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.
Victor Bowes came to Flin Flon from Swan River in 1928, getting a job at HBMS and building a log cabin for his family on Flin Flon Point. His family of wife Isobel (known as Issie), four year-old son Walter, two year-old Victoria (known as Babe) and six week-old Beatty followed in January of 1929. The family travelled by train and then from the 'station' at Mile 86 came across Flin Flon Lake on a Bombardier, however the family only got about half way across the lake when they ran out of gas. Babe smiles, "I've been told that Mom picked up Beatty, Dad hiked me up on his shoulders and Sonny (Walter) grabbed the dog and away we went, heading for home! Home was a small log house with straw stuffed in sacks for beds." "Our neighbours were the Krassilowsky family with three sons, Vic, Alex and Pete, and there were also two girls but I can't remember their names," states Babe. "There were the Foster family who had Val at that time, the Campbells who had Connie, Allastair, Glen and Neil, the Finches, Ralph and Louise Bloomfield, Jack and Monty Holmes families." In the fall of 1931 Babe started school at the "little red school house". This meant a far walk for a little tyke across Company property, along the railway tracks to the school house, which would have been where the hospital is now. The family only came to town on payday to get their groceries at Ostry's. See 'Getting' P.# Con't from P.# Mrs. Bowes owned the first and only cow that was brought to town by Mr. Channing. She would supply all the children on Flin Flon Point with milk. However, one day she noticed that the cow had been disappearing and when it came back it was dry. Well, she decided that she'd get to the bottom of this, so with a big stick in hand, she followed the cow one day. She rounded the corner at the tracks on Mile 86 and there was a man, pail in hand milking her cow! She reportedly marched up to the man and said, "I'll take that pail and I want you to know that you are stealing milk from the mouths of our children!" With that, away she went with the milk pail and the cow in tow. Babe laughs, "Another time as kids Glen Campbell and I were playing house in the bush. We were using orange crates to store our 'dishes' and we decided to take another orange crate and build a fire! Well, the next thing you know we have started the bush on fire! And I go running to my mom who hands me the slop pail and the fire is quickly extinguished!" Babe also recalls another time when there was quite a major bush fire and she says, "Mom just put all us kids in a small boat, hopped in, and we sat in the middle of Flin Flon Lake with 'ring side seats' watching the men put the fire out!" Babe relates another time when Walter was quite sick, during the time of an early strike and "Mom carried him through the picket line with the help of picket breakers who carried big sticks to the Company Hospital where Walter got treatment. And that night Donni Jobin Ñ who was a nurse Ñ stayed at our house all night keeping an eye on Walter." The family moved into town around 1933 to 45 Church Street, and June was born at the Company Hospital. Beatty also started kindergarten at the old Community Hall in a room upstairs. Beatty laughs, "Yeah, there were three students Ñ me, Betty Storey and Pat Donaghy!" When asked about their earliest memories of Main Street, this is what they came up with: On the right side going north there were Eaton's, Woolworth's, some family homes, Eadies, Lasts, Maple Leaf Apartments and City Hall. Then on the next street there were the Blue and White General Store (with Rudy Singbell, Anne Loeffler, Ruth Charge, Anne Leafloor, Ruth McKenzie and Leo Grozny), P&G Bakery, Corona Hotel, Mary Jayne Shoppe (later moved down the street), Nasselquist's Jewellers, Milt's, Royal Hotel, Allan's Drycleaners, Joe's Taxi, Club News, Golden Gate Caf, Rex Theatre, Bell's Hardware and Ostry's, with the Salisbury House and the Post Office right behind Ostry's. Hendy Henderson was the postmaster. On the left side going north were private homes such as the Leasks, Guymers, Campbells, Kitchens, Burrows, an apartment block where Clarence Merrell and the Purdy family lived. Next street, where the library is now, was the Richmond Hotel, Dembinsky's, Fruit and Produce, Sulisz Tailors, Keddie Hardware, Hankin's, Scheider's and then Lamontagne's (later to become W.B. Hardware), Siryj Drycleaners, Burkett's Drug Store, Northland Theatre, Lewis Jewellers, Northern Caf, Tubby's Dress Shop, and the Flin Flon Hotel. Babe went to Main School and to Hapnot School until grade 11 when she went to Notre Dame at Wilcox, Saskatchewan along with Mary Rujak, Ish Holmes, the Sullivans and Babe Evans. During her growing up years, Babe was a speed skater, enjoyed going out to Beaver Lake where the family had a cabin in the early years, having to go by boat part of the way, berry picking and fishing. Babe walked out to Phantom Lake very often to swim and play tennis. She also enjoyed going to the Jubilee Hall to dances. Babe started work at HBMS in 1947 working in the pay office along with Kay Smith, Mary Elander, Jean Simons and Marg Moonie. Babe met Cliff McCullum in 1947 while skating on Hapnot Lake with Art and Arnold Pasieka. Cliff worked at Western Groceries delivering groceries and Wilma Gallagher was doing the books at that time. Babe and Cliff were married in 1948 at the Lutheran Church because the United Church had burned down. The couple's first home was in a suite at 20 Hill Street and later they bought 19 Church Street. Beatty attended Main School and Hapnot School while she worked at the Northland Theatre with Helen Nowasad, and at The Bay and the Royal Drugs after school. Once Beatty was finished school she got a job at the Bank of Commerce for a while. She met Del Byers at a dance at the Jubilee Hall in 1948 and they were married in 1952. June attended Main School and Hapnot School as well, but took her grade 11 at the Sion Convent in Saskatoon along with Rita Fortier (Beauchamp) and the Mahan sisters. When June finished school she worked for HBMS in the cafeteria in 1950 along with Rita Fortier, Clara Baker, Lee Kadas, Adelle Hampson, Elsie and Pearly Billy, Clara Ramsey and Jerry and Adolph Stringer who were the cooks. In 1951 June joined the Canadian Armed Forces taking her basic training at St. John's, Quebec, Aylmer and Trenton, Ontario and then she went on to Metz, France and then to 4-Wing in Germany along with Rita Fortier (Beauchamp), Clara Baker, and Edna Krassilowsky. June got out of the services in 1956 and got a job with HBMS in data processing. She met Wayne Johnson (you guessed it) at the Jubilee Hall at a dance in 1956. They were married in 1957. All three girls curled through the years. However, Beatty was the champion of the family winning three HBMS watches (which were the grand prize of the bonspiel and meant that you never lost a game!), and she and Tina Konik both received silver brooms for curling 25 years together! Other members of the team who came on board for quite awhile were Joyce Trueman and Wilma Gallagher. Babe curled third for Marg McBratney for many years. June curled mainly mixed with her kids because the family was "on the move" from about '57 to '70 due to Wayne's job with the bank. The girls have no plans of leaving this area. "This is home and always will be!" They all used to go to Tucson, Arizona for the winter, however Cliff and Babe spend all their time in Canada now, mainly at Denare Beach. Beatty and Del, as well and June and Wayne, have permanent homes at Denare Beach although they still go south for the winter. Babe and Cliff have three kids: Beryl, who lives in Airdrie, Alberta; Dawna, who lives in Millet, Alberta, and has two children, Scott and Dani; and son Scott lives at Denare Beach and has a son Casey, Beatty and Del had Motor and Tippy, both deceased. June and Wayne have Debbie, who lives in Edmonton, and has Nathan, Nola, Amy and Evan; Sandy, who lives at Denare Beach; Kelly, who lives in Winnipeg and has Stephanie and Valerie; Victor, who lives in Moose Jaw and has Darien and Laina; and then Signe, who passed away in 1984. Thanks so much for the memories ladies. This makes a very interesting story and we appreciate your sharing with us!
