I came to Alberta in 1949, at age eleven, with my family, Roy and Edith Ritchie, one sister Joyce, and three brothers, Gerald, Bev and Ken. We lived out on a farm in Millarville for two years, then moved to Canmore in 1951.
My sister and husband George and family live in Edmonton; brother Gerry and wife Aileen and family live in Calgary; brother Bev and his family also live in Calgary; Ken and Pat Ritchie and daughter live in Canmore and a daughter lives in Strathmore.
I went to school in Canmore and later worked at Leong’s Cafe for Pauline and Jack. While working there, I met George Biggy. We were married in April, 1956. Before we were married in 1955, George’s house burnt down on Christmas Eve. We started to rebuild in 1956. The people of Canmore were great. They came out and poured cement and hammered nails. It’s one thing you just don’t see anymore.
In 1957 we had our daughter Valerie who has become very successful with cooking. She has worked at the Canmore Golf Club for seventeen years, catering for many of the parties.
Our son George Biggy Jr. came along in 1960. Thunderstone Quarries, the family business, has been in operation since 1961 and George is now the owner/ operator. He has a wife, Theresa, and four children: Kyle, Kyndra, Terianne, and Calvin. Val has three children – Michelle, Brandy and Garry, and a grandson Tyler.
George Biggy Sr. had a heart attack in 1974, and again in 1975. We took early retirement and did a lot of travelling, which we really enjoyed. George had a nickname (Cowboy) which was after his dad who came from the Ukraine in 1926. George’s dad liked to ride horses and on Sundays he would ride out to the Kananaskis, where he met his wife. They got married in 1928. She was from Poland. They had two sons, George and Alex. George’s dad was a miner and died of a heart attack coming out of the mine. George was eighteen at the time, and he was twenty-two when his mother died. Alex died in 1990. We all lived on the same corner as I do today.
George’s dad had cows, horses, chickens and a large garden. It was just like a farm around here. He built the first bridge across Tenth St. to get to his cows. The bridge was then called Cowboy’s Bridge and we, as well as many of the old-timers, still call the new bridge, Cowboy’s Bridge! George used to catch wild horses and break them. He had a horse corral, back in the 30’s, up above Thunderstone Quarries which is still there today. Today there is a road up past the Quarry named the George Biggy Sr. road.
When I first came to Canmore, there were wooden sidewalks. Everyone knew everyone else and everyone’s dogs! It was like one big family with everyone helping each other.
In the early years, we would have our holidays horseback riding up the trails to Marvel Lake and Assiniboine. We would stay in tents with Floyd Smith and his wife, who ran horse trail holidays. I didn’t like the thought of spending my holidays in a tent in the mountains, but the memories are wonderful. From horse holidays, we started travelling further. Our first big holiday was to Alaska in 1970 with our family and the family dog!
In 1970, we started a little business, the Curiosity Comer. We loved to travel around buying and finding antiques. We made burl tables and clocks and did a lot of collecting. I still run the shop today and enjoy visiting with the people.
My dad passed away in 1989, but my mom still lives in Canmore and we enjoy her very much, and her baking as well. George Sr. passed away in 1993, and I thought it was the end of everything, but we will always have great memories. I was blessed with seven grandchildren and one great-grandson, which makes five generations in Canmore. They are all so much fun to have around.
I belong to the Canmore Seniors Club where I have met a lot of great people and we all have a good time.
Eric Meili became my special friend, and we enjoy each other a great deal.
In Canmore Seniors at the Summit, ed. Canmore Seniors Association, 2000, p. 14.
