We moved to Canmore from Sudbury, Ontario. Bud was at the college there and I worked at Gougeon Insurance. We attended the United Church. It was a modern designed building – apartments, a church that had comfortable chairs and no pews. Everything could be moved and the church could be used for concerts, etc. Very different for us but we loved our time in Sudbury.
Bud had moved from Hamilton to New Liskeard. I grew up in New Liskeard and when I cast my line, I caught Bud. I was lucky. He worked at the Wabi Iron Works. My favorite employment was paymaster at HCF. To me it was like being a mother seeing what they took home and how they lived. It was only a town but so many people worked at HCF. It was war time. The only thing about that job was the boss expected you to follow your husband when he enlisted.
We attended Bud’s niece’s wedding in Vancouver and Bud made the remark he wished he worked in Vancouver in the mountains. Well, the next summer, we travelled the Okanagan Valley and didn’t find anything we liked. The following February we received a letter from our daughter, Norma, in Vancouver and she didn’t sound very well to me. So I travelled by bus from Sudbury and went to see her. She had double pneumonia. The bus I was on came into Canmore. Do I need to say more? Bud told me to stop here on my way home and get information. By the time I got home he had a moving truck and our belongings were packed into it. It was a fun trip – Bud drove the truck and I the car.
One day someone asked me if my husband liked where I had brought him. So I asked him and he said “Yes.” Sunday we went to church and met some very nice people who became good friends. A big project of Ralph Connor Memorial United Church was the hundredth anniversary celebration. The little children’s choir and the women’s choir were really excellent. Laura Bracco represented the Finnish ladies. During the presentation, her husband, John, played the part of a drunken husband very well as he came staggering up the aisle. At the first board meeting they were at the table on stage. It was hilarious. Bud was a board member from England. He asked them to explain what a round house was. To close the meeting Bud sang “Bless This House”. Five men formed the brass quintet and Bud enjoyed playing with them. But all good things come to an end – one chap moved away. Jean Slaght’s handbell ringers was another activity in which Bud participated.
The choir was another favorite. There was a UCW at the time of the hundredth celebration and we did many things. What surprised me the most was when it was announced we would like to help the women’s shelter in Calgary with furniture, the truck was full in no time with many things like dressers, beds, TVs, linen, even a table and chairs for children.
We needed a new car so I asked Bud if I could buy a brand new car. He agreed so I babysat and how I loved those dear little souls and their moms and dads. They were the ages of our own grandchildren. I couldn’t have managed if Bud hadn’t been around. When they wanted some TLC they would climb up on his knee and sit curled up and Bud read. This was really the best time of our lives. I can’t believe they are grown up and in high school or university.
Evelene and Bud Wignall with their family – Janet, Jim, Norma, Ralph and grandchildren
Evelene and Bud Wignall at their fiftieth wedding anniversary
In Canmore Seniors at the Summit, ed. Canmore Seniors Association, 2000, p. 301-302.
