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.
Noreen Evans arrived in Flin Flon from Gilbert Plains in the fall of 1937 to spend a week visiting her brothers and sisters who were living here, before entering nursing at Brandon Mental. Noreen's sister, Laurel, worked in the Robinson Hospital, which was a very small hospital, only one storey, (where the Co-op is located now) and Laurel's husband Els Mahoney worked at Scheider's store. Noreen was also visiting Carrie and Gordon Clee. Gordon was a rigger at Hudson Bay Mining Smelting Company. One day while Noreen was visiting, she and Carrie decided to go for a walk uptown. They went into the Blue and White Store, (which was located where the Saan Store parking lot is now) and Noreen was introduced to Al Wisebaim (a brother to Joe) who was the manager/owner of the store. Al offered Noreen a job. "I was quite used to working in a grocery store, since during my school years in Gilbert Plains I had worked part time at the Red and White Store," she smiles. "So I took the job. There were groceries on one side of the store and dry goods on the other. I still figured that one day I would go into nursing." "Those Jewish boys sure took good care of me," laughs Noreen. "You see, in those days there were seven men for every woman. So, since Al knew just about everyone in town, when a guy would ask me out for a date, if Al whistled that meant I should say 'no!'" See 'Fate' P.# Con't from P.# But as fate would have it, one day Earl Watson walked into the Blue and White and Al did not whistle! Noreen and Earl were married in 1940. Noreen continued to work at the Blue and White till son Jim came along in 1942. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Dauphin were Earl went into the Air Force. "Jimmy had lots of dads in Dauphin," laughs Noreen, "because all the guys in the Air Force would carry him around on their shoulders. The forces is like one big family. We lived in Dauphin for four years till the closing of #7 and #10 airports." Noreen went on to say, "We came back to Flin Flon in 1946 and our daughter Cheryl was born in 1947 and then Heather came along in 1953. I worked between having the girls. Edra Johnson who was a Public Health Nurse asked me if I would like to come and work at the Kinsmen School with the mentally challenged children. I worked with Florence Easton till 1967 and then I retired when the School Division took over and moved the school to the old Ross Lake School building." Cheryl and Jamie Wardle used to work the summers at Paradise Lodge for Nancy and Dick Lovell, remembers Noreen. "However, the jobs started just before the girls wrote their exams. So Ruth Shomperlin and myself would fill in for them till school was finished!" Later, after the kids were grown, one summer the parks attendant at Bakers Narrows asked Noreen and another couple if they would run the Bakers Narrows Lodge, since it was sitting empty. "So," smiles Noreen, "I had a hand in that for awhile." When asked when she got involved in her painting, Noreen relates, "Well, I had two aunts by marriage, who were painters and I'd watch them as a child. I started with colored chalks, then water colours and then oils. Now though, I prefer acrylics because in acrylics you can fix your errors up Ñ if you can see them!" "Several years ago there was a contest in town for a town mascot. There were several entries and the final two: one was a prospector type done by a retired RCMP member, and the other was the cartoon type done by a jeweler. Well, they pick the cartoon type and the Chamber of Commerce asked me to paint a replica into a larger size." Noreen first got involved in a Glee Club production when her girls were taking ballet with Lena O'Neal. Earl had a fine tenor voice and was doing Brigadoon and Noreen started painting the stage sets. "I painted for many long years," she smiles. "I would work all day and then go to the Community Hall and paint till 10 or 11 o'clock at night. I did Oklahoma, My Fair Lady and umpteen dozen more. I just can't remember now. They were good days, we had a lot of fun." Noreen goes on to say, "I taught painting classes for five years at the Northern Lights Manor. There were some good painters at the manor, especially Mrs. Husband. I also taught kids at Keewatin before the actual school was there. Gladys Nomeland and I are about the only ones left from the Art Club. But now, I prefer to paint at home. I just got too tired, hauling paints, canvasses and brushes all over the place!" See 'Donated' P.# Con't from P.# Noreen said, "I was in Kinettes for years after they were established in the basement of the old St. Ann's Church on Church Street." "I have given many of my pictures away through the years, such as to VIPs through Inner Wheel as mementos of visits here. Others to Rotary, Presbyterian Church and the Catholic Women's League. I just paint for the fun of it." "When Earl was president of Rotary and he'd have a convention or something, I'd paint 250 pictures for all the Rotarian wives. I also painted the same number of placemats and have actually done three series of them for Rotary occasions." Noreen just smiles, "It is what I do!" Earl served on Town Council for many years. After leaving the Company and the Zinc Plant where he worked he took a job at Town Hall and was the first to graduate from the course required by the government for secretary treasurer. The job was later taken on by Ken Shoemaker. Both Noreen and Earl received the Paul Harris Award for service with the Rotary. Earl passed away in 1988. Noreen continues to paint and is very involved with her family as well as the United Church Women's League. She fondly remembers the "old" United Church on Hill Street and some of the ministers she recalls were: MacLean (who left and went into the RCAF), Rutley, Parker and later Foster and Bigelow. "One year I started collecting frogs. Don't ask me why! I just think they're cute in an ugly sort of way. Anyhow I now have over 250 of them," she laughs. "I got them for birthdays, Mother's Day, you name it, I got one!" Noreen lives in her tiny home on First Avenue with her memories surrounding her. "I don't care what people do with my stuff when I'm gone. They can pile it in a heap and burn it, but right now, I need it around me!" She went on to say that these things are "memories". "My friends are dying all around me," she commented. She added, "I don't mean to sound glum, that is just the way it is!" She smiles, "I am happy and still have my health. I love my life and will never leave Flin Flon!" Then she laughs, "I go over to the Northern Lights Manor to visit my friends and I walk out of there feeling like a million dollars! Outside of my 'wonky legs' I am feeling pretty good." Noreen enjoys her six grandchildren and five great grandchildren. She is also very proud to say that she was an International Women's Day nominee in 2004. Thanks so much for the great memories, and for 85 years-old you still have a great memory and wonderful sense of humour, Noreen! Thanks for sharing with us!
