Introduction to Family Stories 1940 – 1965

Written by Harold McNeill on September 26th, 2010. Posted in Index to Posts, Family 1940 1965


Grandma's Family Group

Photo (July 2008)
This series of stories is dedicated to the memory of my Father and Mother
David Benjamin McNeill (1908 – 1965)
Laura Isabel Skarsen (McNeill)(Wheeler) (1918 – 2008)

PhotoMom, in July, 2008, with her three children, thirteen grandchildren, fourteen great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren (one present, but yet to make a personal appearance). Mom was one of ten children, dad, one of eleven and mom’s second husband, Wilfred, one of eight. With over 50 Uncles, Aunts, Step Uncles, Step Aunts, the number of Nieces, Nephews of those First Cousins beyond count and there is ample background for countless stories to be written. Following a medical anomaly in early December, 20008, Mom passed away on December 28.

Back Row (L to R): Jin An (partially hidden) and Lorin Yochim, Sean McNeill, Mark Yochim, Greg and Merle Yochim, Frank Yochim (standing behind Merle), Stephen Yochim and Pam Dong Yochim, Charlene Yochim, Krista Miron-Rabideaux (McNeill) and friend, Candice Yochim.

Second Row (L to R): Ed Walker (holding Grayson) and Kari Walker (McNeill), Jesse Rabidoux (partially hidden behind Grayson), Christine McNeill, Jay McNeill, Louise Yochim (McNeill), Skyler Yochim, Dianne McNeill, Shawna Buenaventura (Yochim), Lynn McNeill (Davis) and Harold McNeill, Karena Yochim, Stephanie Yochim, Jamie Yochim, Laura Skarsen (McNeill) (Wheeler), Ashley Price and Luna, Kelsey Yochim and Landon, Cassandra Rabidoux, Brooke Buenaventura.

Front Row (L to R): Amy Rabidoux, Sydney Buenaventura, Carmen Yochim, Connor Schumacker, Francis Buenaventura and Brody.

Not Present: Michel Payeur (work commitments) and Kaiya McNeill-Payeur (traveling Europe).

Background on Stories

This series of Family Stories spans the period from 1940 – 1965. While the stories revolve around our nuclear family – Mom (Laura McNeill/Skarsen/Wheeler), Dad (Dave McNeill), Louise, Dianne and myself – others, namely Aunts, Uncles, Nieces, Nephews, Cousins and friends, are drawn in whenever and wherever our paths intersected.

The first 14 years, from 1940 – 1953, were the ‘gypsy years’ for our family as we regularly moved from one location to another until we landed in Cold Lake in 1953 where Louise and I completed Junior and Senior High School. Dianne, who was several years younger, was only starting school when Louise and I had both graduated.

In 1965, two years after I moved to Victoria, B.C., dad passed away and a year later mom married Wilfred Skarsen, a well known member of an early pioneer family in Cold Lake. Following their marriage, the “W&L Skarsen” farm, along with Frank’s Marina, became focal points for family gatherings for over 35 years until Mom and Wilfred moved to Cold Lake in 2000.

Following Wilfred’s death in 2002, mom continued to live in the home they bought until she passed away in 2008, a few months after her 90th birthday. Today only my sister, Louise and her husband Frank, along with two of their seven children and their families, continue to live in Cold Lake. My younger sister, Dianne, and her partner Michel, along with their youngest daughter, moved from Edmonton to Campbell River in 1996.

Source Material

The source material for many stories of the early years was, of course, our mother who had a phenomenal recollect of bygone days. She told countless stories to her children, grandchildren and others and, later life, while spending a year living in Victoria with Lynn and me, spent countless hours reminiscing about the early years.

A story written by mom in the late 1970s, appears in the, “Treasured Scales of the Kinosoo”, a book edited by another Skarsen, Laura Dean Skarsen. The book profiles many of families who pioneered the Cold Lake area during the first several decades of the last century. The McNeill story appears on pages 227 – 229.

To our lasting good fortune, mom took dozens of photographs of those early years with her trusty Brownie box camera. Many of the photos have been preserved and are complete with names, dates and places. Several will be presented within various stories.

My sister Louise, with whom I shared so many of those early life experiences, was also a tremendous help in filling in details and helping to build the timelines as was her son, Lorin, who conducted several video taped interviews with his Grandma in 2004.

From dad’s side of the family, the only surviving sibling, Aunt Pat (Humphries/Shirrmacher/McNeill), has been of immense help in filling in details of the early years around Birch Lake and Glaslyn. Further to this, a Genealogy Booklet researched and published by Carrie (Dewan) Goldsmith, provides meticulous detail of the McNeill, Dewan and Harwood families with some family lines dating back as far as the 1700s. The Genealogy also contains details dating back to Fifth Century in Ireland.

The final invaluable resource is my wife and life partner, Lynn.  She has read each story, sometimes several times, and made many suggestions for improvements. Errors or omissions that remain are solely my responsibility as Lynn has done her level best to help me improve the content and grammar. Perhaps, given sufficient time and energy, to say nothing of getting her to stop pulling out her hair, she will succeed in steering me down a path to becoming a better writer of short stories.

Enjoy this bit of Family History.

Harold McNeill
Victoria, BC
October, 2010

Index: Family 1940 – 1965  (The Linked Index to each story is included in this section:

Birch Lake:

1. The Blizzard of ‘41
2. A New Beginning
3. A Place in the Sun
4. The Fire Tower

Martineau River:

1. The Logging Camp
2. Hauling Logs and Ice
3. Life or Death – A Winter Dash to the Hospital
4. Spring Breakup
5. Martineau River and Smith Place on Cold Lake

Marie Lake:

1. Further into the Wilderness
2. Growing up in the Wilderness
3. Life or Death
4. Easy Come, Easy Go
5. The Trap Line
6. My Best Friend
7. Lives on the Line
8. Through the Ice
9. Back to Hauling Logs
10. A Winter Trip to Cold Lake
11. A Final Goodbye

Harlan, Saskatchewan

1. The Old School House
2. A History Lesson
3. Snakes, Snakes and a Horse
5. Movie Night
6. Our Dad is Missing

The Final Gypsy Years

1. Edmonton
2. Pibroch
3. LacLaBiche

The High School Years

1. The Journey Begins
2. The Silent Generation
3. Cars, Girls, Rock and Roll
4. The Difficult Years (Grade 11 and 12)

The Concluding Chapter to the full series has yet to be written

Harold

 

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Comments (2)

  • May 3, 2011 at 11:30 pm |

    So many of the names you mention bring back memories of my early years in Cold Lake when my father, Fabian Milaney, was principal of the school and the first mayor of the town. He also taught at the base for two years before we moved from Cold Lake to Calgary in the summer of 1960. He and my mother, who was a Layton from Ardmore, have both since died.

  • George Dahl
    April 12, 2016 at 6:02 am |

    What a great site. I’m trying to locate a woman named Sally Jennifer who was from the Cold Lake area back in the early sixties. I met her when I was stationed at Namao air base in Edmonton. I was serving with the USAF 3955 air refueling squadron from rhe fall 1963 till the spring of 64. Sally was 22 at the time I was 21. Sally was my first love. I had orders to ship out to South East Asia and we lost contact after that.
    If any of you know the where abouts of Sally I would like to get reacquainted with her. She is First Nation, Blackfoot I believe. She is Catholic and may have attended a Catholic school in Cold Lake.
    Thank You in advance, George Dahl

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Comments

  • Mike Fedorowich

    September 1, 2023 |

    I have gone through the above noted text and have found it quite informative.
    I am a former member with several law enforcement agencies from across Canada.
    I worked in the First Nations service under the authority of the RCMP with the over sight of the OPP. My law enforcement service was conducted under the authority of the Nishnawbe – Aski Police Service in North West Ontario the Louis Bull Police Sevice in Hobbema AB, the Kitasoo Xaixais Police Service in Northern in side passage on Swindle Island, the Lac Suel Police Service North West Ontario and the Vancouver Transit Authority Sky Train Police Service. I’m presently dealing with an RCMP member for falsifying a report against me for a road rage event. Court case is finished and the charge was dropped but I have an on going complaint with the member and have forwarded to the WATCH DOGS IN OTTAWA FOR the RCMP review and consideration. I believe the said officer is in violation of his oath of office and should be held accountable for falsifying his RTCC all the while dragging me through the court system here in Nanaimo. RCMP continue to stonewall the appeal but Ottawa and the crowns office are still looking into the matter. if your able and find the time or the interest in this very brief introduction, I would very much like to speak with you and would be grateful to hear any wisdom that may come across from your end. I served with First Nations Police Services for ten years in isolation and six years with Transit Police out of New West Minster. I do value and appreciate any time you could spare to chat for a bit on this particular subject matter. Respectfully with out anger but an open mind, Mike Fedorowich Nanaimo BC 250 667 0060

  • Harold McNeill

    February 28, 2022 |

    Hi Robert, I do remember some of those folks from my early years in Cold Lake (Hazel was my aunt and our family spent many fond times with Uncle Melvin, Aunt Hazel and Family. I knew Lawrence and Adrian. Having read a half dozen accounts it is clear their were many false narratives and, perhaps, a few truths along the way. I tried my best to provide an even account from what I read. Cheers, Harold. (email: Harold@mcneillifestories.com)

  • Robert Martineau

    February 25, 2022 |

    Its been a long time since any post here, but its worth a shot. My Grandfather was Hazel Wheelers brother Lawrence, and son to Maggie and Adrien. Maggie Martineau (nee Delaney) is my great grandmother. The books and articles to date are based on the white mans viewpoint and the real story as passed down by the Elders in my family is much more nefarious. Some of the white men were providing food for the Indians in exchange for sexual favors performed by the Squaws. Maggie was the product of one of those encounters. Although I am extremely proud of my family and family name, I am ashamed about this part of it.

  • Julue

    January 28, 2022 |

    Good morning Harold!
    Gosh darn it, you are such a good writer. I hope you have been writing a book about your life. It could be turned into a movie.
    Thanks for this edition to your blog.
    I pray that Canadians will keep their cool this weekend and next week in Ottawa. How do you see our PM handling it? He has to do something and quick!
    Xo Julie

  • Herb Craig

    December 14, 2021 |

    As always awesome job Harold. It seems whatever you do in life the end result is always the same professional, accurate, inclusive and entertaining. You have always been a class act and a great fellow policeman to work with. We had some awesome times together my friend. I will always hold you close as a true friend. Keep up the good work. Hope to see you this summer.
    Warm regards
    Herb Craig

  • Harold McNeill

    November 26, 2021 |

    Hi Dorthy, So glad you found those stories and, yes, they hold many fond memories. Thanks to social media and the blog, I’ve been able to get in touch with many friends from back in the day. Cheers, Harold

  • Harold McNeill

    November 26, 2021 |

    Well, well. Pleased to see your name pop up. I’m in regular contact via FB with many ‘kids’ from back in our HS days (Guy, Dawna, Shirley and others). Also, a lot of Cold Lake friends through FB. Cheers, Harold

  • Harold McNeill

    November 26, 2021 |

    Oh, that is many years back and glad you found the story. I don’t have any recall of others in my class other than the Murphy sisters on whose farm my Dad and Mom worked.

  • Harold McNeill

    November 26, 2021 |

    Pleased to hear from you Howie and trust all is going well. As with you, I have a couple of sad stories of times in my police career when I crossed paths with Ross Barrington Elworthy. Just haven’t had the time to write those stories.

  • Howie Siegel

    November 25, 2021 |

    My only fight at Pagliacci’s was a late Sunday night in 1980 (?) He ripped the towel machine off the bathroom wall which brought me running. He came after me, I grabbed a chair and cracked him on the head which split his skull and dropped him. I worried about the police finding him on the floor. I had just arrived from Lasqueti Island and wasn’t convinced the police were my friends. I dragged him out to Broad and Fort and left him on the sidewalk, called the cops. They picked him up and he never saw freedom again (as far as I know). I found out it was Ross Elworthy.