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You just never know where and when people will fall in love — sometimes it can be during a devastating flood.
That’s what happened to Malcolm Keith McGregor, who was 95 when he died Oct. 9.
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Known by all as Keith, he grew up in St. Vital and went to Glenlawn Collegiate and then United College.
But, when the Red River spilled its banks in a devastating flood in 1950, he, his brother and parents were four of the estimated 100,000 people displaced.
His family were taken in by their friends, the Mulhollands. And that’s when he became closer to that family’s only daughter, Doreen.
The pair began dating, and a little more than two years after the flood waters receded, and just six days after Doreen turned 22, the couple got married at St. Paul’s United Church.
They had their first three children in Winnipeg before moving to Calgary for a job. Then, following another job opportunity, they moved to Ottawa where their fourth child was born.
After Keith’s dad died, the family returned to Winnipeg and he began working with his older brother at Finmac Lumber.
And 60 years after a flood brought them together, and after 58 years of marriage, Doreen died in 2010.
Now, 15 years later, Keith has joined her.
His family says, “Dad was a family man and a great provider.
“Dad, you are suffering no longer and had a life well-lived with family who loved you.”
Besides his wife, Keith was predeceased by his daughter. He is survived by his three sons, a son-in-law, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Read more about Keith.
How They Lived
Connie Sarchuk worked and volunteered to help people.
Connie, who died Nov. 28 at the age of 92, was an occupational therapist and a special programs consultant with Manitoba Health’s long-term care branch.
She worked with CUSO in the Solomon Islands and then did two stints in Ukraine.
Connie spent time on the Winnipeg Art Gallery board and then, at age 83, began volunteering with the Friends of the Library and became known as “Bookcart Connie,” managing the organization’s used-book cart.
Read more about Connie.
Connor Jaworski fought to live.
Connor, who was 19 when he died Oct. 17, was only 1 lb, 14 oz., when born more than three months premature. Doctors said he wasn’t expected to live more than 24 hours.
Instead Connor lived 19 years, with his family saying during his life he lit up every room with his smile, thrived with therapy at the Movement Centre of Manitoba, loved school, and charmed the girls and all his educational assistants.
Read more about Connor.
Rosalie Tennison had just bought Christmas stamps for her annual Christmas letter when she was hit by a car.
She would buy two tickets to a show so she could take a friend, was a supporter of the Free Press, and wrote a book in tribute to her mom. In Rosalie’s memory, in lieu of flowers, her family asks everyone to do a good deed, pay something forward or help an elderly person.
Read more about Rosalie.
Faye Lazer taught generations of children.
She taught nursery and kindergarten in the Winnipeg School Division for 34 years including at Victoria-Albert, River Elm, King Edward and Glenelm Schools. She was her students’ first, and often favourite, teacher.
Read more about Faye.
Georgina Johnson was a nurse who was involved with the St. James Figure Skating Club.
With another “skating mom,” she opened a successful figure-skating and dance-supply shop. She later volunteered in the English as a Second Language program.
Read more about Georgina.
Leo Reiter served in peacekeeping with the Princess Patricia Light Infantry.
He was also a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Blue Jays. He was 33 when the Leafs last won the Stanley Cup and hoped “this will be the year,” until he passed at age 91.
Read more about Leo.
It took decades, but Kaz Teramura returned to live in B.C.
Her family was forced from their Pitt Meadows, B.C., home during the Second World War and relocated to Alberta. She later came to southern Manitoba and then Winnipeg, supported the Manitoba Buddhist Temple, and retired to Kelowna.
Read more about Kaz.
Josie Hill was an advocate for Indigenous families — and was inducted into the Order of Canada for it.
She was the executive director of Blue Thunderbird Family Care and a leader at Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, Andrews Street Family Centre and others.
Read more about Josie.
A Life’s Story
Bernard Boland was a teacher and an actor.
Bernard taught French in England, then in Winnipeg at St. John’s High School. He acted in French plays with Théâtre Cercle Molière and English productions with Shoestring Players, and also performed in plays that were part of the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival.
Despite an accident that left him with back pain, Bernard Boland loved motorcycles, enjoying his last ride a day before his heart attack. (Supplied)
He is also the voice you hear narrating your visit to the Nonsuch at the Manitoba Museum.
And Bernard was still playing water polo at 90 years of age, insisting on wearing his Speedo.
“He still wore his Speedo right up until the end,” his daughter Lisa Boland said. “It was always a running joke because Joan (his wife) would say, ‘Bernard, why don’t you do a nice pair of shorts?’ He’d be like, ‘Nope — too much drag.’”
Read more about Bernard’s life.
I will be on vacation until the new year. Until next time, I hope you continue to write your own life’s story.
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