- British Columbia, Canada, Marriage Index, 1872-1935 -
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Corinne Constance Hull
1928-2002
Corinne Hull, resident of Dawson Creek, British Columbia passed away on November 1, 2002 at 74 years of age. A memorial gathering was held November 6, 2002 at the Bergeron Funeral Chapel, Dawson Creek. Pastor Lew Wiegel officiated.
Corinne was born in 1928 and spent her childhood in and around Hythe, Alberta. In the 1940s, Corinne moved to Dawson Creek with her mother, Elsie. Surviving the explosion of 1943, Corinne then taught school in Baldor and Gundy.
Along the way, she met and married George Hull. Moving to the Rolla District, Corinne became a farm-wife and mother. From there she had a variety of jobs: from cooking to driving mail and taxi from Dawson Creek, across the Clayhurst Ferry to Bear Canyon.
She was a devoted mother and grandmother. Corinne always had time for art and travel. She traveled to many senior games (winning a medal) and meeting many friends along the way. She also spent many years with the Ladies Auxiliary of the Legion, serving time as president.
The last few years were hard on her, but she took great joy in spending time with grandchildren and the many friends she had mad over the years. Corinne will be sadly missed by her sons: Clare (Connie), Dale (Celeste), Darryle (Charlotte), Duwayne (Fanny), and all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Memorial Arrangements were entrusted to Bergeron Funeral Services & Crematorium Ltd., Dawson Creek, British Columbia.
Edith Mary Coutts
1934-2002
Edith Mary Coutts, lovingly known as ma, mom or grandma, resident of Rolla, was born on January 15, 1934 in St. John's, Newfoundland. She was the fifth child of Charles and Mary Ellen Johnson. Edith passed away on November 4th 2002, at the age of 68. She was predeceased by her mother, father, brothers, Ron, Art and Charles, sisters, Beatrice and Charlotte Marie.
Edith grew up in a mining community on a small island off the main coast of Newfoundland. She grew up accustomed to the sounds of the waves and water crashing off the cliffs. On June 1, 1960 Edith and her family arrived in Dawson Creek. She was amazed to see all the big lawns and fields of grass - completely unaware these were wheat and grain fields.
Edith also brought her accent and quaint Newfie expressions - which endeared her to all she met...she also brought along some of her mother's "Irish spit and fire in the eye" which would tend to keep things very interesting - and carries on in ALL her children...and there are signs of it the grandchildren.
Edith was married to Harold Coons in 1954. They had five children: Charlotte, John, Carol Ann, Bob and Mary Ellen. Harold passed away in 1965.
Edith married Bob Coutts on November 10, several years later, and two new additions were added, Barry and Blair. They later moved to the farm where Edith ran a mobile kitchen... running meals to the fields, driving trucks and whatever else needed to be done.
She was involved with the Royal Purple for years and held the position of "Honored Royal Lady", which she truly was. She had a great sense of humor, loved to joke and play tricks.
Her first grandchild, Dustin was born in 1981 and she thought nothing of feeding him ice cream for breakfast just because he wanted it. A few years later she was blessed with more grandchildren, Bailey, Dylan, Jonathan, Garrett and Riley, and she treasured every moment she shared with them.
Edith loved music, she loved to sing to the grandchildren, rumor has it they fell asleep so she'd stop, she did have a lovely voice and loved to play her keyboard. Once the kids grew up and left home... she had time to take piano lessons... which she truly loved, along with peonies, tiger lilies and her roses.
Edith was very fashion conscious, always a lady... dressed to perfection... that was what caught Bob's eye! She loved to sew, every outfit had matching shoes, purses, hats and jewelry, and oh how she loved jewelry, which Bob would surprise her with.
She will be so sadly missed by family and friends. We'll miss the Saskatoon pies!
It's been said that when you come to the end of all the light you know, its time to step into the great unknown. Faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen, either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you'll be taught to fly. Mom taught us to fly.
She will be lovingly remembered by husband, Bob, all of her children and grandchildren, brothers, Bill and Ed, and extended family and friends.
A memorial service was held on November 8, 2002 at the Bergeron Funeral Chapel, Dawson Creek. Memorial Arrangements were entrusted to Bergeron Funeral Services & Crematorium Ltd., Dawson Creek - Fort St. John, British Columbia.
Lewis Francis Burres
1908-2002
Lewis Francis Burres, resident of Dawson Creek, British Columbia, former resident of Eugene, Oregon, passed away in the Dawson Creek hospital on October 31, 2002, at the age of 93 years. A funeral service was held at 2:00 pm on Monday, November 11, 2002 with Pastor Roy Hubert officiating. Cremation followed.
Read by Darryl Peterson: Lewis Francis Burres or Lew, as we all knew him was born in Condon, Oregon, on December 14, 1908. Lew passed away in the Dawson Creek hospital on October 31, 2002, at the age of 93 years.
He was the first of seven children, born to Augustus and Lola Essa. He was joined by six brothers and sisters, who included Chester, Loretta, Jack, Louise, Kenneth, and Jay.
Lew is survived by his wife, Mary, of Dawson Creek, and children: Lew Burres Jr. or "Sonny" as Lew called him, of Oregon City, Oregon, Barbara (Ray) Burnett, of Gresham, Oregon, and stepchildren from a previous marriage Peggy (Steve) Weber, of Oregon City, Oregon. Also surviving are Mary's children: Terry Howes of Charlotte, North Carolina, Carolyn Howes of Hammond, Oregon, Doug (Linda) Howes, of Mission Viejo, California, Susan (Randy) Arlint of Grovedale, Alberta, and Juanita Alder of Clayton, California, as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Now all of us who knew Lew through the years, knew that while he did live to quite a lengthy age, he was able to pack a lot of things into his life. Lew grew up on the family ranch near Condon, Oregon, where he spent the first 18 years of his life. At the age of 18, Lew moved to Portland, Oregon, where he became a baker.
You will all remember his great sense of humor, and his ways of being a big tease. Lew loved to dance and his family tells that under the right circumstances, he could sing and yodel with the best. He owned an Indian motorcycle at one time - I'm sure that he turned people's heads with that. I have a mental picture in my mind - I'm sure that you do too.
Susan tells the story of how Lew used to let her and her siblings playfully put curlers in his hair. They had a good time doing it. A few times he was caught in this situation, when someone came to the door. If it was a salesman, Lew would go into a routine as if he was insane. The salesman would soon leave.
Lew was a very hard worker and was a good provider for his large family. Lew, Mary, and their family moved to Dawson Creek in 1963, to work on his brother, Chet's farm at Farmington, BC. Lew and Mary celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary on October 14, of this year.
Through the years, Lew could lay claim to many occupations, including being a ranch hand, a cat skinner, a baker, a grader operator, a building maintenance man, a truck driver, a truck driver trainer, Santa Claus, a logger, a mill worker, and I'm sure even with those, I've left out some things. Lew retired from his mill job at 75 years of age. Mary tells me that they traveled for approximately 10 years in their motor home, and spent about 10 winters in Arizona after his retirement - SO - what do you think of that for "packing" a lot of things into your lifetime?
I met Lew in March, 1973, when he came to work with us at South Peace Farms, 26 miles north of Dawson Creek. South Peace Farms was a pretty busy farm at that time, comprising of close to 40,000 acres with 6-40 employees throughout the season.
Some of the more humorous stories that I remember involving Lew would include:
Lew was the appointed driver to a newly acquired truck, our first with
air brakes. Now Lew didn't have an "air ticket" but we all, ncluding Lew, agreed that he should have one. After some time had passed, Lew reluctantly studied the air brake driver's manual to the point where he thought he could pass the test. He drove the truck to town, only to have the truck fail its inspection, done in those days by the driver examiner. They would not let Lew take the written test at that point, so Lew drove the truck home.
We proceeded to have the truck's faults corrected. (Realize that we had to use the truck on a regular basis, so getting everything fixed took a while.) In a couple of months time, we had the truck ready for inspection again. Lew took it to town, and it passed its' inspection. Unfortunately, this time Lew failed his written test. Lew drove the truck home, and he told me that he would try it one more time. Lew started studying again, and in time, he was ready to try it again. Wouldn't you know it; the truck failed its inspection this time, so it was a repeat performance all over again.
One day after this third try. Lew was driving the truck through Taylor. He was pulled over by the RCMP. It was a very cold and stormy, wintry day, the truck wasn't a new one, and one of the problems we had with it was that the drivers door would stick, making it hard to open from the inside. On this occasion, with the Mountie standing on the ground, about 4' below the drivers seat, Lew couldn't get the door open. Lew banged on it with his hands, and his shoulders, meanwhile rendering a very selective vocabulary towards the door. Lew finally got the door to open, but by this time, he was very "worked up". The process seemed to have intimidated the Mountie somewhat, because he timidly apologized for stopping him. He just wanted to let Lew know that he had a tail light that wasn't working. Thank goodness, he never asked to see Lew's drivers license. After that. I think Lew decided that he could get along quite well without the air ticket, and SO IT WAS!
Another incident that I'll never forget, took place one day when we had several combines harvesting a good crop of fescue seed. Lew's job was in the fescue shed unloading and auguring the fescue as the trucks brought it in from the field. The trucks were coming in fast and furious, and Lew was getting behind.
Finally, he jumped into his pickup and drove to the field, and proceeded to tell the combines to shut down while he got caught up. This didn't sit well with the combine crew foreman, who was soon in touch with me, telling me that Lew had shut the combines down. I told him to "crank" up again (He told me that they really hadn't shut down) and I would talk to Lew. I went out to the fescue shed and told Lew that we had to run the combines but we would get him some extra help and reorganize some things so that everyone could keep going. Well, about this time, Lew wasn't about to be told anything by anyone; he was holding an aluminum scoop shovel, which he threw an amazing distance (about 50 feet) and stomped out of the building, got in his car, and left. I called him later that evening, but as I remember it. I don't think he would talk to me, as I remember talking to Mary. He had told her to tell me that he might or might not be to work in the morning - he hadn't decided yet. I felt bad about the whole thing, but was relieved in the morning when Lew came driving in about 45 minutes early, in his usual manner, and picked up where he left off. He nor I never ever mentioned the previous day again. A final story, involved another area of Lew's important duties around the farm. Being the farm handyman, Lew could be kept quite busy in the off season, with 11 occupied homes, an office and bunkhouse, a shop, and all of the other outbuildings we had.
We had a municipal type sewer and water system, all professionally laid out when the farm was established. One cold winter, our sewer line to the office froze. We had a homemade steamer consisting of an old hot water tank, a propane torch, and about 150 feet of rubber steam hose. Once we started thawing a line, it was a 24 hour duty shift, to keep things from freezing up again before we had the line thawed out, Lew's job was to keep the fire going, water in the tank for steam and to push the steam hose forward 6-8" about every 20 minutes. He would sit in his pickup in between times, and doze, or "whatever". At that time, we had a burly, husky, shop foreman/mechanic living on the farm. He came to me one day, while Lew was on duty thawing this sewer line. He asked me if he could have Lew's job when Lew retired, as that looked like the best job on the farm. I promised him that we could sure consider him when that happened. About 3 months later, in mid-May, this same shop foreman came in and said that I could take him off the list for Lew's job. He had just driven by the farm sewer lagoon, and Lew was right in it, past his waist, wearing a pair of rubber waders, trying to get a drain pipe to flow. That was Lew, ready to do anything at anytime.
I have more stories, but I won't elaborate anymore. Lew was a very special person, and I am sure that everyone respected him for that. Personally, we always got along well, and enjoyed a relationship through the years during and after he left our employment. He will be missed by many.
Funeral Arrangements were entrusted to Bergeron Funeral Services & Crematorium Ltd., Dawson Creek - Fort St. John, British Columbia.
Wilfred Unrau
1925-2002
Wilfred Unrau died in the Dawson Creek & District Hospital on October 29, 2002. By request, Wilfred was cremated and no service was held.
Wilf left his native Manitoba in 1953 to become employed with the BC Ministry of Highways. Working as a machine operator, the following place names became regular stops and temporary homes for him. He made friends at McLeod Lake, Crooked River cabins, Windy Point, and Honeymoon Creek. After transferring to Dawson Creek, he lived at Mile 5 on the Alaska Highway, and then lived out his final years at Pouce Coupe.
He was a good neighbour and friend, whenever someone needed help, Wilf was always ready to help. He will be sadly missed by all.
Wilf's earthly sojourn came to its conclusion on the morning of October 29th, mercifully, his torment wasn‚t lengthy! Ecclesiastes 12:7 "Then shall the dust return to the earth as is was; and the spirit shall return to God who gave it."
He was predeceased by his parents, Peter J. and Maria Unrau, and his brother, Irwin.
Wilf is survived by his loving wife, Vi; brother, Norman (Joyce); sister, Dorothy (Peter) Penner; sister-in-law, Helen Unrau; nieces, nephews, step-daughters, Valerie and Judy; and a special step-grand-daughter, Casey-Lynn, as well as many friends.
Anyone wishing to do so, may make a donation in memory of Wilf to the:
South Peace Hospice & Palliative Care Society
Suite 101, 816-103rd Avenue, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 2G1
or to the:
Canadian Cancer Society
#102-1005-102nd Avenue, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 2B9
Cremation arrangements were entrusted to Bergeron Funeral Services & Crematorium Ltd., Dawson Creek - Fort St. John, British Columbia.
Emma Kvavig
1909-2003
Mrs. Emma Kvavig, beloved wife of the late Halfdan (Dan) Kvavig, passed away March 20, 2003 at the Pouce Coupe Care Home at the age of 93 years.
Emma leaves to cherish her memory, daughter Elinor (Floyed) Snortland, 11 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, son-in-law Phil Hanna, sisters Hilma (Arlo) Flo, Bricelyn, MN, Gina Hove and Anne Hylland, Lake Mille IA, numerous nieces, nephews, and special friends Harriet Torkelson and Sammie Campbell.
Emma was predeceased by her parents Knut & Caroline Knutson, a son in infancy, daughters Ethel and her husband Donnie Moore and Evelyn Hanna, grandchildren Ronnie Moore, Dale Hanna, and Dolores (Snortland) Palmer, sister Clara and her husband Lester Larson, brothers-in-law Lawrence Hylland, and Harold Hove.
Emma was born October 6, 1909 to Knut and Caroline Knutson of Whitman ND and while living there, she met Dan. They were married November 20, 1926. In March 1927, they moved to a homestead at North Rolla, BC. They had a family of three daughters. Emma said the happiest time of her life was when they lived on the farm and the girls were young. Emma loved gardening, raising a large garden of vegetables, which she canned. She sewed for her family and made quilts, knit sweaters, socks, and mitts. After her family grew up, she learnt to crochet. She loved to bake and entertain. When the grand and great grand children came each were special to her. She was a member of the North Rolla Ladies Aid and a life member of the Lakeview Women’s Institute. In 1964, they moved into Rolla. While living in Rolla, she worked for a while at Olichny’s Store. Her yard in Rolla had many flowers, which she enjoyed working in and was proud of. In August 1988, Emma moved into Dawson Creek. In 1994, she moved into the Pouce Coupe Care Home, where she resided until her passing.
A memorial service will be held in memory of Emma later in the spring in Dawson Creek, B.C.
Cremation arrangements were under the care of Reynars Funeral Home and Crematorium Dawson Creek, B.C.
Jacques Jean-Marie Monlezun
1928-2003
Jacques Monlezun passed away from a heart attack while on vacation with his wife Marjorie (Bradshaw) in Varadero, Cuba on March 13, 2003. A memorial service was held at 2:00 pm on Thursday, March 20, 2003 at the South Peace United Church, Dawson Creek, BC. Reverends Eric Read and Judy Hare officiated.
Jacques was born on June 28, 1928, in the city of Auch, Gers in Southwest France. At the age of eight, he lost his mother and was sent to live in an orphanage after his father became too ill to look after the children. He lived in the orphanage during the Depression and the Nazi Occupation. This experience was the defining force in his life.
In 1944, Jacques left the orphanage to work in a radio shop. One day, the owner of the shop told him to get out and never come back. Nearly fifty years later, Jacques revisited the owner and learned he had been working as a courier for the French Resistance and was ordered out because the operation had been discovered and was about to be raided.
In 1948, Jacques was conscripted into the French Air Force where he learned about aircraft electrical mechanics. Without family to visit, he used to stay in the barracks on weekends ironing clothes to earn some extra money. One day, he overloaded the electrical system and knocked out power to the base. The duty officer was so mad he had him arrested to teach him a lesson. But when his supervising officer found out, he released Jacques - he knew he was raised in an orphanage and didn’t need any more tough lessons.
After completing his military service, Jacques used the training he received in the Air Force to get a job at Tarbes-Lourdes International Airport.
In 1952, he sailed away from the hardship of postwar Europe to try his luck in Canada. He landed in Halifax with no money and he went on to Montreal, where he taught Spanish dancing, sang in a cabaret and worked at Dorval Airport.
Two years later, Jacques grew tired of Montreal and decided to go back to France. But first, he drove out West to see the rest of the country. When he got to Vancouver, he found British Columbia more to his liking and decided to stay. Jacques learned English, made friends and eventually moved to Prince George.
His first visit back to France, in August 1955, was a piece of Canadian aviation history. Jacques was one of only four passengers on C.P. Air’s very first transpolar air flight. The trip was made in a surplus Korean War DC-4, and when the plane landed in Greenland to refuel, Jacques had to be ferried to the airbase officer’s mess in a dogsled.
Jacques became a Canadian Citizen in Prince George in 1958, during the 100th anniversary celebration for the discovery of the Fraser River. He also maintained his French Citizenship. At a Hallowe’en party that year he met his future wife, Marjorie Bradshaw.
Jacques and Marge were married on August 8, 1959 and moved to Dawson Creek on Hallowe’en Night to open their first shop, Jacques Electromotive Sales & Service. Work was very slow in the beginning, and Jacques had to make most of the equipment for his business out of salvaged junk.
The newlyweds quickly made friends, put down roots in Dawson Creek, and eventually started a family - Paul (1964), Danielle (1967) and Anne-Marie (1968).
In 1971, Jacques Electric Motor Rewinding moved to a modern new building at 1533 - 97th Avenue. The business was recognized as one of the best of its kind in Western Canada and one of the most technologically modern in the world. In 1976, it was even profiled in an international trade magazine. That same year he hosted a successful electromotive industry convention in Dawson Creek.
As the business became established, Jacques also worked to help build Dawson Creek. In 1974, he ran for Alderman and co-founded the Mile Zero Shrine Club’s annual “International Night” fundraiser. He also hosted crêpe booths for several non-profit organizations and city functions.
In another brush with history, Jacques and his friend Dave Leoppky went to Moscow with Team Canada and were in the stands to see Paul Henderson score the winning goal in the 1972 Canada-Russia Hockey Series.
Jacques ran as the Liberal Candidate for Prince George-Peace River in the 1988 and 1993 Federal Elections. In 1997, he retired and sold Jacques Electric to his former employees. Soon after, he began a new career as a world traveller, doting grandfather and personal chef to his wife Marge.
Jacques Monlezun got everything he ever wanted to get out of his life... and more. He lived well, he loved strongly, and he made a difference in the world. He will be dearly missed by his wife and family.
Jacques leaves his wife Marjorie, son Paul Monlezun (Shelley) of Ottawa, Ontario, daughter Danielle Hanratty (Mike) of Edmonton, Alberta, daughter Anne-Marie Monlezun (Neil Muench) of Dawson Creek and three grandchildren, Lauren (5) and Cameron Monlezun (3) and Ashley Hanratty (2). He also is survived by his older sister Mimi Plana (the late Jeannot) of Semeac, France, and younger brother Marcel (Gilberte) of Repentigny, Quebec.
Adishatz! (“Goodbye” in the Gascon language Jacques spoke as a child.)
Expressions of sympathy may be made in memory of Jacques by way of a donation to the Dawson Creek & District Hospital Foundation, 11100-13th Street, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 3W8.
Memorial Arrangements were entrusted to Bergeron Funeral Services & Crematorium Ltd., Dawson Creek - Fort St. John, British Columbia.
