Smuttell, Michael
In 1974 Michael and Myrtle travelled to Texas for the winter. The following year they purchased a mobile home in Mesa, Arizona where they spent many enjoyable winters with their new friends. In July 1983 they fulfilled a dream of Myrtle's by taking a twenty-day tour of Europe. While visiting Amsterdam two days before they were to return home, Myrtle suffered a fatal heart attack. Michael continued to spend his winters in Mesa until 1992. In 1990 Michael moved to Winnipeg where he presently resides by himself near Marion and Bill. He continues to enjoy good health. He spends summers at the lake with Allan and Marion and their families and travels to St. Albert to visit Donna and her family. He celebrated his 90th birthday in 1997 with all of his family present.

Smuttell, Allan
Allan married Karen Russell in 1967. They have a family of one girl (Heather) and two boys (Jeff and Daryl) and two grandchildren, who all live in Manitoba. Karen passed away in 1998. Allan completed thirty-five years of service with Manitoba Hydro and retired in December 1999. He has resided in Selkirk, Manitoba for twenty-five years.

Steen, Geraldine
My history of younger days was written up in the first history of Crandall, 1971. Lois Geraldine Eaton Doupe was born June 28, 1918, the youngest daughter of Gordon and Prue Doupe. I married Ernest Rinaldo Steen, better known as Mickey, in 1941 and we lived on a farm south of Oak Lake, Manitoba. In 1943, Mick joined the forces and was stationed at Shilo and Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, and it was at that time that we moved into Oak Lake.
Our daughter, Marjorie Isabelle Steen was born in 1944 at Virden Hospital. Our son, Ernest Gordon Mickey Steen was born in 1945, also at Virden Hospital.
In 1948 Mick Sr. at the age of 28 was fatally injured in a truck accident at Calgary. Many changes happened during that time. My children and I came back to the Crandall area, and I tried different things. However, we did become very fortunate, as Dunc and Ken Smith needed a housekeeper on the farm. I took that job, and spent 30 years on their farm. Lots of work, but many happy years. My family and I were very fortunate to have a good home with Dunc and Ken, and will always appreciate and remember the kindness and consideration of those two men. Dunc passed away suddenly with heart trouble in 1957. We remained with Ken until Ken had to give up farming due to his health. He sold his farm to Barry and Adrienne Angus. We moved into Hamiota August 6, 1980. Ken had bought a lot on 2nd Street from Charlie and Nora Knight, and had a nice home built.
When we came to Hamiota, I joined the Hamiota United Church regular and senior choirs and the U.C.W. For many years, I still went back to Crandall U.C.W. and choir on special occasions; however, finally gave up that due to health reasons.
On March 4, 1997 due to heart disease, Ken passed away in his own home.
I am still in his home. Mardie married Don Lee of Crandall and they have their own history elsewhere.
At the present time, Mickey is in Winnipeg and works for Ackland- Grainger, Quotations Department. He enjoys hockey and curling in winter and ball in summer. When he is home on holidays he enjoys golf and visiting with friends in this area.
Life is like an onion; we tear off one layer at a time and sometimes we weep, but there is always a new day on its way with happier times. So let a "Smile be your umbrella"- it makes optimistic thinking easier. Positive thinking and happy thoughts do lighten the load the heart has to carry.

Stephenson, Edith (nee Ariss)
My husband Ken and I have lived in the Charleswood area of Winnipeg, Manitoba since 1971. In 1985 I obtained my certificate in Nursing Administration in Health Care from the University of Manitoba and I am presently the Unit Coordinator in charge of the Respiratory Unit at Deer Lodge Centre in Winnipeg. Ken achieved the rank of Master Warrant Officer and prior to his retirement in 1991 he served as Staff Officer with Air Reserve Technical Training Unit.
Our daughter Marcia attended school in Charleswood and graduated from Oak Park High in 1989. During her school years she was actively involved on sports teams and in baton. Throughout her high school and university years she held various part time jobs. Following graduation from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1993 she moved to Calgary, Alberta where she worked in retail management for 5 years. On May 18, 1996 Marcia married Edward (Ted) Gerlock, whom she met while attending school. Ted and Marcia reside in Northwest Calgary. They own their own business; Gemcor Inc. Ted consults as a directional driller in the oil industry. Marcia is enjoying her role as homemaker and mother. They have one daughter, Brittney Christine, born in 1998 and their second child born in 2000 a son, Tyler Michael Roy.
Over the past 20 years Ken and I have enjoyed many trips throughout Canada and the USA in our motor home. As I approach my retirement from nursing in 2002 we look forward to even greater opportunities to travel and spend more time with our family. I will always fondly remember the Crandall community in which the roots of my life were set. The ball tournaments, bonspiels, CGIT, 4-H and school created memories that will remain forever. Life in the city is very different and the willingness of rural neighbours to help out in times of need can never be equaled. The many good deeds shown to our family at Crandall will never be forgotten. It is truly sad that Crandall now is only a shadow of the vibrant community it was in the 50's and 60's. Thanks for the memories!

Stevenson, Alan, Marjorie and Family
When the chronicles of Crandall were written in 1971, we were still living in Brandon. Then our son, Pete, and his wife Sheila decided to buy their own home and moved. We moved as well and occupied a suite in a duplex. Our upper suite was exactly the same as the lower one, which was occupied by our landlord, Mr. Henry Taylor. When the Taylors decided to retire and sold to Mr. Walter Dinsdale in 1976, we moved to the Boreham Apartments on Confederation Bay. Our suite was on the second floor and we had the use of an elevator. We had some fun times with Dr. Ed Hudson's aunt, Helen Fraser who resided above us on the fourth floor. We were just across the road from K-Mart where shopping was handy and we enjoyed coffee at the restaurant, often meeting up with country folks who were in shopping.
Alan retired in 1985, and in the spring of 1986 we retired to the Morley House for seniors in Shoal Lake, Manitoba. The years have passed quickly and we have slowed down to a much slower pace. We are still mobile at the moment, with the help of a walker, cane or whatever is available. However, nice neighbours, a helpful family and lots of active grandchildren to keep us amused surround us.
Our daughter, Sylvia and her husband Ernie Drozda live in Shoal Lake where Ernie owns and operated Ernie Drozda Construction Ltd. and Lakeview Concrete Ltd. They have two daughters, now married and with families of their own. Shelley is a schoolteacher and Lisa a journalist. Shelley married Ed Robidoux, also a schoolteacher and they now reside in Binscarth. They have a family of three. Kalyn, 8, Aryn, 5, and Adam, 1. Lisa is married to George Lambert who is involved with computers and is a software developer. They reside in Winnipeg, Manitoba and have a family of two. Troy is 7 and in school. Amy is 3 and at home with Lisa who chose to leave her job to raise her family.
Our daughter, Lois and her husband, Phil Patterson, live in Carman, Manitoba, now having built their dream home last summer. Phil is semi-retired having been employed with the Hudson Bay Company and Northern Stores all his life. Lois is a nurse and is now employed in nearby Winkler, Manitoba where she enjoys her work and the people in the area. They have one daughter, Shannon who is a social worker in Toronto. Shannon doesn't show any interest in the culinary arts as yet. (Smart girl!)
Our son, Pete and his wife, Sheila live in Brandon. Pete has been a bookkeeper for Ernie Drozda for many years now, and Sheila is still teaching in Brandon. They have one daughter, Vicki. Vicki is a schoolteacher and is married to Todd Ardron who is also a schoolteacher. They have one son, Dustin (4) and Tanner born July 28, 2000. They now reside in Hartney, Manitoba, after teaching up north at Cross Lake First Nations School for four years. Vicki has decided to put her job on hold for a few years to raise their family. It's nice to have them closer to home so we can enjoy their company.
In 1971, my father, Gordon Doupe passed away and in 1981, Alan's mother Louise Stevenson, passed away. Both are laid to rest in the Crandall cemetery. Alan's sister Vivian Henry is widowed and lives in Calgary, Alberta as does her daughter Lynne and Ron Statz. Lynne and Ron have a family of three sons.
We will always have pleasant memories of Crandall. In the winter we drove to church with horses and sleigh, and we would see smoke curling upward from the fifty odd homes that were occupied in those days. With the advent of the electric and gas heat, we were spared the chore of lugging in wood to fill the wood box, the coalscuttle in winter and then dumping the ashes. We don't have to heat the copper boiler of water on the big black range in order to do the weekly laundry. Boy, have we got it easy! On looking back on the so-called "Good Old Days", those days were pretty good after all.

Strain, Ivan and Gail (nee Johnston)
Gail and Ivan Strain moved to Boissevain, Manitoba with Debby and Darcy in May 1969. Tracy (Spud) Strain was born in October of that year.
Ivan worked for the Boissevain Credit Union, and then in 1973 switched professions and went to work for CJRB radio, 1220 Boissevain. Where he is presently employed. Gail started to work for the Royal Bank of Canada on April 1, 1975 until April 3, 2000 when she took early retirement. Through the years Debby, Darcy and Spud completed their schooling in Boissevain and then went out into the work force.
Debby worked at the land titles office in Portage la Prairie where she met Jim Odlum from Pilot Mound, Manitoba. Jim is an auto body repair technician. They were married June 6, 1992 and moved to Brandon where Jim worked at Boyd Auto body. Debby worked for a film crew that was producing a movie in Brandon, and then when that was completed, went to work for MACC. In 1993, they had the opportunity to take a partnership in an auto body shop in Pilot Mound where they now own the Circle J Auto body. On January 4, 1996, their son Justin James Odlum was born. Justin is the first grandchild for Ivan and Gail. In 2000 their daughter Jamie Jennelle was born, a fifth grandchild for Ivan and Gail.
Darcy worked for Kimberley dark, drove a semi for NEWS Enterprises, Boissevain, then moved to the Waskada oil fields. In 1991, he started working for Chevron Canada Resources in Virden where he is presently employed. He met Sherri Eckel from Quinton, Saskatchewan and they were married on September 2, 1995. They purchased a farm northeast of Virden and reside there. Their son, Ethan Edward was born in 1997, the third grandchild for Ivan and Gail. Another son Mathew Wilbum was born in 2000 the sixth grandchild for Ivan and Gail. Darcy and his brother Spud are in partnership on an Equine ranch and you can see Percheron horses if you go to see Darcy. Sherri wants to get her son started in the horse business on a smaller scale so she has miniature horses.
Tracy (Spud) worked for UGG, and in 1992, quit to come back to Boissevain to operate the Equine Ranch and raise horses. The ranch is 1 mile south of Boissevain on Number 10 highway. He met Sharon Hainsworth from Deloraine, and they were married on April 8, 1995. Their son Dillon Richard was born in 1996, the second grandchild for Ivan and Gail. Their next child Cody Dawson born in 1999, fourth grandson for Ivan and Gail. Through the years the whole family has been involved in horses, and showing them on the fair circuit. You can see Percheron horses at any of the families places. The grandchildren are developing the same love of horses so we expect to see horses around the Strain, Odlum residences for a long time to come.

Taylor, Bill and Mac
Since the 1971 Crandall history book was compiled, our two sons. Bob and Brian, both completed high school in Hamiota. Bob took Business Administration at the Assiniboine Community College in Brandon, Manitoba and worked as a Government Clerk for Transport Canada, in Winnipeg, Manitoba for 24 years, one year with Nav. Canada and is now with the Federal Department of Citizenship and Immigration in Johnson Terminals Winnipeg, located at The Forks. In 1977 he married Susan Napper of Winnipeg. They had two sons, Jeffrey born in 1979 and Jamie born in 1981. Jamie passed away suddenly January 1998.
Our youngest son, Brian, worked at various jobs after finishing school, before deciding to farm. When Bill and I retired to Hamiota in 1980, he and his wife, the former Margie McGhee, whom he married in 1975, moved to the farm from their home in Hamiota. Margie has been a full time employee at the Hamiota Credit Union since 1974. Brian and Margie have one daughter, Mandy, born in 1983. She is active in high school basketball and volleyball, and has won many awards in the past few years at Canadian High School Rodeos. She is presently in grade 12 at Hamiota Collegiate. Until poor health affected Bill we enjoyed retirement years. We curled, golfed and played bridge and travelled across North America to Oregon, Arizona, Mexico, the Maritimes, Alaska and spent one winter in Victoria, British Columbia. Bill passed away suddenly, March 6, 1998 and is buried in the Hamiota Cemetery. I continue to live in our comfortable retirement home on 5th Street in Hamiota.

Thornton, Jodi Rae (nee Johnston)
Born in 1967 in Brandon, Manitoba Jodi, daughter of Dennis and Helen Johnston graduated from Shilo High School in 1985. She has received a Physical Education degree from the University of Manitoba. She also received an Education degree from the Brandon University. She is presently a "Stay-at- home" mom, but is starting to get the itch to go back to teaching.
Jodi met her husband, Kevin Michael Thornton, while attending the University of Manitoba. They were married in Brandon on May 18, 1991. Kevin was born in Fort Francis, Ontario in 1966. He practiced medicine in Dauphin, Manitoba. The Thornton family moved to Washburn, Wisconsin in January of 1996 where Kevin is now working as the Chief Physician of the Emergency Room at Memorial Medical Center in Ashland. He is also the Medical Director of Emergency Medical Services for the Ashland-Bayfield Counties, as well as the president of the Ashland-Bayfield counties Medical Society.
Jodi loves to "play" on the computer and has a new home based business. The family enjoys living on the shores of Lake Superior. They spend a great deal of time in the outdoors with boating, camping, scuba diving, fishing, etc.
Megan Emily Thornton was born in 1995 in Dauphin.
Kyle Michael Thornton was born in 1997 in Ashland, Wisconsin.

Tutkaluke, Stan and Anne
Stan and Anne Tutkaluke were married on June 22, 1957. We farmed in the Beulah district until 1964 before moving to Crandall. We purchased section 3-14-25 from Art Heise. Three children were born to us: Lorrie Anne- 1960, Valerie Joy- 1962 and Leslie James - J 1964. They all graduated from Hamiota High School.
Lorrie married David Johnston of Killarney, Manitoba on July 30, 1988. They live in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Lorrie is a Registered Nurse and a Registered Psychiatric Nurse. She nurses at the Seven Oaks Hospital. David is in the building construction business. They have two children. Devon born in 1991, and Stephanie born in 1994.
Valerie married Victor Rachelle of Sandy Lake, Manitoba on December 6, 1991. Valerie is an accountant in the Treasury Department for the City of Brandon. Victor also works in construction. Victor has two sons, Michael and Chad.
Leslie worked for Versa Foods as Coordinator of Dietetics at the Misericordia Hospital in Winnipeg, Churchill Health Centre, Churchill, Manitoba and Moose Jaw Health Centre in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan before being transferred to the County Hospital in Midland, Ontario. After working there for a few more years he decided to try his hand at something different. He is now a partner and consultant of a Computer Consulting business in Midland.
We continued farming until 1994 when we sold the farm to Vern and Ruth Toews and family.
We will treasure the memories of the years we spent in the Crandall district, but there comes a time in a person's life when changes have to be made. In the spring of 1995 we retired to Shoal Lake, Manitoba where we hoped to enjoy a few more years together. Stan passed away suddenly on July 19, 1999 of a massive heart attack. He is laid to rest in the Shoal Lake Catholic cemetery.
I plan to stay here is Shoal Lake until another change has to be made.