonders.” Young teachers would attend summer school for two summers
unlike today when they study for two years following their
undergraduate degrees.
Fran’s first year of teaching job was at the Ontario Ladies College,
in Whitby. She went there directly after graduating with the BA from
Western. Teacher training was not required in that private school.
Teachers lived in the same hall as the students and were required to
chaperone the girls wherever they wished to go, which could be to
church or to the movies. Classes were small with as few as six
students in a math class. Fran’s largest class size was thirteen. She
taught grade twelve and thirteen and was glad that all her students
were able to pass the provincial departmental examinations.
Whitby was followed by teaching science and chemistry for two years in
Windsor and four years in Glencoe. In 1965 Fran moved to Sarnia where
she taught math for eleven years at Central. In 1976 she was assigned
to the Lambton board office where she worked as Stan Pate’s assistant
for three years. After that she was happy to be back in the schools
where she spent three years in each of three schools. She was a vice
principal at Northern and at St. Clair then ended her career in 1988
as principal at Watford. She jokes that one should retire early enough
to “get all the money out of the pension” that one puts in.
Fran’s is proud of her two daughters who both have PhDs. She teases
that she told them she wanted two doctors but was thinking of another
kind. One daughter lives in Ottawa and has a consulting business. She
graduated in psychology. The other daughter lives in Connecticut. She
is a professor at a university there. Fran also has two grandsons, two
great granddaughters and one great grandson.
In the early days of her retirement Fran had many opportunities to
travel. Those travels included Venezuela, New Zealand, Norway and
Spain. She travelled often to a Spanish villa and spent parts of five
winters there.
Today, she has a beautiful suite that overlooks the St. Clair River.
Best Wishes, Fran!
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ERLEINE
STEPHENS
After teaching in Windsor, Erleine worked at CPRI in London, before
coming to Lambton as principal of New Hope. She and St. Clair
principal, Phil Brown, coordinated the move of New Hope students to
the high school. Then until retirement Erleine was principal at
Aberarder. Â
Erleine and her husband spent many winter holidays in New Symatra,
Florida. About twenty-four years ago a group of Ontario teachers
purchased the condo-hotel, Ocean Trillium, in the sunny south.
Best Wishes!
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JUNE BANNISTER CELEBRATES
NINETY YEARS
June Banister is a life long Sarnia resident. She grew up in Sarnia’s south end as
one of five children. She attended Confederation Street School, now the Armoury,
and Johnston Memorial School.
After spending years at home with her children June commuted with a Sarnia group
to teachers’ college in London. After a few months of supply work June was hired
in January of the next year to teach home economics at Central for a semester
before going to Alexander McKenzie. Later she taught at LCCVI in Petrolia.
Retirement came after seventeen years of teaching.
June and her husband Bob raised three children, a daughter and two sons. When
Bannisters moved to their north end home in 1952, "Woodland" was truly woods
from Colbourne to Coral Way. Instead of streets and homes the neighbourhood had
sand hills and orchards.
June and one son are "on the cutting edge" for sending solar energy to the grid.
Ask June sometime about squirrels and solar panels!
June does have visual impairment and does have suggestions for resources for
others in similar circumstances. CNIB sends a represntative from London one day
a week to Bayside Mall. CNIB will provide a "DAISY Reader" which holds a dozen
books that can be downloaded using WiFi. The Ontario Government covers part of
the costs. June also says the Mallroad Library staff is helpful in providing
audio books.
When one son and a granddaughter lived in Singapore June made a couple of visits
and learned to love the "high rise" city. She travelled around the city on the
subway and enjoyed the sights and activities..
June’s travels this year have taken her to the west coast to visit two of her
children, two of her three grandchildren and her two great grandchildren. After
seven weeks in the west she thought winter weather would be over here. We fooled
her!
Currently, in addition to knitting, she is making good use of her new touch
screen computer and loves her ipad. It is a wonderful tool for keeping in touch
with her western relatives.
Happy Birthday from RTO!!
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Julius
Szabo
Julius was born in Oradea, Romania but of Hungarian descent. He,
his wife Judith (Judy) and their six year old daughter immigrated
to Canada in December of 1969. They came via Italy from communist
Romania. After waiting five years to leave Romania, Judy’s Jewish
sounding surname provided them with an opportunity to depart. They
chose Canada where Julius had three uncles who were tobacco
farmers in Delhi. By February of 1970 Judy and Julius were in
English as a Second Language classes.
Although Szabos spoke an number of languages, English was not one
of them. By September of that year at the age of forty-two Julius
was
attending Western University in London for teacher training.
Fortunately, Julius’ education in Romania was recognized by
Western so the next year found him teaching in Barry’s Bay. After
a year back in London working in tobacco Julius returned to
teaching. This time he went to Thornhill to teach geography and
economics in York District High School. He taught there for about
eighteen years while Judy worked as a secretary in the same school
for twenty-six years. Julius retired in 1988 but continued to
supply teach in Thornhill and later in Exeter.
For twenty-five years Julius worked with the Hungarian community
in Toronto by teaching and participating in their travelling
theatrical
group. The group performed for many Hungarian communities in many
locations including Norway, Sweden, Italy, France, Florida and
Vancouver.
Since they had lived in London for a couple of years they knew
Grand Bend and loved it. In 1983 they bought a piece of property
near the
theatre and eventually built a cute cottage and then a retirement
home.
Julius loved to learn and while teaching he earned a masters
degree from York University. He also enjoyed sports such as
skiing, tennis and boxing. The family often spent Christmas break
skiing in Europe. Recently their daughter and her husband moved to
Markdale near a ski hill. Both Judy and Julius did cross country
skiing behind their home in Aurora. Into his eighties Julian
walked six miles a day. At one time, three times a week he would
walk the twelve miles of trails in Exeter.
Now television sports especially tennis are favourites, as well as
their two and a half acres of mostly beautiful flower gardens.
When Szabos married, Julius was a good cook and baker. He taught
his young wife and now she is the family cook. One of her
wonderful specialties is Hungarian coffee cake made with apples
and gooseberries picked by Julius!
The Szabos have two granddaughters.
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