Babiuk, Ed and Edna
Edward David Babiuk was born October 13, 1929 on the family farm in the Assiniboine Valley, Miniota, Manitoba. At the age of 15 he began a long career with the Canadian National Railway at Uno as a water boy and progressed to a labourer. In 1948 he met Edna and they were married on April 17, 1952 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Many times Ed was known to walk the five miles to work at Quadra in the middle of snowstorms. After hours he was often known to go to work for local farmers around Arrow River, Manitoba.
In the years from 1954 to 1969, the Babiuk family grew to eleven children. One twin died in 1965 and a little girl died many years ago. From 1957 they lived in a two-bedroom house in Crandall with the nine children, then moved to Arrow River on a farm. As the children grew they left home.
Edward passed away on November 27, 1996, and Edna passed away on March 24, 1999. They are both buried in the Crandall Cemetery.

The Babiuk Children
Vivian D. McLean - Born in 1954. Vivian is presently living and working in Winnipeg with her daughter, Petrina L. McLean.
Chris R.B. Dunning- Born in 1956. Chris attended school in Crandall, Hamiota, Birtle and Virden. Chris left home at the age of 16 to raise her son, Doug. She worked part time in Virden and went back to school to graduate in 1976 with a Business Diploma. Chris worked as a medical secretary for Virden Medical Associates from 1976-1984, and also worked part time as a bartender/waitress for the Royal Canadian Legion. She is presently employed with the rural municipality of Wallace as an Assistant Chief Administrative Officer since 1986. Chris married Bruce Dunning on April 23, 1976. They built a home on Queen St. and raised their three children. In January 2000, Bruce and Chris separated; however, both are working in Virden, Manitoba.
Doug lives in Calgary with his daughter, Tashia.
Stacy Lee Dunning- Born in 1980 is presently attending University, then going on to Winnipeg to complete her five year nursing course. She also works part time in Virden. Stacy is on the volunteer fire department, and in her spare time, she looks after her colt and her special friend, James.
Tracy Dawn Dunning -Born in 1981 attends Assiniboine Community College in Brandon taking a Business course. Tracy and her friend, BJ, purchased a condominium in 1999. They both attend school and work part time in Brandon.
Edith R. Jessop- Born in 1957. Edith lives in St. Lazare, Manitoba with her husband Lorne. They have two children, Edward and Kathy, and one grandchild, Matthew Tyson Jessop. Edith presently works in Birtle.
Brenda Lee Babiuk- Born in 1959. Brenda lives and works in Calgary, Alberta with her friend, Larry, and her daughter, Jennifer.

David W. Babiuk- Born in 1961. David works and lives in Calgary, Alberta with his friend, Bev. David has one daughter, Jesika, born in 1992.




Hazel A. Coyle- Born in 1963. Hazel moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba where she met her husband, Paul Coyle. Then they moved to Calgary, Alberta. Paul and Hazel are now raising their twin sons, born in 1999, in Blackie, Alberta.
Edward J. Babiuk- Born in 1964. Surviving twin of Richard J. who died February 18, 1965. Edward lives and works in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Linda L. Babiuk- Born in 1968. Linda graduated in 1986 from Murdock MacKay Collegiate in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Linda and her special friend, Chris, purchased an acreage south of Beausejour, Manitoba. Linda works for the CNR in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and after hours they look after their horses.
Mark W. Babiuk-Born in 1969. Mark moved to Calgary, Alberta after Christmas 1999. He presently lives with his sister and works at construction.

Bate, William James Dwight and Heather (nee Smith)
I, Heather Elaine, born in 1960, am the sixth child, fourth daughter of Newton and Betty Smith. I am part of a very large and involved family, and had a very memorable childhood in the small community of Crandall.
After high school at the Hamiota Collegiate, I went to Winnipeg to further my education. I took a year of nursing at the University of Manitoba from 1978-1979. I completed my nursing education at the Health Science Centre in 1981. I worked at the Golden Door Geriatric Centre in Winnipeg until 1982.
William James Dwight was born in 1959. After high school at the Rivers Collegiate, he went to Winnipeg to take Diploma Agriculture at the University of Manitoba from 1977-1979.
Reverend Tom Delgaty married Jim and I on July 24, 1982 in the Crandall United Church. We built our house on Jim's home farm in the municipality of Daly, NW 32-12-20 right next to Lake Wahtopanah. We farm with his parents, Donald and Donna, in a mixed grain and hog operation. I continue to work at the Riverdale Health Centre in Rivers where I have nursed part-time since 1982.
We have two children. Ryan James Dwight was born in 1983. He is an avid sports enthusiast, participating in hockey, downhill skiing, badminton, track, baseball and volleyball. Ryan has taken two years of lessons on his bass guitar and played in the high school senior band until this year.
Kayla Rae was born in 1987. Kayla also enjoys physical activities, playing volleyball, basketball, baseball and loves swimming and figure skating. She has taken 4 years of piano/keyboard lessons, participating in the Rolling River festivals. She also plays trumpet in the junior high school band.
Both children do well academically in their courses at the Rivers Collegiate. Ryan is in Grade 11 and Kayla is in Grade 7.
Jim and I have become very involved in our community and with the kid's activities. Jim coached Ryan's entire minor hockey and some baseball. We are both involved with the Riverdale Community Gardens many committees. I have also curled with the Rivers Ladies Curling club for many years.
Our daily life is busy but as a family we have enjoyed camping trips and many friend and family get-togethers.

Bates, Tom and Lorraine (nee Rudd)
The Bates family moved down from Whitehorse, Yukon in 1974 to St. Albert, Alberta. Edith Alice was born in 1975, a sister for Terri and Laurie.
In 1982 the family moved to Saudi Arabia where Tom managed an electrical company serving, Yanku, a community on the Red Sea.
The main reward for the overseas work were the many countries we visited including Europe, Kenya, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and finally Disney Land. In 1984 we returned to Alberta. Tom continued engineering and Lorraine went back to nursing.
1992 saw us celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary. Les and Alice Rudd came out to be with us. Tragically Alice suffered a heart attack while at the cottage on Lac St. Anne and passed away in an Edmonton hospital the next day, August 7, 1992. All the family returned to Crandall for her funeral on August 13, 1992. We all sadly miss her.
Since 1993 to the present, Tom and Lorraine have moved three times within Alberta; Bonnyville, Edmonton and presently reside in Calgary. Tom continues to work as an engineering manager and Lorraine has been nursing in all three locations.
Terri is married, lives in Canmore, Alberta and teaches in Banff, Alberta. Laurie completed degrees in Meteorology and Environmental Science. She works at Environment Canada in Edmonton. Edie followed in her dad's footsteps and is an electrical engineer for Enbridge and also lives in Edmonton.

Blair, Robert John and Mary Elizabeth
Submitted by Mark Blair
Robert and Lizzy with their four daughters (Lil, Jean, Isobel, and Daisy) sailed from Londonderry, Ireland on March 27, 1927 to their new home in Canada.
After arriving in Canada on April 27, 1927 they settled on a farm in Crandall, 2 miles north, 2 miles east and 1 mile north on what was known as the Condon farm, which is now owned by the Preston family.
Born in Ireland
Lil- living in Rivers, Manitoba
Jean- living in Edmonton, Alberta
Isobel- living in Glenboro, Manitoba
Daisy- living in Beaumont, Alberta
Born in Canada
Bob- living in Winnipeg, Manitoba
Mark- living in Calgary, Alberta
Dave- deceased buried in Brooks, Alberta
John- living in Calgary, Alberta
Ron- deceased buried in Rolling Hills, Alberta
Herb- living in Isley, Alberta
Florence-living in Edmonton, Alberta
Roy- deceased buried in Brooks, Alberta
Dorothy- living in Calgary, Alberta
In 1962 the Blairs sold the farm in Crandall and moved to Duchess, Alberta to retire.
On June 22, 1966, Robert John passed away at the age of 73. He is buried in Brooks, Alberta.
On April 27, 1975, Mary Elizabeth (Lizzy) passed away at the age of 74. She is buried in Brooks, Alberta.

Bomford, Claude and Joy
Claude Bomford was born on a homestead in the northern Interlake country at Ashern, Manitoba, July 28, 1916. He received his early schooling at Beatty school and at Ashem. Claude arrived, with his parents, brothers and sisters at Oak River, Manitoba in April 1928, where he completed high school in 1931. Claude married Joyce Bridgeman at Bradwardine, Manitoba in 1941.
After farming at Rivers and Oak River, they moved into the Palmerston district in October 1946, taking up residence on NW 4-13-25 (also known as the "Bob Kidd" farm). In 1956, they moved into Crandall to take over the store business of the late J.T. Clark. This venture came to a sad end in November 1959, when it was destroyed by fire. Jack was attending the Notre Dame College in Wilcox, Saskatchewan at the time. The Bomfords were thankful to the Claude Dickeys and the Russel Vances who offered their homes to them, and to their friends and neighbours who offered emotional support and assistance at the time of their loss.
In February 1960, Claude obtained the position of District Supervisor for the newly formed Weed Control District and they moved to Hamiota. Marge boarded with the Irvine's in Crandall to complete her Grade 9 year. In 1961 they sold their farm in the Palmerston district to Mr. George Gardham. Claude remained with the Weed Control District until 1965, when they purchased a farm three miles west of Hamiota (Thornton farm.) For the next two years, Claude travelled extensively throughout Manitoba and Saskatchewan as Promotional Advisor with chemical companies in the field of herbicides and also worked with the Manitoba Department of Highways. Joy enjoyed her employment at the I.G.A. store in Hamiota during this time. They both thoroughly enjoyed their grandchildren.
While in Palmerston and Crandall districts, Claude was Councilor for Ward 5, Rural Municipality of Miniota for 6 years, and also served on the Board of Steward of the Crandall United Church. Joy was instrumental in forming the Palmerston Pals Ladies group and was involved in the United Church Ladies group.
Claude and Joy have two children, Jack and Margery.
Jack works in the construction industry and married Donna Kirk in 1962. They have two children, Shaun and Michelle; both are married and living in or near Calgary, Alberta. The family had moved to Alberta from Virden in 1970. Shaun and Lisa have two little girls, Sarah and Megan. Michelle and Allan have two sons, Jesse and Jarrid, and a daughter, Becky Lyn, born in 2000. Grandparents, great grandparents and the rest of the family look forward to hearing the latest story about what the little ones are up to now. Claude would be chuckling too, we know!
Marge and her son, Darcy, moved from Brandon to Calgary to Vernon, British Columbia in 1971 and 1978 respectively and remain in Vernon. Marge remains in the secretarial field and Darcy has established a dog biscuit manufacturing plant and is also getting into horse and cat treats.
Joy and Claude had moved from Brandon to Calgary to Armstrong, British Columbia, then to Vernon, British Columbia. Claude passed away in March 1992, while living in Armstrong and is buried there. Joy sold the Armstrong home and moved to Vernon in the summer of 1992 where she remains. She is enjoying activities like shuffle board, bridge, cribbage, etc. as well as going on bus tours a few times a year. She visits her family in Alberta and goes to Manitoba when she can to see her brothers and sisters and to catch up on the latest news from home.

Borland, Vera Lawrie (Johnston)
Vera was born April 9, 1906 and is living in the Rideau Park Personal Care Home in Brandon, Manitoba.

Bray, Al and Pat (nee Amy)
Patricia Dawn Amy, youngest child of Roy and Dorothy Amy, married Allan Ivan Bray of Lenore on September 3, 1966 in Crandall United Church. They went to live in Birtle, Manitoba where Al taught at Birtle Collegiate and Pat worked for a short time in the Birtle Royal Bank.
Al and Pat started their family with a son, Steven Allan Bray, born in 1967 in the Birtle Hospital. Their first daughter, Angela Dawn Bray, was born in 1972 in the Birtle Hospital. Their second daughter, Debra Amy Bray was born in 1978 in Hamiota Hospital.
In 1974, Al and Pat bought a house in Birtle where they still reside. Al continues to be employed at the Birtle Collegiate where he became the Vice-Principal in 1981 and Principal in 1993. Pat has been employed over the years in Birtle with Sally Ashcroft, Barkers Mens Wear and Marcella's Ice Cream Emporium.
Steven, Angela and Debbie attended the Birtle Elementary and graduated from the Birtle Collegiate.
Steven graduated from the Red River Community College in 1995 with his diploma in Civil Engineering Technology. Not having full time employment Steven decided to work with Rischuk - Park Realty in Winnipeg in 1996, where he still enjoys working with the public selling real estate. Steven married Becki Irwin-Towers of Winnipeg, Manitoba on July 17, 1999 in the Birtle United Church. They now reside in Winnipeg where Steven sells real estate and Becki teaches in Selkirk, Manitoba, she has been employed there for 5 years.
Angela graduated from the Brandon University with her Bachelor of Education Degree in 1995. She has been employed at the Birtle Elementary school as a teaching assistant and at the Birtle Collegiate as a teacher. Angela married Bill Bowley in the Birtle United Church on August 3, 1996. They live in Birtle with their son, Brendan Thomas Bowley, who was born in 1998 at the Brandon General Hospital. Bill has been a teacher at the Birtle Collegiate since 1992. "Gramma" Bray takes great joy in babysitting Brendan everyday while Bill and Angela are at work.
Debbie is presently attending the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg taking Geology.