How They Lived
Rayleen De Luca helped the mental health well-being of children.
Rayleen, who was born in 1942 and died on March 22, was one of Canada’s foremost researchers for her pioneering work in child sexual abuse and spent her entire adult life caring for children — both her own and others she met through psychology.
She was a professor in the University of Manitoba’s psychology department and was the first woman to be Director of Clinical Training.
Rayleen also volunteered her time extensively. She was the president of the Folk Arts Council, the organization which oversees Folklorama, was vice-chairwoman of the Board of Governors of St. Paul’s College, and was appointed by the Canadian Conference of Bishops on a national ad hoc committee on the protection of minors and vulnerable people.
Is it any wonder Rayleen received numerous honours including being inducted into the Order of Canada in 2017 and the Order of Manitoba in 2011. Read more about Rayleen.
Brian Wilkinson was a city boy who moved to the RM of Springfield to open a garage and start farming.
Brian, who died on March 24 at 80, was a volunteer and manager of the Oakbank Gun Club for many years and served as a councillor and an original member of the Cooks Creek Conservation District.
Brian also helped by volunteering 37 years with the fire department and it was for this he was given the Governor General’s exemplary service award. Read more about Brian.
Penny Courchene was born with her twin sister inside a place which was a sorry chapter of Canadian Indigenous history — an Indian Hospital in Pine Falls.
The hospitals were later known for being understaffed, often undertrained, and most closed by the 1980s.
But Penny, who was 59 when she died on March 19, didn’t let where she was born define her. She was known as a free spirit, kind, generous and gentle.
She also followed the Traditional way of the Anishinabe, learning to be a Sundancer and going to Sweat Lodges. Read more about Penny.
Michael Macey was an architect.
Michael, who died on March 20, designed buildings for many high profile companies and clients.
You can drive past one of the buildings he designed — or if you don’t have a vehicle you can buy one there.
He designed the Jim Gauthier dealership across from the Northgate Shopping Centre on McPhillips Street. Read more about Michael.
Marilyn Drain always taught History in high school in the Lord Selkirk School Division but she was known for one class all of us would have loved to be in: Travel.
Marilyn, who was 87 when she died on March 21, would have her students learn about a specific country and then they would actually go there.
She was proud to have three university degrees and, after many years of teaching, she retired in 1998. Read more about Marilyn.
Lucy Senton grew up the youngest of 14 on a farm near the west side of Lake Manitoba.
Lucy, who died on March 8 at 97, came to Winnipeg and worked as a dental nurse with the City of Winnipeg.
Lucy founded, and was president, of the Manitoba Dental Hygienists Association.
Later in life, she owned her own second hand clothing store. Read more about Lucy.
A Life’s Story
Louisa Josephine Loeb wanted to teach and she became a teacher faster than she thought she would.
Louisa, who died on Dec. 16, was attending Mennonite Collegiate Institute during the Second World War when the Department of Education began recruiting high school students to fill in for teachers fighting in the war.
Marc Gallant / Winnipeg Free Press. Local- World War 2 permit teachers honored at tea at government house. Louisa Loeb, a permit teacher herself, compiled book of 20 permit teachers experiences. 070828.
She became a permit teacher and, decades later and well into retirement, she decided to write a book about it, Manitoba Permit Teachers of World War II and she organized annual reunions of them.
“This was something that she took on with a passion,” her son Gerry Loeb said.
But Louisa also taught at Brandon University. Read more about her life in education.
Until next time, I hope you continue to write your own life’s story.
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