I was born in New Westminster, BC and spent my growing up years in Port Hammond, and graduated from Maple Ridge High School in 1957. Spent one year working in Vancouver and then returned to Hammond and started a career with the Bank of Montreal.
Married in 1960, as we both worked in Banking, Bill was transferred and we moved to Ashcroft, BC which was the first of many moves throughout BC. For the next five years we resided in Powell River, Victoria and then back to the Mainland to settle in Port Coquitlam.
While in Victoria, we extended our family and welcomed a son in 1965, our second son in 1966, and our daughter in 1969.
We moved to Mission in 1976 where we have since resided, although we have moved three times, downsizing our residences and property each time.
I worked in various banking locations part-time and some full-time while our family was growing. I returned to work full-time in 1978, and was fortunate to have a very varied and interesting career. Working and travelling to various offices in the lower Mainland, excluding Vancouver District.
I retired in 2003 after being off for eight months recovering from broken legs due to a fall when on holiday’s in Palm Springs. My husband was also very sick after we returned from Palm Springs and spent until early 2004 in hospital.
I spent my time from 2004 until 2007 working with a group of school friends to plan our 50th school reunion.
I met Ethel Hooge at the pool one day and she mentioned that I may enjoy joining the Hospital Auxiliary, which is the best thing I have done, working with so many great people.
The great thing about volunteering other than the feeling of accomplishment is finally meeting people in the community where I was a commuter all those years. “It is great to go boring grocery shopping and meeting someone you know!”