My mother, Margery La Marsh’s Birthday.
January 13th 2012
My mother was the ‘Airdrie Correspondent’ for the Rocky View News back in the 70’s. I seem to have picked up a bit of her passion in writing and reporting, so in memory of my mom and seeing as this was her birthday date, I thought I’d throw in a January 1975 column of hers…
FESTIVE SEASON IN AIRDRIE
BY MARGERY LA MARSH
Messages of congratulations are being received at the home of GLENN & LINDA O’NEILL on the arrival of their daughter on December 19, a wee sister for Travis. The proud grandparents are Mr. & Mrs. Shapka of Balzac.
Constable JOHN OLSON of Grimshaw, Alberta spent Christmas with his folks, Glen & Jean Olson.
Congratulations are extended to MR. & MRS. JIM STAPELY on their marriage on December 20 in Calgary. They have purchased Ed Kirkwood’s house and will be moving in shortly after the New Year. Jim was a former resident of Airdrie, had most of his schooling here. Airdrie extends a welcome to the happy couple.
DON & RUTH YANTZ and children motored to Saskatchewan to spend Christmas with Don’s folks. The amount of snow in Regina was unbelievable. Snow was piled 3’ to 4’ high on streets.
AL & BEV ANDERSON and family travelled to Lethbridge and Picture Butte to spend Christmas with relatives.
ROY & EV FOSTER motored to Gleichen to attend their daughter and son-in-law’s, Pat & Gordon Wilson’s 25th wedding anniversary on December 28th.
Congratulations are extended to MR. & MRS. SONNY GROSS on their marriage on Sat., Dec 28th in Calgary.
A number of folks in the Airdrie district will be saddened to hear of the passing of Harry Graham of Red Deer in Edmonton on Dec. 23rd at the age of 62. Grahams had farmed in the Airdrie district for a few years, and had also resided in Airdrie, then they moved to Red Deer. He leaves to mourn, his wife Willa, a son Peter of Grande Prairie and 3 daughters, Mrs. Marion Snowden of Edmonton, Mrs. Haner Morton of Ft. McMurray and Mrs. Sheila Raboud of Calgary. Airdrie expresses deepest sympathy to the family.
HENRY & PEGGY BENSTEAD spent Christmas with their daughter and son-in-law, Carol & Don Griesbrook at Brooks. The granddaughters Sandy & Holly accompanied their grandparents back to Airdrie after Christmas where they will spend part of their holidays.
DENISE BROOKS & BERT TIFFIN, both of Cranbrook, B.C. spent Christmas with Denise’s parents, Jerry & Phyllis Brooks.
LORNE SUTCLIFFE of Spirit River is home for the festive season with his dad Jack.
Cub and Scout organization will be sponsoring a TELEPHONE WHIST from Jan. 11 to Feb 1st. Anyone wishing to have a party at their home please contact Elsie Bailey 238-5963 or Juanita Parkinson 238-5965.
Get well wishes to BILL STANDIDGE & BOB BARRETT, both of Airdrie, and both on Calgary police force, who were injured in the shoot-out on Friday, Dec.20th.
Trent I am so pleased that you have started your blog. I have always enjoyed your posting on Facebook and will I am sure enjoy your blog as well. I am just new to the blogging scene so I have never posted before however I am going to give this a shot. When I was a kid growing up in Airdrie with my parents, Glen and Linda O'neil were our neighbours on one side and Bill Standidge and his family were our neighbours on the other side. I remember as if it were yestyerday when Bill was shot. He was a dogman with the Calgary Police Service. A crazed gunmen by the name of Phillipe Gagnon barricaded himself in the oil pit of a garage. The standoff lasted for many hours until the police brought in an armoured personal carrier from CFB Calgary and drove it through the garage flushing Gagnon out. He was shot and killed as he tried to run. I would look after Bill's police dog on occasion if they went away for a day or two.
ReplyDeleteWow! Excellent memory Wayne! You did gooooooooood. Your comment arrived safely! Didn't this incident take place in the Ramsey or Inglewood district? and wasn't there a detective killed in that shootout? Hm, his name just escapes me at the moment...Thanks for your comment, most enjoyable!
ReplyDeleteTrent, you indeed have a gift for writing as your Mother did.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the Phillipe Gagnon shooting, I remember that well. Det. Boyd Davidson, 43, was the one that was killed and six others were shot and injured. The Calgary Police SWAT Team was formed because of this incident.
If you remember where the old Penguin Carwash was in Calgary, it was just across the street in a back alley where it happened.
Also, it was outlawed in Calgary to have a oil pit in your garage after that, as Gagnon used it very effectively during the shootout.
I'll be looking forward to more of your blogging....
Wow again! You Clark guys have excellent memories! I do remember the Penguin Carwash and pass it quite frequently as a matter of fact. You sure remember well! Thanks for the reminder Ken!
ReplyDeleteLOL....my memory of the far past is quite good, but what happened just a few days ago is a real challenge.
ReplyDeleteHahahaha, I'm with you on that one Ken! Thanks again for your informative input!
ReplyDeleteI still seee Ed Kirkwood from time to time at Red Deer Rebels games. I remember one night when I was maybe 12 or 13 he caught a group of us that included myself, Carl Olsson, Scott Bennett, Greg Stewart, Randy Gross, Timmy Gross the Bjerkie boys raiding gardens. He and another mountie drove us all home to our parents in the police car at 1:00 am. I was sleeping in the backyard in a pup tent. I pulled the old "The door bell is broken" routine and told him I would have to go to the back door. He was way ahead of me and hit the siren immediately awaking my parents. He still chuckles about that.
ReplyDeleteBoy, there's some names from the past! I imagine your mom & dad and a few neighbors were 'chuckling' to! Randy's sister Judy just informed me that Randy recently broke his leg or ankle...had a little stumble on the basement stairs apparently. All is well Judy claims...thanks for the memory!
ReplyDelete