Showing 17 results

Authority record
Alberta

Zion United Church (Beiseker)

  • PR3580
  • Corporate body
  • 1916-1995

Zion United Church had its origins in two different congregations in the Beiseker area of Alberta, the Zion Congregational Church and the Beiseker United Church.

Beiseker United Church began ca. 1915, with the congregation being served by United Church ministers from the Acme Pastoral Charge. Early services were held at Beiseker in a building converted from a livery barn to a community hall ca. 1922. In 1925, services moved to a former school which had become a private dwelling before being renovated for use as a church. From 1927-1938 only bible study was held. Beiseker United Church amalgamated with Zion United Church in 1949 and the church building was sold and converted into a doctor’s office.

Zion Congregational Church was founded in the Beiseker area of Alberta in 1909. The congregation was officially organized as a Congregational Church on Jan. 4, 1914. Construction of the church was started in 1918 on two acres of land donated by Peter M. Berreth on SE ¼ 16-28-25-W4. The church building was dedicated on July 14, 1918. The building was enlarged and renovated in 1928.

The Zion Congregational Church amalgamated with the United Church of Canada in 1947, becoming part of the Carbon Pastoral Charge. In 1949, the church was moved from its original site into the town of Beiseker and the congregation amalgamated with Beiseker United Church taking the name Zion United Church. The original church site continued to be used as a cemetery. On July 1, 1950, Zion United Church became part of the Acme Pastoral Charge. Zion United Church amalgamated with Acme United Church in 1998.

McLean, Della

  • Ath 15.24
  • Person
  • Present

Della McLean is an artist and resident of Athabasca County. Formerly a real estate agent, she converted one of her properties in the Town of Athabasca to the Red Roof Gallery where she facilitated local artists with solo and group shows from 2001 to 2016. She was inducted into the Order of Athabasca University in 2007 in recognition of her hard work and dedication to Athabasca University both as a member of Athabasca University Governing Council (the Board) and her continued support as a contributing artist to the University and the Athabasca community as a whole.

Conquest, Mary

  • Ath 20.17
  • Person
  • 1873 - 1955

Mary Hagen Conquest (nee Owen) was born in Stirling, Scotland in 1873 to George and Rachel Owen, the youngest of six children. She obtained the degree of L.L.A. (Licentiate of Literature and Art) from the University of St. Andrews, one of the few universities granting degrees to women at that time. She met her husband William Conquest in London, England and they were married on July 3, 1897. They immigrated to Canada with their six children in 1913. William’s work as a printer took the family to several places in Alberta where Mary volunteered and then worked in various capacities for the Red Cross Society. In 1922, William took a job as printer at the Winnipeg Free Press and Mary got a job as director publicity at the Red Cross Headquarters in Calgary. In the early days of Canadian radio, which at the time was broadcast over CNR or CPR telegraph lines, she read children’s stories as Aunt Mary on the CNR network. She dreamed of combining her Red Cross work with the outreach that radio could provide and she pitched the idea of the Red Cross Radio Lady to the station manager at CFCN in Calgary. She began broadcasting sometime after 1922. She and William moved to Edmonton in 1924 and she continued to broadcast her hour-long radio program from their home at 8416 – 104 Street. William was out of work in 1929 and he answered an advertisement from the Board of Trade in Athabasca, Alberta to re-establish their newspaper and so moved north to found and publish the Athabasca Echo. Mary joining him in 1930. Her work with the Red Cross continued as did her weekly radio program. She had hoped to broadcast from Athabasca but this was not possible so she took train or bus to Edmonton on Thursdays, often accompanied by children in need of care in the city. Mary was diagnosed with Renaud’s disease after pain in the little finger of her right hand became unbearable. In 1932, her right arm was amputated about three inches above the elbow. She returned to radio after convalescence. She became ill again while on vacation in Vancouver and this resulted in the amputation of her left leg. She convalesced in Edmonton but became homesick for Athabasca and returned there in 1937. Her radio broadcasts had ceased with the second amputation; she was only able to get around in a wheelchair. William’s health had deteriorated in the late 1930s and he was diagnosed with cancer in 1937. It was decided he and Mary would return to Edmonton to obtain proper medical care. His son Charles had become the Echo’s publisher until duty in WWII took him overseas in 1941. With Charles overseas, William carried on with the Echo for a few more years until his death on May 16, 1942. After he passed, a chance outing in Edmonton took Mary to CFRN Radio station where she visited with the owner, a long-time friend. The current radio program was interrupted and the “Red Cross Lady” made a surprise broadcast. There was great response from fans and this resulted in Mary broadcasting three 15-minutes programs each week from her home at 10420 – 126 Street. She was very happy to be working again and made a real contribution to the war effort. Her patriotic and philanthropic work was honoured when she was awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honour List in June 1942. After the war, Mary broadcast once a week. She volunteered for the Red Cross Cancer Society, Salivation Army, Victorian Order of Nurses and The YMCA. She facilitated the creation of the Rehabilitation Society for the Handicapped and for inspirational purposes, often invited handicapped people to take part in her radio shows. Mary wrote an article on the history of the Red Cross in Alberta for Alberta’s Golden Jubilee Anthology in 1955. Mary Conquest died on April 20, 1955.

Wolanuk, Victor

  • ath 20.18
  • Person
  • 1928 - 2016

Victor Wolanuk was one years old when his parents Wasyl (Bill) and Annie Wolanuk immigrated from Poland with their three children (Xannie and Antonette) in 1929. Bill (1892 – 1945) homesteaded at NW 10-68-21-W4, Richmond Park, Alberta and two more children were born in 1930 (Mary) and 1937 (John). Annie and the children kept the farm running after Bill’s death in 1945; Victor eventually taking over the homestead. He married Anne Popwich in 1955. Victor became an Athabasca School District No. 42 trustee in 1950, was a member of the Farmers’ Union of Alberta (subsequently the United Farmer’s of Alberta), a director of the Richmond Park Mutual Telephone Company, and a member of the “Reflections from Across the River,” 1994 history book committee. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 88 years. His grandson now farms the family homestead.

United Farmers of Alberta

  • UF
  • Corporate body
  • 1909 - 1948

The United Farmers of Alberta (U.F.A.) was formed in 1909 from the amalgamation of the Canadian Society of Equity and the Alberta Farmers Association. It was incorporated by an act of the Province of Alberta in 1918. U.F.A. was a self-help and advocacy organization which encouraged economic power for farmers through the development of co-operatives. It also functioned as a political party from 1919 to 1939, and was the governing party in Alberta from 1921 to 1935. Past presidents include James Bower (1909-1911), W.J. Tregillus (1912-1914), James Speakman (1915), Henry Wise Wood (1916-1930), Robert Gardiner (1930-1945), and George E. Church (1945-1949). In 1914 a Women's Section was formed, and in 1916 was reorganized as the United Farm Women of Alberta (U.F.W.A.). In 1919 a Junior Branch of the U.F.A. was organized to support the activities of young members of farm families. The U.F.A. Provincial Political Association was formed as a vehicle for organizing political campaigns, and existed from 1919 to 1939. The U.F.A. Limited, incorporated from 1928 to 1949, published the organization's newspaper. The Co-operative Committee of the U.F.A was formed in 1930, and it was incorporated as the U.F.A. Central Co-operative Association Ltd. in 1932, to serve local consumer co-ops as a wholesaler and distributor. At its 40th annual convention in December 1948 the U.F.A. changed its name to United Farmers of Alberta Co-operative Ltd. (known as U.F.A. Co-op and later branded as UFA), and amended its Bylaws to allow it to take over most of the functions of the U.F.A. Central Co-operative Association Ltd. In January 1949 the U.F.A. advocacy function amalgamated with the Alberta Farmers' Union to form the Farmers' Union of Alberta.

Beeston, Hildred (nee Rennison)

  • Person
  • 1907 - 1983

Hildred Beeston (nee Rennison) was born in Mirror Landing, Alberta in 1908 and moved with her family to Athabasca, Alberta at the age of three weeks. She married Frank Beeston and they farmed NE 04-67-21-W4 until he became too ill to farm. They moved to Athabasca and Frank passed away in 1960. Hildred passed away in 1983 at the age of 75.

Kowalchuk, Nickolas

  • Person
  • 1941 - 1942

Nickolas Kowalchuk, son of Matiy and Barbara Kowalchuk, grew up north of Athabasca, Alberta and attended Greyville School. Received his teaching certificate from Edmonton Normal School and his first post was Ferguson School, 1941 – 1942. He lived in the log teacherage. He married Mary Hawiuk in 1950 and they had four children: Sonia, Larry, Dale and Grant.

Thompson, James (Jim) A.

  • Ath 93-02
  • Person
  • c. 1912

James (Jim) Thompson opened the Thompson Realty Company in Athabasca Landing in the new Woods Building on Strathcona Street in July 1911. In December 1912, he married Hazel Torrance Nicol of Guelph, ON. They lived in Athabasca and later in Mirror Landing.

Athabasca Youth Talent Explosion

  • Ath 05.16
  • Corporate body
  • 1997 - 2003

Mrs. Evelyn McDonald and Mary Olson chaired the Athabasca Youth Talent Explosion committee, a subsidiary of Edmonton’s Klondike Days Exposition, where successful acts would be featured at Edmonton’s Klondike Days Exposition. Evelyn and Mary coordinated the local event, soliciting donations and participants, booked the event and created print materials.

Ross, Olga (Fotty)

  • Ath 06.07
  • Person
  • 1939 - present

Olga Ross Nee Fotty) was born in Wandering River, Aberta in 1934 and moved to Athabasca, Alberta with her family in 1939. She graduated from Edwin Parr High School. In 1970, got a job in admissions at the Athabasca Municipal Hospital where she was employed for 23 years.

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