The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Ken was born to Cyril and Margaret (Hollett) Reader at the Company Hospital on March 11, 1934. Ken's grandparents, Bert and Gertrude Hollett, had opened the H.R. Hollet Hardware Store on Main Street in 1929. (later to become Keddie Hardware.) Ken's first family home was a converted railway box car that was placed behind Scheider's Men's Wear (the location of Curves now). His parents had moved to Flin Flon from The Pas in 1929 with Ken's dad, Cyril, taking the job of supervising the construction of the Ostry building (now Mr. Ribs) for Bill Hughes. Later Cyril would go to work for Pat Lamont in his grocery store which was situated next to the Royal Bank. (Pat was a relative of Harvey Lamont). From there, Cyril went on to manage The Fruit and Produce and then was offered a job by Melrose Tea and Coffee as a salesman which necessitated the family's move to Prince Albert in 1938. In 1943 Ken's mother Margaret, his brother Bill and Ken returned from Prince Albert to begin a new life in Flin Flon. Ken was nine years old at that time and attended Birchview School. Ken remembers having Louie Schmidt, Thora Parsons, Yvonne McDonald and Carson MacAdoo in his class back then. See 'Second' P.# Con't from P.# Ken took a brief tour through the Cubs with his uncle George Bagshaw as his leader. Ken remembers Ken Boothe, Al Jeffery and Roy Nelson as some of the Cubs. However, Ken was too fond of what was known as "horseplay" to take Cubs seriously so he moved on to other interests. Ken continued on at Birchview School till grade 6, which was as far as Birchview went then, and then he had to go to Hapnot which at that time was where Ruth Betts School is now. And whether living in Birchview or Ross Lake, he along with all the other kids walked to school, back and forth home for lunch and home at 4 p.m. rain, shine, or 40 below weather ? it didn't matter. And kids' clothes in those days were often plastic bags tucked into plain rubber boots to keep the feet dry and 'warm'. Jackets had a very thin lining if you were lucky and the moms knitted hats, scarfs and mitts to keep their kids warm. As kids, Ken and his friends would often ski or toboggan down what was known then as Second Valley on Ross Lake. Entertainment was the radio. When the kids would come home for lunch, The Happy Gang was usually on the radio with Bert Pearl as the emcee. Hockey Night in Canada was also a favourite as was Boston Blackie, The Shadow, or just listening to the news or music. Ken's mom taught piano lessons in his home when the boys were growing up, later to go to work for National Fruit with Fred Ford as her boss. Later she went to HBMS and worked in the staff house till transferring to the pay office. Margaret continued to play the organ at St. James Anglican Church and her boss Ralph Bloomfield would allow her time off for a funeral, wedding or whatever was required of her at the church. Ken's first source of income came at the age of 10 years. The organ that Ken's mom played required weed bellows that had to be pumped by hand. And you guessed it, Ken was the pumper and he would receive 25 cents (paid by Basil Keddie) for every "hit". Ken laughs, "I wasn't a very big guy but I had a hell of a right arm! And I know every hymn in the blue book!" In 1946, Ken graduated to soliciting subscriptions for the newly formed Flin Flon Daily Reminder and he did all of North Ross Lake and then delivered the papers for about two years. Marilyn did the same in Willowvale. Then Ken delivered groceries for Harold Wiig at the Ross Lake Groceteria (where Vic's Vic's Decorating Supplies is now). Ken delivered the groceries in the summer with his bike and in the winter he used a pull sled. He delivered all over Flin Flon for a charge of 10 cents a delivery. In a good month he made $10. Ken lived in Ross Lake for part of his growing up years. He continued on at Birchview School till he finished grade 6 when he then went up the hill to Hapnot for Junior High (with the exception of grade 8 being at Terrace School). Ken had a somewhat brief hockey career. He went on to say that, "In 1949/50 there were too many midget aged players to fill the teams that were accomodated at Main Rink. "So, therefore the minor hockey executive decided to run a midget "B" league on the outdoor rink at Foster Park. "The less talented 15 and 16 year-olds were assigned to four teams in this league and they played twice a week. "I played for the team known as the Royal Drug team which was coached by Len and Jack Lavitt who owned and operated the store which is now Vic's Decorating Supplies." The team members that Ken played with he can't recall. However, he does remember that most of the "B"players graduated to the Main Rink for the 50/51 season and Ken played for the Kinsmen midgets coached by John Meyers of the Club News. That team won the league championship and some of the members of the team were: Eddie White, Erv Hilliard, George Bryson, Wayne Hogaboam, Ken Hanson, Irving Jacobson, Steve Yurkemik and Bernard Grimmelt. The family members always were great hockey fans. Marilyn's father Gordon Martin was actually president and manager of the Senior Bomber team for awhile and was also the manager of the Junior Bombers in the 1960s. Ken continued his work career while attending school. He was recommended by a teacher to take the position at Floch's Bakery as a bookkeeper while he was still in school and he also learned how to make bread, as well as deliver it. (Floch's owned two small green Austin trucks ). By this time he had a driver's license and some times he would be late with returning to work because things in Ken's life had taken a drastic change while he was in Junior High, because it was while he was in Junior High that he met the love of his life, Marilyn Martin. Marilyn Martin was born to Edna and Gordon Gerald Martin on April 10, 1935 at the Robertson's Hospital (where the Co-op Store is now). Marilyn's parents and older sister Jackie came to Flin Flon by train from Winnipeg in the early 1930s. Marilyn's dad came to Flin Flon to manage and be the pharmacist for the Gateway Drug Store on Main Street. People who worked in the Gateway Drugs with Mr. Martin were Dodie Beauchamp. Walter Genovy and Jack McGinnis. When Marilyn was born the family's first home was 71 First Avenue and they later moved to the upstairs of the store on Main Street. The family was still living there when Marilyn started her school career in kindergarten at the old Flin Flon Community Hall. Marilyn recalls her first teacher as Mrs. Ruth McPherson. Some of the kids in her class were Bill McGilvary, Gerry Anne Proudfoot, Norma Guttormson, Nita Morantz, Don Jones, Pat Caulfield and her playmate was Joan Andrews. Marilyn laughs, "We had a percussion band and we played in the Flin Flon Music Festival. We were all dressed up in Sailor suits." (Marilyn is still on stage as she graduated from the percussion band to the Flin Flon Glee Club and then on to the Flin Flon Community Choir, although we are still waiting for her first solo performance!) Marilyn smiles, "We learned more in kindergarten than just playing in the sand box!' In 1941 Marilyn went off to grade 1 at Main School. She recalls a teacher by the name of Miss Lynch and the principal at that time was Mr. McLennan. Some of the kids Marilyn went to school with at that time were Gail Barker, Dorothy Moore, Jean Watt, Sylvia Davies, Jackie and Gerry Simpson, Joan Workman, Audrey Cutt and Elizabeth Ariko. The kids would often be lined up down the street on a Saturday afternoon to get into the Northland Theatre, and to get into the "Fun Club" which was an event held before the movie. The emcee was George Vale and most often Deena Henry would win the singing contest, playing the piano and singing. Later in the Junior High years the Rex Theatre would hold a talent night in which the parents would attend as well. Marilyn recalls Voldie Hampson winning the singing contest. See 'Summer' P.# Con't from P.# In 1945 the family moved to Ross lake and Marilyn attended Birchview School with Mr. Bolton as principal and Ruby Arndt and Miss Brynelson as teachers. The kids walked to school often across Ross Lake in the winter, it didn't matter how cold it was! Then in the early 1950s Marilyn went up to Hapnot to go to Junior High School. In the summer the kids would spend their days at Phantom Lake. They would pack a lunch and perhaps take a few pennies to buy a treat. They would often take the free Red Cross swimming lessons courtesy of the Flin Flon Community Club. The kids would swim all day long often getting a sunburn, buy a treat from Jenny Woods who ran the concession and then those who were lucky enough to have saved a nickel would ride Doxie's bus home. The rest would trudge down the foot path (which always seemed longer going home), only to get up in the morning and do the whole procedure over again. Marilyn often got to go to Camp Whitney, first as a small child when her mother was the camp nurse, then later when she was about 12 years-old with Guides, and then again for a third time when she was lucky enough to have Nell Cutt as her leader. This lady was such a nice person and so good to the kids. She would often build a huge bonfire in her backyard and let Audrey and her friends roast potatoes there. "Remember there was no tin foil at that time. We would pass the salt shaker around and enjoy this delicious treat, only to discover later that our faces and hands were black with the soot," she said. In the winter the Main Rink (now known as Whitney Forum) was the place to go skating after school. There were also many outdoor rinks equipped with a "bunk house" to keep warm scattered all over the town site for the kids. Marilyn was in the Figure Skating Club and she went from a percussion musician to "a black bird in a pie". The kids used to slide on the rocks using cardboard by the hundred stairs at what was then known as Jubillee Park, and is now the Rotary Park. Marilyn wore so many seats out of her pants that her mother finally sewed a leather patch on her pants. "There were two ice slides made for us kids and we'd go like a bat out of heck!" she said. In the summer the women used to play baseball there. Some of the players were Mitzie Stein, Dodie Stewart, Mrs. Cassidy and Toddy Murray. The main attraction in the winter months were the Flin Flon Senior Bombers. The kids that came to the games had to sit in an enclosed screened area to prevent them from getting hit by the puck. There was always a security person stationed there with them. The players that are recalled who played or managed the team at that time were: Harry Moroz, Jimmy Skinner, Wally Warnick, Fred Bowman, Walt Cunningham, Angus Tabak, Cy Gilmore, Bud Simpson, Bert Wardle, Bud Turley, Ernie Westbury, Frankie Stewart, Sid Abel, Sid brown, Jim Wardle, Ray Enright, Bert Pelletier, Pinkie Davie, Hal and Red Brown, Slim Holdaway, Nick Iannone, Gordie Petire, Odie Low and Laurie Johnson. While the kids were at Hapnot, the young people from Ross Lake would congregate at the Candy Bar or at the Malt Shop (where Vic's Decorating Supplies is now) before heading for Teen Canteen. Some of the girls were Irene and Audrey Mearns, Norma Duncan, Audrey Abar, Elsie Dowhan, Voldie Hampson, Emily Bogash and Dorothy Shomperlin while some of the guys were Doug Hutchinson, Don Menzies, Howard Noa, Bob Stevenson, Ken Allen and Gerry Sauve. Ken was not in that group because he didn't like to dance! However, Marilyn had her eye on him by that time! "There was a dance every Friday night at the old Jubilee Hall where the Community Hall parking lot is now," smiles Marilyn. "The Rhythm Kings with Hugh McBratney, Del Byers, Wes Vickery, Roy Warren and Lawrence Halldorson would often play for us." Marilyn graduated from Hapnot in 1953 along with some of her classmates. There were over 40, so here are just a few: Ruby Turcotte, Karen Neilson, Delores Strand, Betty Lou Thompson, Nancy Spencer, Joan Ross, Betty Nisbet, Joesphine Gotthardt and Kathleen Fryer. Both Ken and Marilyn curled in high school. Ken went on to represent Hapnot in the Provincial Curling Championships in 1948 with Ray Adams as skip, Art Paskiw as third, Ken second and Glenn Barker as lead. They earned a record of two and three. Ken has gone out of town representing Flin Flon in the Seniors and in the Masters curling Provincials. See 'Golf' P.# Con't from P.# Marilyn has curled at Willowpark for 30 years and has repesented Flin Flon in the Senior Ladies Provincials. Ken has a somewhat shorter record at Willowpark. They golf at Phantom Lake in the summer and have for about 12 years. Ken started work at HBMS in 1952 and Marilyn and Ken were married in 1955. The family moved to Thompson for a short while and then Ken returned to HBMS and worked there till his retirement in October, 1992. They raised two kids in Flin Flon, Brenda and Ron. They are very proud grandparents of four grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Both Ken and Marilyn have had five generations of families who have lived in Flin Flon and worked at HBMS. They have no plans of leaving here. We sure would like to thank them for such a delightful history of growing up in Flin Flon. What a fun interview.
