John Niemi came from Finland to Canada in 1903 to work in the Canmore coal mine. His wife, Maria, and daughters, Ida and Jennie, emigrated in 1911, followed by another daughter Lydia (Lucy) at a later date. Because Maria was superstitious about sailing on the brand new Titanic, they travelled on an older, smaller ship across the Atlantic.
After settling into a house in south Canmore (near Lawrence Grassi School), they added another daughter, Lily, and son, Johnny, to their family. While John worked underground, Maria ran a boarding house. The family’s life was centred in the Finnish community, speaking the native language and involved in making Finn rugs from strips of old clothing. The children helped their mother with household chores. Life was hard, but the Finns were self-reliant, the community strong.
Eventually the children grew up. Ida first married Henry Rekola, and later August Niemi. Lucy also married twice, the second time to Enoch Sorsa. Both families remained in Canmore. Lily married John Rantala and moved to Vancouver. Johnny married Jean Waugh. They had four children. Johnny, and most of his family, still live in Canmore.
Jennie, third daughter of John and Maria Niemi, was eight years old when she arrived. She liked to tell stories of her childhood in Finland and Canmore. In the old country, she owned just one pair of shoes, reserved for church days. Otherwise, she ran barefoot much of the time. In Canmore, she attended school for about three years, and helped her mother at home and at the Finn bath-house. At one time, she delivered milk from the dairy to the Canmore Hotel. She talked about imaginary play with rocks, of dolls made of sticks and corn husks.
In 1919, at sixteen years of age, Jennie married Sylvester Latvala, several years her senior. She loved to dance, encouraged by her husband. He played the violin and cornet for dances at the old YMCA, while Jennie danced the night away. Their son, Walter, was born in 1920, Arthur in 1927 and Martha in 1938.
Sylvester was seriously injured in a mine accident and wore a body cast for many years, until his death in 1950. Jennie and her sister, Ida Niemi, worked for several years at the Canmore Hospital, helping with laundry, cleaning and cooking duties.
Arthur Latvala was killed accidentally at sixteen years of age. Martha married Don Erechuk and they presently live in Spruce Grove. In 1945, Walter (“Silver”), the eldest son, married Goldie Summerhays, daughter of Ina Drake and Clarence Roy Summerhays, station agent in Canmore. Walter worked in the mine for many years, was switchman on the “old goat” for a time, and then was tipple foreman for ten years. The mine closure in 1979 was a severe blow, but Walter found work doing maintenance at the golf course and Trans-Alta.
The Latvalas first lived in a cabin behind the Bank of Montreal property and then moved to a small house on Policeman’s Creek, near the Rose and Crown building. Their home was shared with a succession of cats named “Boots”, and their three daughters, Judy, Donna and Betty. Judy died at age three in 1950 from an allergic reaction to an anaesthetic, just a few days after Goldie had given birth to Donna. Betty was born three years later.
As well as raising her daughters, Goldie shared her “heart of gold” with many in the community. She was volunteer hairdresser for many local ladies, cleaned their houses, served as president of Ralph Connor United Church Women’s Auxiliary, taught Sunday school, co-ordinated church turkey suppers. She and Walter enjoyed Legion dances, golfing and fishing. Through these years, Goldie endured many illnesses and surgeries, but she never let ill-health prevent her from living her life to the fullest. Her family and garden were her passions. She loved flowers, often providing beautiful floral arrangements for church services.
In 1963, when the girls were thirteen and ten, Jennie moved into Walter and Goldie’s home. The two women developed a wonderful, lasting friendship. Walter’s sudden death in 1994 was a terrible shock to the entire family. As Goldie’s ill health continued, Jennie was there to care for her, even though she, herself, was in her nineties. Goldie passed away in 1997, and Jennie, who had survived the loss of husband, children, grandchildren and a great granddaughter, moved to the Bow River Lodge. Once settled in, she continued enjoying life, playing games of cribbage and bingo, remaining interested and alert until her death in 1999 at ninety-five years of age.
Jennie’s granddaughters, Donna Heath and Betty Shellian, and their children, Lane and Kevin Crawford, Lindsay and Robert Shellian, enjoy reminiscing about “Nanny” and her reluctance to accept new ways of doing things. Marra’s was always “Cardo’s” to her. She never understood why she couldn’t keep her mailbox at the post office, refusing to be convinced that her mail could be safely delivered to the newly installed ‘superbox’. An independent, feisty lady to the end, much admired and loved by all who knew her, Jennie’s life is a lasting legacy in Canmore.
In Canmore Seniors at the Summit, ed. Canmore Seniors Association, 2000, p.159-161.
