Mike is a relatively young and new member at LSCO. He was born in Calgary in 1982 and resided there until 2008. He did his grades 1-6 within the Calgary public school system, getting bussed to school and having a social life. A teacher suggested that he might prefer a private school where the student-teacher ratio was much better than in the public system after elementary. Mike and his parents decided to take the plunge into the private system. Mike states that he had “quite a bit of freedom” as a child growing up in Calgary; his many years in Calgary have left him with many good memories.
Mike completed his Grades 7-12 at Delta West Academy with his High School diploma. As there was no gym, the students were out in the community trying many sports: e.g fencing, rock-climbing, skating, swimming, basketball, horseback riding, and luge at Canada Olympic Park. Mike’s most favourable high school memories involve trips to California and Greece. In California, he went to e.g. Disneyland, the San Diego Zoo, and the Museum of Tolerance (MOT) in Los Angeles. He liked the MOT the most; it featured various historical events of intolerance, like white supremacy, the holocaust, and genocide. For example, there were two hallways leading to two gas chambers and you took the hallway for “Men” or for “Women & Children”; apparently a rather foreboding darkness. Another was an opportunity to open a door labelled “Not Prejudiced” or one labelled “Prejudiced”; if you tried to open the ‘Not Prejudiced’ door, it remained locked, because, ‘we are all prejudiced about something at sometime in our lives’. Mike felt these were very strong and worthy messages.
Mike’s trip to Greece included 5 other students, two teachers, and a guide. He liked seeing the museums, ruins, and eating moussaka (an eggplant/potato & ground meat dish). Of his two trips, Mike would like to return to Greece someday.
In 2008, Mike’s parents retired and moved to Osoyoos, BC so Mike moved with them.
However, in 2012, Mike moved away to Penticton, BC and resided there for ten years to seek his independence. He decided to leave Penticton though because he felt that there was too much crime; thankfully he left before he became a victim of any particular crime e.g. you couldn’t leave your bike parked outside without fear of it immediately being stolen.
Mike’s work experience was at a bottle depot in Calgary a while ago, and at a Wal Mart in Penticton. He has a Web Design certificate from an online academic program. Mike then advanced his skills by creating a program using PHP and HTML which are tools used to build websites.
Mike re-joined his parents in Osoyoos in 2022. In 2023, the family decided to move to Lethbridge. As Mike has a paternal aunt which lives here, they were already quite familiar with Lethbridge. Mike was willing to move and says he has found the move turned out to be better than he expected. Overall, Mike says he is “pretty content” with his lifestyle for now.
Mike lives as independently as possible in his parents’ home. He has his own living quarters and cooks most of his own meals, which he learned to do in high school. His favorite dish is lasagna; he can make his own, but he is quite happy to let others make it for him, too. Mike does his own grocery shopping and can make a ‘mean’ shake-n-bake chicken’.
As far as sports, Mike enjoys watching F-1 (Formula 1 car racing) and NBA (basketball), especially the Toronto Raptors. He also likes Canucks and Flames hockey teams. Mike likes to walk outdoors and does weightlifting at LSCO. Mike used to play cribbage at LSCO, but is taking some time off to hone his skills and hope for better luck in the cards coming his way.
Mike likes country music, particularly the ex-rapper Jelly Roll and Chris Stapleton. That said, he’d probably be open to giving the symphony a try if the opportunity came along.
Mike likes TV’s Star Trek in all its incarnations. Mostly though, he is passionate about online gaming. He gave this writer an education into the world of how he “streams Twitch-TV” – a platform where people can watch others play video games Live. He has been playing World of Warcraft for an impressive 21 years! Mike indicates that he is very “tech-savy”.
Mike says his auto-biography should be titled: How to be Interesting More Than Once.
Mike’s mother and aunt are also LSCO members – his aunt enouraging him to give LSCO a try for some things to utilize his time. Mike has been a member for less than a year, but has already come on board as a kitchen dishwasher once per week for most of that time. Mike is proud of his volunteering experience at LSCO, and should be. The organization is very pleased to have his diligence and patience in this role.
This writer very much appreciated Mike’s openness with this writer in sharing his story. Thank-you, Mike!
Member Spotlight
Phylis & Ken Moore
Phyllis and Ken are members and regular guests/supporters of the Lethbridge Seniors Citizens Organization. They have been members for about 8 years.
Phyllis (nee: Hunter) was born in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, but grew up on her parents’ ranch SW of Swift Current where they were involved with mixed farming and cattle. Her Dad bought the land and nurtured it, increasing the size of the property as he was able. Phyllis fondly remembers the free-ranging wildlife as hunting was not allowed on her family’s property. Phyllis’ brother still works the family’s farm.
Phyllis’ extended family lived geographically nearby, including both sets of her grandparents, who had homesteaded and farmed near one another. Therefore, her parents had grown up in close proximity to one another back in the day.
Phyllis went to the 1-room ‘Silver Craig’ School about 3 ½ miles away from home and she was able to attend Grades 1-9 there. Her and her brother and sister often walked to school across the prairie. In winter, when roads were blocked with snow, they walked along the railway tracks. Phyllis recalls enjoying swimming in the creek in summers and skating on it in winter. She got her Grades 10-12 by taking the school bus to Swift Current. After graduating, Phyllis went to Mt. Royal College in Calgary to take a 2 year Business course. Quite a change from the setting where she was raised, but she lived in student housing and when she got homesick, she had aunts to visit as she got used to the big city.
Ken was born in Rosetown, Saskatchewan, and spent his childhood in Elrose, a small town north of Swift Current. His father worked as a grain farmer, while his mother dedicated her career to teaching. Ken completed all his schooling, from Grades 1 through 12, in Elrose. He fondly recalls walking or biking to school and actively participating in a variety of school sports. A natural leader, Ken served as captain of both his high school volleyball and basketball teams—a role he humorously attributes to being the tallest player on the court.
Ken’s father passed away when he was 16 years old, a life-changing experience, but Ken did finish high school and then went to the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. He quit university, but then went on to DeVry Tech in Toronto to take Electronic Engineering.
Ken obtained employment at a Swift Current TV station in 1966 doing work on and off the air, being both in the studio and in control room. Then Ken was hired as a ‘newsman’ in radio in Regina. When his boss got fired, he was offered the job of news director, with very limited experience or knowledge of the position.
Phyllis and Ken met at the TV station and were later married in 1970. Phyllis moved to Regina where she was employed in the media. Then they moved back to Swift Current in 1972.
Phyllis and Ken went to Europe (Spain, etc.) in 1974 seeking a new lifestyle, but returned to Canada after 5 months. Phyllis said, “Looking back, we were very fortunate to visit Europe at the time when there were fewer tourists and we were able to visit galleries and tourist sights without line-ups. In 1974, Franco ruled Spain, so we saw a very different country than it is now. On Christmas Day, Ken played football on the beach in Torremolinos, Spain, immediately in front of our home-away-from-home, a 1- bedroom apartment immediately above a bar, for which we paid $4 a day, including breakfast. We also consulted our copy of Arthur Frommer’s Europe on $10 a Day daily.”
Phyllis and Ken resided in Lethbridge from 1975-77. Ken was hired at CJOC Radio & TV in 1975. He was a ‘commercial announcer’, because upon speaking with him, one can attest to this quality in his voice. When CJOC-TV became independent, he became News Director at CFAC-TV.
They bought a home in Stirling and have resided there since 1977. They have enjoyed their huge yard and the joys of gardening (veggies, herbs, and flowers) that it brings. Phyllis used to sell dry flower arrangements. For most of her working life, Phyllis worked in media advertising: radio, TV, newspaper, and two advertising agencies, but for 14 years she worked for Canada Post in Stirling. Phyllis has been ‘officially’ retired for 10 years.
Ken and Phyllis are deeply committed to their community and the world around them. Ken, a dedicated blood donor, gave over 100 pints during his lifetime. He was also a founding member of the “Friends” of the Helen Schuler Nature Centre, where he volunteered more than 2,000 hours, sharing his passion for nature through activities like his engaging “snake talks.” Additionally, Ken devoted many years to teaching English as a Second Language with County of Warner Further Education, helping others achieve their educational goals.
A passionate conservationist, Ken is actively involved with the Mountain Bluebird Trails Conservation Society. Previously serving on its executive committee, he enthusiastically shares the Society’s mission and educates others on how to support these beautiful bluebirds.
Phyllis has been equally committed to her community, volunteering for many years with the County of Warner Further Education Council and the Stirling Lioness Club. Together, Ken and Phyllis share a deep enthusiasm for education and a profound respect for the natural world. Ken also pursued lifelong learning. While working full-time, he attended the University of Lethbridge part-time, earning a BA in Political Science in 1988—a testament to his belief that “everyone wants to be educated, don’t they?”
Over 54 years of marriage, Phyllis and Ken have travelled and hiked extensively. They enjoy learning and therefore, watch the Knowledge Network, TVOntario, and PBS to broaden their knowledge base. Phyllis has a loom and is an accomplished weaver; she also likes to read mysteries. Ken prefers to read non- fiction because of his desire to keep learning. They used to golf, but now will watch some TV sports instead. Ken used to play trumpet, clarinet, and piano, but none recently; they both like easy listening, swing, and blues music. Phyllis’ favorite meal is spaghetti and Ken’s is “anybody’s lasagna”.
Phyllis’ favourite quote comes from her grandmother Jane Burnett: ‘You’re not the only pebble on the beach.’
Ken has been a long-time user of the LSCO gym, where he maintained an active lifestyle for many years. Both Ken and Phyllis have enjoyed being involved as active members of the LSCO, finding not only opportunities to stay engaged but also forming meaningful friendships through their time at the Centre. Ken and Phyllis are very approachable and seem quite willing to meet more members as we all share the Centre in its varied ways.
Many Thanks to Phyllis and Ken for coping with a ‘walk down memory lane’ and to satisfy a curiosity about “just who are our LSCO members?”
Editors Note: Thank you to Carol for continuing to interview and write the member spotlight articles in 2024. I certainly enjoy learning about the people at the LCSO, and hope that all you readers do as well.
Gladys Larson
Gladys had been a longstanding, active member around LSCO. She currently still resides in Lethbridge, but is thinking about moving to Raymond to be closer to family. Gladys was struck hard by Covid and she is finally beginning to feel more motivated and active again.
Gladys was born in the village of Riding Mountain, Manitoba on December 24, 1938. Her parents were Canadian-born and her father started out as a farmer. Her paternal roots are from Ireland and her maternal roots are in Manitoba.
Gladys’ father and uncles were in WWII; in all, 8 of Gladys’ extended family were in the war effort. Gladys’ father was overseas, but not in combat. Gladys remembers that sugar was rationed and how margarine got “coloured”.
There were three children in Gladys’ family; she has two elder brothers. She and her brothers always got along well. Gladys attended school in Riding Mountain to Grade 9. She remembers walking 1.5 miles to school and snowbanks as high as telephone poles. Gladys’ household chore was bringing in wood for the cookstove on a toboggan. In her early school years, her school consisted of one-room, and was also a village church. Later, there was a stand-alone school building. Her brothers moved away from home as teenagers.
Gladys’ parents separated and she ended up moving to Winnipeg with her mother. Gladys got a job making license plates for about a year. Her parents reunited, but her father passed away at age 55 due to a heart attack.
Gladys was always very keen on learning and doing artistic handwork. She taught herself to crochet and even taught her mother. Gladys taught herself to cook and sew. She lived with her Gramma for some of her adolescence and participated in 4H.
From Winnipeg, Gladys and her mother moved to Edmonton. Gladys was trained to be a telephone operator by Alberta Government Telephones and did that job for a few years. Afterwards, she moved to Vancouver for awhile where there was work and friends. Gladys returned to Alberta and in Calgary, she reunited with her mother.
Gladys married her husband Bob in 1959. They had three sons, but separated after 11 years and Gladys took on single parenting.
Gladys took ceramics courses in Calgary and then began to teach from her home. Instructors told her that she was “a natural”. She had earned a teaching certificate in Ceramics while in Calgary.
She remained in Calgary and eventually married Norman, who came with four children. They had a daughter together, and Gladys was a very busy mother and homemaker to this family! Gladys says that she is satisfied with how the children blended and that she continues to have good relationships with them.
Norman also had a farm (Magrath), which he operated even though he had a successful career off the farm. Gladys and Norman, and two of the children moved to Magrath in the early 80’s, but she wanted to do something more. She describes Norman as a good provider and farmer; he also helped with Gladys’ ceramics business that she set up in Magrath, but Norman passed away in 2002. Gladys hired schoolkids who would come after school and help her with the business, as the work was too heavy for her on her own. She had also begun to teach ceramics in Lethbridge, so Gladys decided to move to Lethbridge because farming was not practical for her any longer.
Gladys began to teach herself ‘china painting on porcelain’, but it is a lengthy process and although she taught it for a few years, its popularity began to wane like ceramics.
Gladys began teaching knitting and crocheting at LSCO; she was age 53 at this point. (LSCO rules were such that she could not buy a membership at the time due to her young age!)
Gladys’ LSCO history is lengthy so far, 32 years! She volunteered e.g.in the boutique, taught ceramics, participated in quilting, knitting and crochet, watercolours, and Zen tangle. (Zen tangle can be viewed on the west wall in the card playing area.) Gladys was such an involved quilter that she made quilts for each of her family members!
Gladys ‘ enduring belief is that everybody should be treated equally; we may have different bodies, but we are all human.
Gladys met Stu at LSCO almost 20 years ago. They travelled across Canada, took shorter bus tours, went to events together, and generally enjoyed each others’ company; their children were happy for their parents in their relationship. Gladys enjoyed cooking supper for her and Stu as long as possible. However, Stu has passed away and Gladys is as much a new widow as anyone else has experienced.
Gladys’ comfort food is “meat and potatoes”; she does not enjoy eating alone, no matter how fancy or expensive the food is. She has an enduring positive memory in that for her 70th birthday, her children threw her first proper birthday party; it was a success!
Gladys enjoys watching many TV sports e.g. hockey, tennis, curling, football, soccer. She likes Country music e.g. Willie Nelson, Blake Shelton.
Gladys would like people to know that she likes “to try new things.” For now, she has become an avid 5-Pin Bowler; she bowls in two leagues and she is consistent in her scores. She has also returned to taking up Hardanger, a type of embroidery that she learned years ago.
It should go without saying at this point, but it seems obvious that Gladys likes to keep her mind and body active. We look forward to seeing more of her again around LSCO.
Welcome Back Gladys!
Martha Nance
Martha Nance (née Carlson) was born and raised on the Milk River Ridge in the hamlet of Jefferson, Alberta. Jefferson no longer exists, but Martha recalls that it was a thriving little community. There were stores, churches, three elevators, teacherages, a garage, residential neighborhoods, and its own Owendale post office. Martha rode her bike while her friends rode their horses; she is not an “animal person.” Martha believes to this day that Jefferson’s schoolteachers sincerely cared about the children and helped them do well in life. Schools closed in Jefferson in 1960-61, and all the children were then bussed to Cardston for their formal education. Jefferson eventually disappeared due to transportation making a close place non-essential.
Martha defines herself as being part of the Baby Boomer generation. She was from a family of five children, and she was the youngest child. She says that as the youngest, she always knew she was “privileged” and never had to go without.
Martha’s father came from Sweden to Canada as a teenager, avoiding conscription into the Swedish army. He was sponsored by the Strom farm family of Burdett to emigrate but went back to Sweden before returning to Canada permanently with his brother and nephew.
Martha’s mother’s family came to Canada from Norway with one child, and they had five more children after settling in Canada. Martha’s mother was born in Saskatchewan. Martha’s Norwegian grandmother always remembered seeing the luxurious Titanic ship in Liverpool while they were setting off for Canada on a much lesser ship. Once in Canada, they took an “immigrant train” to Saskatchewan. Martha’s Norwegian grandfather never returned to Norway, but her grandmother was able to go back 50 years after arriving in Canada.
Martha’s parents met in Jefferson. Her parents did well in farming, and Martha says this gave her family a good life. She describes her parents as successfully working as a team to operate, maintain, and grow their farm. Martha learned many life lessons from her parents, with financial literacy being a very significant one. She understands the meaning of hard work and perseverance in keeping a family successfully afloat.
Martha first went to Sweden at age 12 with her family but says she is not much of a traveler. She recalls that what she experienced on her Swedish trip demonstrated the difference between rural Canada and urban European lifestyles. She does travel to see her daughters, who both reside in the mainland United States.
Martha graduated from Cardston High School, then moved in with her grandmother and attended Lethbridge Junior College, taking Business Administration. Martha met Dave Nance in Lethbridge. He was working for his father in farm machinery, then opened House of Books as the University of Lethbridge was being built. Martha and Dave married and had two girls. When the girls were 5 and 7 years old, the family moved to Pender Island (in the Vancouver Island channel); they operated the general store and post office. As parents, they became concerned about the negative teenage social circles, so Martha took the girls to live in Victoria to change their social networks to something more positive. Dave sold the general store and became “retired” at 47 years old. This required a big adjustment for them, and Dave had to adapt to new roles, including learning to cook and clean.
Martha recalls that she worked outside the home for about four years before their children were born. She describes herself as a “jack of all trades and master of none.” Martha says her most important role was as a wife and mother. She has always seen herself as more of a support person to others than a leader and is most comfortable in that role.
When both of their daughters were at the University of Victoria, Martha and her husband moved to Osoyoos, BC, for six to seven years. Then, in 1994, they moved to Lethbridge to be closer to her mother. Martha and her husband were married for over 51 years. She was widowed six years ago.
Martha enjoys gardening, and her lovely established yard is a testament to that. She likes to cook and bake, though she can resist many foods that tempt her—except for her 5 p.m. glass of red wine.
Martha considers herself a Tibetan Buddhist in her personal belief system and philosophy. She was introduced to this faith system via her daughter. Martha stated, “Being mindful would simplify our lives; mindfulness is the tool to have harmony and balance; we need compassion.” She says she is trying to follow a ‘Patient Path,’ accepting things as they are.
Martha, an LSCO member for about 20 years, still feels the organization’s Mission Statement rings true to her. She keeps active and volunteers in the kitchen and wherever she is needed. She also regularly volunteers for the Lethbridge Horticultural Society, especially at the flower gardens by the Henderson tennis courts.
Martha likes the outdoors, enjoying activities such as walking and kayaking in the summer. She enjoys most kinds of music, such as country, classical, and jazz. She also enjoys knitting and Wordle. She says she is reverting to her “youth of play” by enjoying activities like ladderball and card games. Martha believes it is important to smile and laugh and not get lost in negativity. “Don’t take yourself too seriously, or you will lose your ability to laugh at yourself.”
Martha lives by the rule: “If you don’t have anything nice to say about somebody, don’t say anything.” She is not a proponent of “sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you,” as she says that “you can never take words back!”
Martha presents as a warm, friendly, and generous person, and I was pleased to learn this little bit more about her. She is a gift to the LSCO community!
Previous Member Spotlights can be found on our website at www.lethseniors.com/blog
If you are interested in being interviewed for a Member Spotlight please contact Hannah at hdupuis@lethseniors.com or 403-320-2222 ext. 302
Dorothy & William Halma
Dorothy (nee: Brown) and William “Bill” Halma have been members of LSCO since about 2015. Dorothy can be found with the Knitters Group and William plays Crib and participates in Fit Ball.
Dorothy was born in Penticton, B.C. in 1945. She is the youngest of a family of 3 daughters. Her father was in the Canadian infantry in Normandy where he lost the use of a leg and became an amputee. Dorothy was raised in Banff, where she graduated in 1963 as part of Banff High School’s first graduating class. She then left at the age of 18 to attend secretarial school in Calgary while her parents remained in Banff. Dorothy has joyful childhood memories of Banff where ‘everybody knew everybody’. Over time, it would become a ‘tourist town’ with the town really “coming alive” from May to September.
William was born in the Netherlands in 1942, about a mile from the North Sea. He completed 6 years of formal education in the Netherlands before his family of 9 children came to Canada in 1954 for economic and security reasons. With Russia knocking on the doorstep of western Europe, William’s father believed that his children would have better prospects in Canada away from a communist system.
William’s mother went on to have three more children in Canada. William was placed in Grade 5 in Sunnyside School when the family arrived and he believes this school was a great introduction to Canada as many of his classmates were new Canadians. He learned a lot of English from comic books and Dick and Jane books. After moving to the Taber Area, William completed Grade 8 at Barnwell School when he was 16 before joining the Canadian Army in 1958 through the Soldier Apprentice Program. He was stationed for 2 years each at Shilo (Manitoba), Picton (Ontario), and with the Canadian Brigade in Hemer, Germany. In 1964, the ‘Honest John’ Nuclear Missile program was cancelled and William was offered a release or transfer to another unit. So, he returned to Lethbridge, then to Calgary to attend S.A.I.T in Land Surveying Technology (1964-65).
Growing up in Banff, Dorothy enjoyed sledding, outdoor skating, and walking across the ‘rink’ that was created over the Bow River in winter. In the summer, she climbed around Tunnel Mountain and rode bikes. She wanted to be a stewardess but did not meet the height requirements of the time and later discovered she doesn’t enjoy flying.
Willliam and Dorothy met in Calgary while he was a student at S.A.I.T and she was a clerk at the Calgary Police Service. They married in 1965 and moved to Edmonton where two of their sons would be born and Dorthy would make the transition to being a full-time homemaker. William worked in land surveying and decided to make it a career. They lived in an ideal setting for four years until William’s career took them to Grande Prairie so he could article as a land surveyor. It took 10 years of study and testing to finally achieve his Licensed Alberta Land Surveyor designation in 1979. Their third son was born in Grande Prairie.
William and Dorothy moved to Lethbridge in 1976. They started up Halma Surveys in 1979 and operated their small business of generally three employees. Dorothy was a homemaker and kept the office operating smoothly. William was proud of their timely service and their reasonable pricing and that in 30 years of operating there was never a WCB complaint against them. They sold the business in 2013 and William gave up his ALS commission in 2015.
Dorothy is best known for saying ”Are your feet clean?” This is a source of amusement, but it is also significant to her. William paraphrases a Bible quote “whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability, and your heart will feel glad.” William is active member of the Bethel Free Reformed Church in Monarch.
William like to keep a garden of vegetables and enjoys fresh veggies immensely, though he does describe himself as a ‘meat and potatoes man’. Dorothy says her comfort foods different types of salads, in-season veggies and chocolate.
Dorothy likes the music of Jim Reeves, Patsy Cline, Charlie Pride, Danny O’Donnell. William prefers light opera and can tolerate Elvis. William is a lifetime member of the Lethbridge Men’s Christian Choir. Dorothy enjoys jigsaw, crossword puzzles and reading.
William enjoys his little personally homemade “cabin” near Police Lake. This is his regular getaway and they both appreciate it, as they worked so closely together for so many years, they are happy to have this bit of independent time. Like Dorthy says “houpel op” which translates to “get lost for a while”. They feel they have drifted into their retirement and seem to enjoy its simplicity.
William and Dorothy are pleased that all three sons and their families live and work in Lethbridge. They have four grandchildren, all in Lethbridge between the ages of 16-19.
Dorothy and William were a pleasure to meet and get to know. Although a couple with differing backgrounds and interests, they seem to share a sense of humour, enjoy each other and their retirement, and their 59 year marriage.
Many Congratulations!
Darlene Dahl
Darlene Dahl was born the middle child of her family. She was born in Winnipeg, but her two siblings were born in Bassano and Edmonton. She describes her childhood as turbulent and challenging because the family moved around a lot. Darlene says she learned basic homemaking skills at a young age as she was “Mom’s little helper.” She developed a love of music because they usually sang while they worked together. She left home at age 14 and married at age 16. She got a high school Honours Business Diploma by age 17 and began working as a clerk-typist, residing around Westlock and Athabasca.
Darlene gave birth to her first son at age 19, then her second son at age 21 in Westlock. Her first son was born with a congenital heart defect and underwent open heart surgery at two days old; he also suffered a cardiac arrest at one month old resulting in mild cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Darlene became his health care aide and advocate with guidance from various health care professionals. She left her marriage with her sons and moved to Nakusp, BC to be near family, and then Calgary for better access to health care. She upgraded her technology skills and worked as an Accounts Payable Invoice Analyst, while parenting her two sons. Stress and a serious health scare had her moving to Grande Prairie and family. Only one year later, her special needs son passed away at age nine and her world turned upside down.
In an attempt to find a new purpose, Darlene spent one and a half years at Grande Prairie College and commuted back and forth to Fairview College for two years, to obtain an Animal Health Technologist Diploma. She then married her second husband and moved to his farm near Pickardville, AB. A broad variety of employment followed: auction mart cattle runner; assistant dairy herdsman; oil rig cook; housekeeping aide, cook, and inventory-order clerk in seniors’ facilities; and a personal care aide to a Multiple Sclerosis patient. She took classes and became a Registered Massage Therapist and a Level 2 Reiki practitioner in 2005.
After 13 years of this demanding lifestyle, she moved on from her second marriage, and relocated to Calgary where she focused on her massage therapy career.
Darlene came to Lethbridge in 2010 and was feeling grateful, optimistic, and excited. Her second son lived in Lethbridge, she was building a successful massage clientele, and she met a man she describes as ”the love of her life.” In December 2011, she and her partner were in a motor vehicle accident in which she broke her neck and he broke his collarbone. They supported each other as he mended and she learned to walk again and regain the use of her hands. Darlene says she had a miraculous recovery and was back home in less than three months. Unfortunately, Darlene’s partner collapsed and passed away suddenly in 2013. Once again, her world was turned upside down.
Darlene joined LSCO in 2016. She is a regular weekly volunteer at Winners Bingo and she is involved in the LSCO Foot Clinics. Darlene is an active member in the LSCO Karaoke Group.
Darlene has a variety of interests and hobbies: e.g. arts & crafts, stitchery, card games, puzzles, board games, painting and sketching, and tv shows. She is a good cook and prefers her own cooking, but she does enjoy chocolate.
Darlene is proud to be a mother. She says her children shaped her as much a she shaped them. She is also proud of being in a negotiating team that managed to secure a CUPE pension plan for a group of workers that looked after seniors in Westlock, Alberta.
Darlene’s favourite quotes/advice are: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” and “To have tried and failed is better than to never have tried at all.” Darlene has often been told to write a book about her life’s journey, but she says she needs a ‘ghostwriter’ to help her do so.
Darlene can be found at the LSCO dining room from time to time. She loves to meet new people and is quite willing to share a table and have a chat.
John Unrau
This posthumous Spotlight was not able to be completed before John’s illness took over. John’s sister, Ruth, provided some additional information to complete this article. Please read about this extraordinary Member/Volunteer, who you likely saw at LSCO, but did not know.
John Unrau hailed from Coaldale, raised by German-speaking Russian Mennonite parents who married in 1944. His parents were not allowed to practice their faith in Russia, causing them to move to Canada in the 1920s but kept their roots by speaking Russian in their home until John and Ruth’s public schooling transitioned their household language to English.
Growing up secluded on a farm near Coaldale, only venturing off for school and church, John and his sister Ruth shared a tight bond, spending their days cycling, playing, and studying together. Despite Ruth’s attempts to convince him otherwise, John modestly dismissed his intellect, though Ruth emphasizes John’s common sense and numerous competencies that she does not have.
Tragedy struck early with their mother’s passing when John was 18, followed by their father’s remarriage, which both siblings embraced wholeheartedly. John graduated from Kate Andrews High School in the mid-1960s and delved into music briefly, mastering a few piano pieces before moving on.
His academic journey led him through science courses at Lethbridge Junior College and culminated in a Diploma in Chemical Technology (Biochemistry) from SAIT in 1968. His professional career bloomed at the Lethbridge Research Station, where he dedicated 29 years to soil technology before retiring in 1997.
Post-retirement, John found joy and camaraderie at Green Haven Nurseries and the Mennonite Central Committee Thrift Shop, developing lasting friendships. Despite facing multiple brain surgeries starting in 2006, John maintained a matter-of-fact attitude about it, never allowing adversity to overshadow his positive attitude.
While not a frequent traveler, John cherished his visits to Hawaii and Washington, D.C., particularly relishing his time at the Smithsonian. Described as a homebody, John poured his energies into various hobbies like gardening, stained glass, petit point, woodworking, and writing, showcasing a multifaceted talent. His skills were of a such a high quality, there was an exhibition of many of his petit point pictures at LSCO in 2011 (See Below)
His love for classical music permeated his home and workshop, where he indulged in refurbishing wood to install wainscotting in his home (as an example) and creating stained glass pieces used to decorate his house and others.
John was also known for his loveable features like wearing shorts all year round, reading dictionaries for obscure words, baking his renowned Christmas cakes, biking to work for years and recycling before it became the thing to do. He loved “old things” and living life “plain and simple.”
John’s playful nature also shone through his occasional pranks. He once auctioned off his sister’s ‘long lost coffee mug’ at a Christmas party and it cost her $62 to get it back. John liked cheese, peanut butter, and dill pickles, but especially loved hot sauces. A little hot sauce in anything could do no wrong, in John’s estimation.
Despite being rather shy, John forged deep friendships, especially with women from diverse backgrounds, embodying kindness, humility, and empathy. These traits made him an excellent volunteer at the Lethbridge Soup Kitchen, as he was non judgemental and able to identify with marginalized people.
His commitment to community service earned him accolades like Lethbridge Senior of Distinction Award in 2014; a certificate from Canadian Blood Services for donating 200 times; and an Honorary Life Membership at LSCO for his thousands of hours of service. His loyalty as a volunteer to this organization was legendary as he could be found dishwashing regularly and would be called upon ‘last minute’ to fill-in for many years. He will be remembered as a kind, gentle, and caring man.
John passed away at St. Michael’s Palliative Care Unit on January 31, 2024. To borrow from his special friend Anne, “Walk softly in the world, help others, be true to yourself & others, and keep a bottle of hot sauce with you whenever you eat out!” He is lovingly missed by his LSCO colleagues and friends.
Millie Shewchuk
Millie Shewchuk was born on Fair Island, a small island community off of Newfoundland. She recalls life being rather simple there as they could only grow the basics like potatoes, cabbages, and carrots in their small garden. She attended primary school on the Island before the government moved families off the small islands around Newfoundland as winter services were limited when the sea froze over.
Millie’s dad was agreeable to such a move so his children could be more conveniently located to educational and medical services; she appreciates that he was progressive in this regard in order to create more opportunities for his children.
Their family home was moved to the mainland area called Centreville. Other families soon followed and it became a small new village. Her father was a seasonal cod fisherman, and a hunter during the winters. Her mother was a full time homemaker who also helped her father bring in the cod. As a child, Millie never felt the need to complain about their meals as she was fed a steady supply of fish and moose. She has many positive memories about playing in the fresh outdoors with her 6 half-siblings and 6 full siblings
As a teenager looking for new adventures, Millie moved to the city of Gander, Newfoundland. She worked in hotels where she met her future ‘Prairie boy’ husband, Rick who was stationed there as part of his ice patrols, all over northern Canada. After they married, they lived in Yellowknife for over 4 years where Rick worked in the weather office. They later moved to Lethbridge in 1973 where Rick continued his work in the weather office here. Millie recalls that they arrived during a Chinook and acclimatized to Lethbridge very easily. Millie worked at Southland Nursing Home and St. Mike’s before she retired from paid employment about 10 years ago
They had 3 children, 5 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. They lost their two adult daughters some years ago and she describes the experience as a “life changing nightmare” to live through. The rest of her family live close by in Calgary and Innisfail. Many of her extended family are still in Newfoundland. Millie tries to get back to Newfoundland every other year for a month or two. She loves to visit Fair Island, where many of her family members still have holiday ‘cabins’. She also has some extended family in St. John’s.
Millie is a dedicated LSCO food service volunteer and can regularly be found serving lunch meals; she believes that volunteering here is “good therapy” for her as it makes her “happy” and brings her “pleasure”. Her favourite meals are a Turkey dinner and Beef stew.
She enjoys watching golf and rooting for the Blue Jays. She also enjoys listening to easy and classical music, Irish folk music and jigs, she attributes her love for music to her very musical family. She spends the remainder of her time trying to improve her fitness with LSCO’s fitness programs and classes. Millie also likes to read non-fiction stories and history (e.g. WWII , the holocaust).
Millie believes that “what goes around, comes around” and that “family is everything”. She is most proud of her children and her adult granddaughter. As a result of her upbringing, she believes in “doing things for people”; she tries to give of herself and be “kind”. And she always believes, “the best is yet to come.”
Be sure to look for Millie’s friendly, happy face at the kitchen volunteers’ table in the dining room.
Mary Lancaster & Rosemary Howard
There are some famous pairs in the world: Holmes & Watson, Tweedledum & Tweedledee, Tom & Jerry etc. These pairs are instantly recognizable to us or among the circles or groups they frequent. The LSCO isn’t exempt from this experience as we have been blessed with our very own famous duo: “The Library Ladies”- Rosemary Howard and Mary Lancaster.
Acquaintances before they started volunteering together at the LSCO library about 5 years ago, the twosome have become good workmates ever since. They can always be found at the Library on Tuesdays from 9-12 and are especially glad that the activity around the Library has significantly increased ever since the Library was moved across the main hallway.
It surprises no one to learn that they are both voracious readers. However, neither belong to a Book Club as they cherish the freedom to choose their own reading material. Rosemary prefers biographies and autobiographies while Mary prefers murder mysteries and non-fiction.
The ‘Library Ladies’ always look forward to their weekly commitment to the Library as they enjoy tending to the donations of books, puzzles, DVDs, and CDs that come to the Library from members and friends of the LSCO.
Given the fact that they were “on the same page” when it came to their volunteerism and what they hoped to achieve for the library, they were eager to develop an organizational system which is currently in place. Fiction, Non-fiction, Auto/biographies, and Large Print books-these are the main categories that govern their catalogue. The Library’s September Free Book Giveaway refreshes the collection; and any funds put in the Donation Box are appreciated and go towards benefiting LSCO programs such as Meals on Wheels.
A former volunteer coordinator had the fantastic idea to involve this dynamic duo with ticket sales, raffles, and other special projects (e.g. Christmas dinners, Mother’s Day functions, St Pat’s Day pubs, BBQs). This has led to varying volunteering commitments that has given them the opportunity to promote ideas that enhance the organization.
Rosemary began her LSCO experience prior to her retirement, as she started taking Chair Yoga classes in 2016. She has been an LSCO member for 9 years. In 2017, she retired from her 44 year career at the University of Lethbridge as a Library Technician; she especially enjoyed the international aspect that inter-library loans brought to her role.
An “air force brat” from a family of 8 children, she was born in Duncan, B.C. Her family came to Taber in 1968 for her Dad’s career. She obtained a B.A. in History from the UofL in 1972. She thanks her Dad for promoting higher education and her lifelong interest in learning.
Mary began her LSCO membership 5 years ago; she was still working part-time, but taking Tai Chi and other fitness classes. She is a true Lethbridge native, born and raised and graduated from CCHS.
Mary and her husband have one daughter who lives and works in Oman. Her daughter is her greatest source of pride because she is a strong, independent woman. Mary always looks forward to her regular visits so she can ply her with the specialties of home. She spends her ‘off’ hours keeping very busy in her flower garden, doing various needlecrafts, puzzles, and watching TV/ Youtube.
Between the two, their favourite meals are roast beef dinners, popcorn, and a traditional turkey dinner. They both enjoy 50’s-70’s Rock and Roll music, but one prefers Country & Western, while the other prefers Classical music. If you are curious who might share your preferences, you will have to stop by the Library to meet the Ladies.
Mary describes Rosemary as being “open to do anything” and a great friend while Rosemary describes Mary as the “idea lady” with a great sense of humor. They make quite a pair and are a gift to LSCO, quietly going about their tasks that keep the organization running smoothly.
They would always like us to remember: “Reading is to the mind, as exercise is to the body”.
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Keith Sumner
Keith is currently the President of the LSCO Executive Board; He has been the President since 2017 when he first joined the Board. He was ‘nudged’ into the organization by Charlie Brown, a prior president of the organization.
Keith views the Board as planners for the long term goals of the organization. He believes that the LSCO is not just a “membership club”, but an organization that can and performs many roles for individuals in the community regardless of their membership status. This he believes is achieved with the variety of services the LSCO provides, be it Meals on Wheels, fitness programs & opportunities, etc.
He is a strong believer in “succession planning” as he does expect to turn the reins over to another member in due course. This is why he is doing his best to recruit new board members as much as possible.
Keith had a successful 37 year career in the Alberta Public Service with the Alberta Consumer and Corporate Affairs Ministry before he left paid employment 9 years ago. He describes his time with the Consumer Protection Legislation as “very satisfying”.
Keith is relatively ‘new’ to Lethbridge, having lived here for the past 29 years. He says that “Lethbridge has been good to me.” But Keith has also been good to this community. He has been able to contribute to the community in various ways. For example, he was a charter member of the local Dragon Boat Festival. Keith has also been involved with the Board of the South Country Treatment Centre. He also represented the Seniors sector in the City’s Economic Development efforts and found the experience to be very interesting and rewarding.
A favorite saying of Keith’s is “ The only real sin is not allowing a person to experience the consequences of their decisions.”
Keith enjoys ice cream and still savors the memories of his mother’s lemon meringue pie. He loves music from the 80’s and is an avid CBC listener. He prefers to read digitally, especially newspapers. He also spends his personal time exploring yoga and meditation.
Keith wants members to know that he is “approachable” and would appreciate being taken up on this if you see him around the Centre.
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