Where are they now? - Cheerleaders 1959-‘60

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Published on Tuesday, January 17, 2017

By Rick Sparling

Submitted

Local author and sports historian Rick Sparling attempts to locate and catch up with the teams featured in Amateur Hockey in Neepawa: A Scrapbook.

Janice Walker (Barker/Stock) moved to British Columbia in 1969, after working at various secretary jobs in Manitoba post high school. She worked for 23 years for the school district in Vernon. Janice is single and has three daughters and five grandchildren. She enjoys walking, reading and watching the grandkids playing their various sports. She also enjoys feeding the grandkids her baking. Janice still lives in Vernon, B.C.

Donna Ward left Neepawa for Winnipeg, then to Montreal, where she met and married Ray Baroni in 1972. They had three boys and have two granddaughters, with another one the way. They have owned restaurants in Abbotsford, Aldergrove and still do in North Vancouver, which their middle son runs. Ray runs a catering business out of the North Van location and Donna does the books, banking and payroll. Donna considers herself to be semi-retired, but when you own a business, she says that you are in there every day. Besides keeping busy in semi-retirement, Donna belongs to a craft group and spends time with her grandchildren and spends her summers in Neepawa, Clear Lake, Winnipeg and The Shuswap. 

Maxine Harrisko went for a combined Lab and X ray training at M.I.T (Red River College) after graduating from NACI. Upon graduating from that program, worked at the Crystal City and Pilot Mound hospitals for a year, at which time she married Ron Callbeck in 1967 and they were posted to Comox, BC (Ron’s military posting). There, she worked at the Comox and Cumberland hospitals until their transfer to Winnipeg in 1972. By this time, Maxine had two children, Rick in ‘68 and Sean in ‘72. In 1973, they were posted to Ottawa (they lived on the Quebec side of the river and commuted daily) and moved to Kanata, Ontario until 1981, when Ron left the military and they moved to Calgary. She was employed by Canadian Blood Services as a lab tech. Ron passed away in 1996. Maxine re-married in 2003 to Kevin Monaghan. Maxine retired in 2005 and Kevin passed in 2011. She spends her winters in Phoenix, Arizona and enjoys playing bridge, golfing, reading and traveling. Maxine also has four grandkids.  

Brenda Deighton left NACI in Grade 9 as the Freshie Queen and went to Winnipeg to attend St. Mary’s Academy. Brenda went into nursing, but got on with Air Canada as a flight attendant and retired from there after a 28 year career. She married Woody Pike and they live in Minaki, Ontario for six months and in Phoenix, Arizona for the winter months. Brenda enjoys golfing, tennis and pickle ball. 

Beverley Anderson has been married to Bob for 24 years and lived in Winnipeg for 22 years, with stops in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Victoria and back to Winnipeg (don't ask why!).They are very involved with and proud of daughters Cali (Winnipeg) and Carma (Oakville, ON) and their four grandchildren. They belong to the Re-Fit Centre where they play 'pickle ball'. Bev does yoga and takes part in their exercise programs. She plays bridge and teaches yoga. She also spends lots of time going to hockey arenas around Winnipeg and Toronto.  Bev and Bob usually spend a couple of weeks each winter in warmer climates and they enjoy their cabin at Clear Lake (since 1985). Health is good, but as her doctor says, “getting older isn't for cowards.” Bev agrees. State of mind: Happy, grateful and lives her life “in the moment.”

Lynda Anderson married Bill Nicholson in 1965. They had two children and have four grandchildren. Lynda worked in the corporate travel business in Winnipeg and in Vancouver. She is presently retired in Ladner, B.C. and still travels often to Manitoba to visit friends and family.

Gloria Jean Cook and her family moved to Churchill, MB, after completing grade 9 at NACI. She completed her high school there and moved to Brandon to become a teacher. She met her husband, Jack, while still in Churchill and they just celebrated 50 years of marriage. Jack and Gloria Jean both taught school, mostly in Brandon where they also raised their two children, Cara and Kurtis. Cara lives in Casablanca, Morocco with her family and Kurtis just moved back to Brandon from Tokyo, Japan. 

They have three beautiful grandchildren. Gloria took early retirement in 2002 and has done some teaching and volunteering. Right now, she keeps busy helping her son and family adjust back to Manitoba living. These grandparents are happy. Life is good!

Janet Kulbaski  left Neepawa about 1966 and moved to Windsor, Ont. She married Fred Beaugrand in 1968 and they had two boys and have one grandson and one granddaughter, who both also live in Windsor. The Beaugrands have retired to Stoney Point, Ont., a small village on lake St. Clair.  Norma Radford moved to Brandon and completed high school there as captain of their cheerleading squad. She went to work for MTS and married Bill Edwards in 1966 and had two children and four grandchildren. After being a ‘stay at home mom’ for 10 years she went back to work at MTS for three years, then onto the dental field as a receptionist for 20 years and retired in 2003. Bill and Norma travel lots and especially into Winnipeg to watch their grandkids in their various sports activities. Norma likes to keep in touch with her Neepawa friends as well.

Sharon Johnson attended Assiniboine College in Brandon and enrolled in a business course. Her first office job was with Pool Packers in 1965. Following her marriage to Terry Buchanan in 1969, she joined the staff at the Royal Bank in Minnedosa for the next seven years. Following the birth of her children, Tara, Lee and Bryce, she remained a stay at home mom for a few years and returned to the work force as a receptionist at the Minnedosa Medical Clinic for the next 13 years. After retiring for a few years, she was asked to join the staff at the Internet Pharmacy based out of Minnedosa. She retired from that position in 2004. They have three wonderful grandchildren: two boys and a girl.  After retiring, Terry and Sharon spent the next seven winters in Texas. 

Bev Johnson attended Portage Business College after high school in Portage la Prairie, in 1964. Following graduation, she obtained employment as a secretary (using good ol’ shorthand) to the Bank manager at CIBC Portage until October of 1969. In 1965, she married her high school sweetheart, Ken Donaldson and they resided in Portage for the next five years. Their first born, Scott, was born there in 1969. The following summer, they transferred to Hamiota, with Ken being appointed to Assistant District Operator with Manitoba Hydro. Heather was born in Hamiota in 1973. They transferred to Selkirk in 1970 and have been there ever since. Bev was employed as elementary school secretary for the next 28 years. Bev says, “We are blessed to be grandparents to four adorable grandchildren: two boys and two girls.” After her retirement, Ken and Bev have enjoyed wintering in Weslaco, Texas