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Olson, Mary

  • AATH MO
  • Person
  • 1933 - Present

Mary Olson (nee Buxton) was born at a midwife's house in Bowden, Alberta on April 28th, 1933. She came to Athabasca to teach school in 1951, boarding with the Loiselle family in South Athabasca. She married Carl Olson on November 1, 1952, and had two sons, Kelly, and Ken. She returned to teaching in Athabasca when Kelly started school. Mary taught every grade from kindergarten (a private class when Kelly was four and five, in the United Church basement) up to Grade 12. She attended summer school and obtained a Bachelor of Education majoring in English. She retired in 1989 and finishing her teaching career having taught English, Drama and Music. Mary retired at age 55 and taught private music lessons for about 25 years after that.

Mary always loved drama, from her Bowden school days, at university, teaching, and with the Athabasca Players. She was an actor until they needed a director which she enjoyed that more than acting. She also has directed several singing groups through the years: the Now Generation, Joyful Sound Choir, and Golden Memories Choir. She played organ at several churches from the 50's to the 2000's.

Taylor, William Davison

  • LERMM
  • Person
  • 20 November 1895 - 5 December 1976

William Davison Taylor, commonly known as Bill, was born on November 20, 1895 in Wales. On October 14, 1914, he joined the British Army and served with the 13th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps. His older brother, James Irvine Taylor, was killed in France on April 28, 1917 while serving as a 2nd Lieutenant with the Lincolnshire Regiment. In 1917, while serving in France, Taylor was recommended for commission and returned to England to acquire his qualifications. After receiving his commission, he served with the 2/125th Napier Rifles, Indian Army from 1918 to 1919, participating in the Afghanistan and Waziristan campaigns. He returned to England in 1919 and began attending the University of Manchester but left to come to Canada. Through the Soldier Settlement Board he set up a farm at Moyerton, Alberta where he worked until 1929. He moved to Edmonton, Alberta and started W.D. Taylor Ltd., a business that exported frozen fish.

During the Second World War Taylor served with the Second (Reserve) Battalion, Edmonton Regiment in Canada from 1939 to 1940 and received a commission as a lieutenant. In order to serve overseas he resigned his commission and joined the Royal Canadian Artillery as a private. Before he could leave Canada with his unit he was recalled to Alberta, granted a commission as a lieutenant, and stationed at the Camrose training center. He was promoted to captain and in 1943 attended the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario for a course on civil affairs and military government. Due to a need for officers with this training he was called overseas to England in 1944 and promoted to major. He eventually went into Normandy with the headquarters of General Patton’s U.S. 3rd Army as part of the 328 Civil Affairs Detachment, British Liberation Army. Taylor continued his civil administration work as the Allied Forces made their way to Germany. He was eventually called on by the British Army to serve as a military government labour officer overseeing coal-mining operations in the Ruhr, Germany in 1945. He spent over six months in the position before returning to Edmonton on December 3, 1945. Taylor joined the Royal Canadian Legion and remained an active member until his death. He passed away in Nanaimo, B.C. on December 5, 1976 and was survived by two sons, Jim and David.

Bazalgette, Charles and Trish

  • AATH 24.01
  • Person
  • 2010

Charles and Trish Bazalgette moved to the Town of Athabasca in 1999 and bought a business, Two Hens Framing and Gifts. They changed the name to Old Crow Antiques and Framing, and Trish ran the business. The store was situated in the back of the Veritas Center on 49th Street, owned by Fritz Prufer. In 2002 they bought the building and expanded their store to the front, keeping the back for workshop and office space. In 2003 they started the Tizzie Bazalcat Shelter for Homeless Cats, a spin-off from the Second Chance Animal Rescue Society.
In 2005 the Bazalgettes made overtures to the Town of Athabasca to buy the CNR train station which had recently been vacated by the Athabasca Senior Citizen’s Society; however, the Town of Athabasca wasn’t willing to sell the station. In August 2006, the Bazalgettes bought the old Anglican Church Rectory from the Lewis family and began preserving and restoring the house. They moved Old Crow to the rectory and rented out their old space in the Veritas Centre to DataWest Computers. They closed the doors to the cat shelter that year but kept the remaining cats in their care.
In 2008 they sold the Veritas Center to accountant Glen Martin.
In 2009 and 2010, they were instrumental in starting the Friends of the Athabasca Train Station (FATS) society for the purpose of researching, restoring, and promoting the 1912 train station. They created public interest in the station and succeeded in obtaining a 25-year lease for the station with the Town of Athabasca and Athabasca Heritage Society for the purpose of conserving the building and creating community space. Charles was Chair of Heritage Society at that time.
In 2010, Trish wrote and published a print and online newsletter, “Women Mean Business: Athabasca’s Small Small-Business Community.”
In 2013 they closed Old Crow and relocated to Salmo, BC where they opened Tara Books, which operated until 2022 when Trish retired.

McLeod, Francis Samuel

  • LERMM
  • Person
  • 4 October 1916 - 27 February 1997

Francis Samuel McLeod, commonly known as “Sam”, was born on October 4, 1916 in Daysland, Alberta. He was the youngest of eight siblings, with two brothers, Duncan and John, and five sisters, Jenny-Ann, Catherine, Elsie, Mary, and Ellen. McLeod enlisted to fight in the Second World War in Wetaskiwin, Alberta. He served overseas with the Edmonton Regiment as a private in “A” Company and then in Transport, mainly driving a water truck, after gaining Tradesmen’s Qualifications as a Driver Mechanic. After returning from the war in 1945, he met his wife, Ollie, in Camrose, Alberta. The couple had four children, Dave, Colleen, John, and Gail. McLeod passed away on February 27, 1997 in Grenfell, Saskatchewan.

McWilliam, Robert William

  • LERMM
  • Person
  • 12 July 1890 - 23 January 1943

Robert William McWilliam was born July 12, 1890 in Dunfries, Scotland. He enlisted for the First World War as a Private with the 49th Battalion in Edmonton, Alberta on January 15, 1915. McWilliam served with the 49th Battalion in Canada, England, and France. While he was serving overseas he married Margaret Hope Begg at Dumfries, Scotland on September 10, 1918. He was discharged as part of demobilization on September 23, 1919 with the rank of Staff Quartermaster Sergeant. McWilliam passed away on January 23, 1943 in Ponoka, Alberta at age 52. He was predeceased by his son, Sgt. James McWilliam, R.C.A.F. on November 28, 1942, while on active service in the Second World War. He was survived by his wife, Margaret and two daughters, Margaret and Helen.

Purvis, Douglas Lamont

  • LERMM
  • Person
  • 14 November 1893 - 11 December 1965

Douglas Lamont Purvis, commonly known as “Doc”, was born on November 14, 1893 in Portage du Fort, Quebec to Henry Purvis and Anne Henderson Laidlaw. He had an older brother, John Laidlaw Purvis, an older sister, Clarice Purvis, and a younger sister, Jessie Margaret Henderson Purvis. He worked with different railway companies across Canada before arriving in Edmonton, Alberta in 1912 and got a job as a brakeman for the Canadian Northern Railway. He was serving in the militia with the 19th Alberta Dragoons when the First World War broke out. Purvis enlisted for active service with the 49th Battalion in Edmonton on January 5, 1915. While serving with the 49th Battalion in France he was hospitalized for a gunshot wound to his shoulder in September 1916. After rejoining the 49th Battalion in 1918 he was promoted to Corporal and eventually awarded the Military Medal. Purvis was discharged on March 23, 1919 as part of general demobilization and returned to Edmonton. He married Josephine Dorothy DeFlann and the couple eventually had two sons, Robert David and James Gordon. Purvis worked for the Canadian National Railway until 1941, then as a postman until 1957, and finally as a court house orderly. He was a member of the 49th Battalion Loyal Edmonton Regiment Association, the Royal Canadian Legion, and the Army and Navy Club. He passed away in a house fire on December 11, 1965 in Edmonton, Alberta.

Kaline, Clarice

  • LERMM
  • Person
  • 20 January 1890 - 13 March 1984

Clarice Purvis was born on January 20, 1890 in Portage du Fort, Quebec to Henry Purvis and Anne Henderson Laidlaw. She had an older brother, John Laidlaw Purvis; a younger brother, Douglas Lamont Purvis; and a younger sister, Jessie Margaret Henderson Purvis. She graduated from nursing school in 1911. Purvis enlisted to serve in the First World War as a Nursing Sister with the Canadian Army Medical Corps on May 1, 1917 in Edmonton, Alberta. She arrived in England in September 1918 and served in No. 9 and No. 11 Canadian General Hospitals in Shorncliffe and No. 16 Canadian General Hospital in Orpington. Purvis was discharged as part of general demobilization on September 10, 1919. She returned to Edmonton after the war and married Andrew F. Kaline there on August 25, 1920. She passed away on March 13, 1984 in Los Angeles, California.

Farrell, Harvey George

  • LERMM
  • Person
  • 13 June 1912 - 28 May 1988

Harvey George Farrell was born on June 13, 1912 in Calgary, Alberta. He was working as a truck driver when he enlisted for the Second World War on January 15, 1940 in Edmonton, Alberta. He served overseas with the Edmonton Regiment as a Sergeant in the Pioneer Platoon Support Company. He was very active in the 49th Battalion Loyal Edmonton Regiment Association serving as both President and on the Executive over the years. He was also a member of the Royal Canadian Legion. In 1975 he and fellow Loyal Edmonton Regiment veteran William Smith were part of a delegation of 73 Second World veterans that traveled to Italy from April 21 to May 3 to commemorate the Canadian soldiers who died in the Italian campaign. He passed away in Edmonton at the age of 75 on May 28, 1988. Farrell was survived by his wife, Trudy; two sons, Howard and Jim; two grandchildren, Bradley and Kellee; and brother, Bill. He was predeceased by his wife Madeline, and son Michael.

Sheldrake, William Ebenezer

  • LERMM
  • Person
  • 11 January 1903 - 10 April 1984

William Ebenezer Sheldrake, commonly known as “Bill”, was born on January 11, 1903 in London, England to John Buxton Sheldrake and Elizabeth Colebrook. He was the sixth of nine children and his siblings were Elizabeth, Ada, John, Helen, Isabelle, Frank, Alfred, and Edith. He was working as a farmer when he enlisted to serve in the Second World War on September 12, 1939 in Edmonton, Alberta. Sheldrake served overseas with the Edmonton Regiment in Sicily. He was married to Anna Dorothy Edwards who served in the Royal Canadian Air Force Women’s Division during the Second World War. The couple had four children, William, John, Dorothy Ann, and Sylvia Elizabeth. After his discharge from the army Sheldrake worked as a postman in the Victoria district in British Columbia until he retired in 1968. He was a member of the B.C. Branch of the 49th Battalion Loyal Edmonton Regiment Association. Sheldrake passed away on April 10, 1984 in Victoria, British Columbia.

Palmer, Miles Franklin

  • LERMM
  • Person
  • 16 April 1899 - 2 April 1966

Miles Franklin Palmer was born on April 16, 1899 in Port Eglin, Ontario to Frank Palmer and Elizabeth Young. He enlisted in 194th Battalion on June 30, 1916 in Edmonton, Alberta and joined the 49th Battalion in France the following year. Palmer was discharged from service on February 21, 1919 as part of demobilization. Palmer returned to Edmonton and eventually began working as a life assurance salesman with Sun Life Assurance Company. On July 2, 1928 he married Queenie Aurelia Watson in Edmonton. He was commissioned in 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, Edmonton Regiment in 1940 and was promoted to Captain in 1942. Palmer was the Honourary Lieutenant Colonel of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment from October 21, 1955 to October 20, 1962. He was also a member of the 49th Battalion, The Loyal Edmonton Regiment Association. Palmer passed away on April 2, 1966 in Edmonton, Alberta at age 67. He was survived by his wife, Queenie; three sons, Miles, Malcolm, and Stephen; two daughters, Wilma (Gordon) Miller and Hope (Michael) Eurchuk; and five grandchildren.

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