Fonds paa-8793 - Alfrey family fonds

Darwin (Dar) E. Alfrey was born in Didsbury, Alberta on September 2, 1931 to a farming couple in the Carstairs, Alberta area. Growing up, he worked at a men's clothing store, delivered groceries, played AA baseball and worked for the railroad as a telegraph operator near Lake Louise, Alberta. He eventually found a career with the Bank of Montreal, and was transferred around the province for this position. During 1955, he was transferred to Westlock, Alberta where he met his future wife. Rita J. Peterson was born on May 5, 1933 in Wetaskiwin, Alberta to the manager of the local Coop store and a homemaker. She worked at Deer Lodge in the summer before finishing High School. After high school she attended the Royal Alexander School of Nursing, graduating in 1955. During her work at the Immaculata Hospital in Westlock, she met Dar. The pair married on June 1, 1957 and moved to Bow Island, Alberta. Rita carried on with nursing and Dar with banking. They were soon transferred to Calgary, Alberta where their son, Dwight, was born in 1959. They were transferred to Regina, Saskatchewan in 1962, where their daughter Chris was born on August 27. Soon after, they were transferred again to Sioux Lookout, Ontario and then to Port Arthur, Ontario (now part of Thunder Bay). In 1966, they were transferred back to Edmonton, Alberta where they remained. Dar stayed in banking, working with the Bank of Montreal, the Principal Trust Company and ending his career with the Alberta Treasury Branches. He served on the executive of the Steele Heights Community League and on the executive of the Northeast Rotary Club in Edmonton for many years including work with Rotary International. He served as District Governor (District 536) in 1995-1996. Rita returned to nursing at the Royal Alexander Hospital in Edmonton, which by this time had become the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. Rita took on various roles in the community, serving on the Parents' Advisory Board for different schools, the Boards of the Edmonton YWCA and Rotary Anns, and was part of the founding group for McClure United Church. She was a creative person, spending her free time sewing, quilting, knitting, doing petit point, singing in the McClure choir, rug hooking, and many other creative pastimes. Rita and Dar enjoyed doing many things together including curling, dancing, meeting with their friends, cross country skiing and camping. Camping holidays were standard during the years Chris and Dwight were in school, and they spent time in the mountains. Dar Alfrey died on February 5, 2004.