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.
Norm LeClerc arrived in Flin Flon in May of 1939 at the age of 10 years. He was an orphan, his mother had died when he was four and his dad when he was 10. (There were nine children in the family and all the kids were "farmed" out to relatives or to orphanages. Norm lived with his grandparents for a short while before coming to Flin Flon to live with his uncle Fred LeClerc.) Norm is a stickler for exact dates and all he could remember about coming here in May was that enroute, he had stopped in Winnipeg and had seen the parade of King George and the Queen Mother, just before he came to Flin Flon. Norm's uncle Fred had come to Flin Flon in 1928 after being hired on at HBMS in The Pas (that is where people were hired in those days). Norm's uncle drove a team of horses up to Flin Flon and began the job of clearing land for the land site for HBMS. Norm recalls that when he arrived in Flin Flon directly from Quebec, he spoke no English. He remembers having Jeanne Reagan as his religion teacher. He went to Hapnot which at that time was a little three room school house and although Norm was 10 years old, he was placed into grade 2 because of the language barrier. Norm recalls first living at 48 Callinan till 1960. See 'Early' P.# Con't from P.# Norm remembers some of the first families who lived in Flin Flon back then: the Krassilowsky family, the Mike Zollen family, the Charbonneau family and the Floch family. He also remembers that everything was delivered in those days, ice, bread and milk, and that his German Shepherd dog really didn't like the milkman and yet didn't mind the other delivery people. Norm figured it was because the milkman also took something away (the milk bottles, and that was why the dog didn't like him!) Norm started working at Hudson Bay Mining as a summer student working on the junior bull gang and in the machine shop. Then in 1949 after graduating from grade 11, he was hired on full time on the construction gang Ð a job he worked at for a year and a half. He remembers that Jim Callin was his foreman and he also remembers working with George Muir. Then Norm went to the pipe gang in February, 1951 with Vic Bowes as his foreman and Jock Thompson as the sub-foreman. He remembers working with Serge Richer, Norm Murphy, Ted Gray, Ken Hoffman and Art Hudon in the early years. Norm worked there till 1983 when he went to Cliff Lake where he was responsible for the water management for the reservoir and for Trout Lake. Norm retired from HBMS in October of 1993. Norm raised four children, two daughters, Cathy and Rose Marie as well as his two sons, Roger and Joey. Norm first got involved with Camp Whitney in the summer of 1940 as a cub even though he still had a problem with English at that time. Norm went through the ranks of the scouting movement eventually becoming a scout master at 18 years of age. (The following names were taken off sticks in which the boys had written their names in pencil, and after 60 years, they are hard to read!) Some of the people he remembers at the camp, during July 7-17, 1942 were: Leaders Neil McLennan and Martin Danard with the patrols being Antelopes with Thor Guttormsson as patrol leader and Ronald Scheider, Ed Gardewine, Don Lockart and Jimmy Bell. In the Nighthawks the patrol leader was Harvey Lamont with Keith Lamont, Lorne McFaddin, Bob Lau, Oaklay Southern and Leonard S?. In the King Birds patrol the leader was Douglas Danard with James Camsell, Ronald Sharp, Keith McDonald, Paddy Donaghy and Peter ?. In the Squirrels patrol the leader was Morley McKenzie, Douglas Evans, Vernon McKague, Clarence Soltis, Andy Kristoff and Norm LeClerc. In the Falcons patrol the leader was Neil Morrison with Ralph Adams, Morley McPherson and Leslie Fregin. In July 2-12, 1943 the scouts were: Leaders Neil McLennan, Fred Duval and 'Caribou Bill' Anger, who was also the handy man and cook looking after the cook shack and the dining hall. (He was also known for biking across Canada and for hitting a golf ball from Cranberry Portage to Flin Flon, all the way over the old highway). In the King Birds patrol that year were: Ron Camsell as the leader with Keith Lamont, John Poitras, Norman Anderson, Frank Scheider, Leslie Fregin, Don Lockart and Donald Bryson. In the Falcons patrol, L. Brough was the leader with Norm LeClerc, F. O. Southern, Ralph Adams, G. M. May, Bob Lau, Jim Sorenson and Vern McKague. In the Night Hawks patrol, Art Lyon was the leader with E. Rowlett, Jim Bryson, Ron Schieder, H. Hammell. Gary East and A. G. Slade. In the Squirrels patrol that year, Keith MacDonald was the leader with Paddy Donaghy, Bob Fryer, Leslie ?, Melvin Hammell, Morris Morin, Edward Slade and J. Stone. In July 4-14, 1944, the scout camp had Neil McLennan, Harry Hill, Caribou Bill, Joe Stone and M. Loeffler as the leaders. In the Wolves patrol Bruce Evans was the leader with Walter Smatana, Roy Lockart and M. Hammell. The Night Hawks had Elmer Booth as their leader with Steve Kristoff, Bill Stait, Joe Sattelberger, Ray Booth and Bernard Cluff. The Falcons had Norm LeClerc as leader with Leo Pelletier, Walter McAdoo, Frank Keks, Garry Last, Elwood strom, Jack ?, and Joe Christianson. In the Eagles patrol the leader was Ralph Adams with Bob Mote, Don Lockart, Bill Robillard, H. Hammell, Rex Cutt, Lou Floch and Scott ?. In the Mustangs Oakley ? was the leader with Bob Lau, L. Clay, Roy MacDonald, B. Arthurs, B. Wood, E. G. Slade and R. unable to read the name. To get to Camp Whitney in those days, everyone boarded the train at the Flin Flon Station. There was a "siding" at the south end of Schist Lake as well as the Athapap Station just before Camp Whitney. Then there was a siding at Mill Water. There were also three bridges that the train crossed, one was the Limestone bridge, one was called the Tin Can Narrows bridge and the other was Mill Water. At Camp Whitney in those days there were usually eight boys to a cabin (which had wooden sides and a canvas roof). Then there were five cabins, a dining hall and a cook house. During the war, Norm joined many of the scouts collecting articles like paper and tires for the war effort. Both sons Roger and Joe were involved in the scout movement in the early 70s as cubs. At the age of 16 Joe went into what was called the Rovers. Norm also helped teach the Girl Guides, in which his daughters were involved, teaching them how to tie knots as well as teaching first aid. See 'Knight' P.# Con't from P.# Norm stayed involved with Camp Whitney till 1953 when he had to work shift work and just couldn't give the time he wanted to. Happy Reles took over from Norm. All work done at Camp Whitney was volunteer with the exception of the fireplace that was installed by HBMS employees Abe Pogue and Jack Allen. This fireplace was put into the Elks pavilion in the late 40s, early 50s. Norm became a Knight with the Knights of Columbus in 1959 and got involved with the bicycle safety program that was originally started by Cst. Bob Beaudette in 1957. Norm was involved in many associations, giving freely of his time. For example: - the Mechanical and Construction Recreation Club for 20 years as treasurer; - the Death Benefit Program at HBMS where he held the position of treasurer (for five years) till his retirement; - he was an elected member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union for over 20 years and held the position of secretary treasurer; - treasurer for the Flin Flon Creighton Masters Curling Club for over 10 years. Norm started curling when he was in grade 9 at school and curled till 1955 when shift work once again interfered. He went associate but that didn't work out. Then Jack Scott got Norm curling again when a different format was set up allowing shift workers to get back into the game. Norm curled with Jack for eight years till retirement. Now Norm curls in the Hot Stove League twice a week. Norm is very involved with his church involved in such activities as reader during Mass, Eucharist Minister, and he also served on the board of Sir Maurice Roche as chairman. (Sir Maurice Roche was a private Catholic School that ran from 1958 till 1972). Norm laughs, "I have handled people's money for many years". This started with the scouts, as in the Patrol everyone brought a nickel each week, that Norm collected. In school bowling he collected the prize money and at work he collected money for the coffee pool and bought supplies. He looked after the money for the union, the Rec. Club, the Death Benefit Program, the K of C and the Masters Curling Club. "I guess people must think I am trust worthy!" Norm has been really lucky health wise. He said, "I had my tonsils out in 1939 before I went to school. Then I had both eyes operated on in 1997 for cataracts. I had hernia surgery in 2002 on one side then in 2003 on the other. Medically I have had a good life." Norm had been retired for 10 years. When asked what he does in his spare time, he just smiles as if to say, "what spare time?" He enjoys 10 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. One of his daughters, after reading a proof copy of this article, commented on how her dad "would never blow his own horn", so she mentioned that "he was also a King Scout, and made many innovative suggestions that were used at his work site at HBMS where he worked for 42 years." What a busy, productive life this man has had Ð and continues to have! Thanks for the memories, Norm.
