The Semkew name has had a lot of history attached to it in terms of the town of Canmore. We begin the story with Mr. Mike Semkew who was born in 1891 in the European country of Austria. While reading an Austrian newspaper, he saw an ad for Canmore and came here via immigration as a trade miner, to build a new life and to start his own history.
In 1929, Millie came to Canada, sponsored by her cousin, Mrs. Andrew Miskow. She was all alone because the war had taken her family. They both left Austria, which was ruled by Poland, because they both wanted to better themselves and leave that wartorn country and horrible memories behind them. In Canmore is where Mike and Millie met.
They were married on August 22, 1930, in Canmore. Mike worked in Ontario for about six months before moving to Canmore to work in the mines. Mike and Millie had a family of three children, one boy and two girls. John Semkew passed away on November 21, 1979. Mary Semkew married Albert James and resides in Surrey, British Columbia, and Diane Semkew married Frank Long and lives in Canmore. Mike and Millie also have grandchildren: Rhonda James, Lorna James, Lawrence Semkew and John Bradley Semkew. They have one great granddaughter, Jennifer Semkew. Sad to say they have both passed away. Mike died on January 21, 1963 and Millie passed away many years later on December 22, 1991.
Mike and Millie Semkew have a substantial history in Canmore and their legacy is living on through their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
In Canmore Seniors at the Summit, ed. Canmore Seniors Association, 2000, p. 257.
