Where are they now? - 1970-1971 Pee-wees

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Published on Thursday, February 23, 2017

By Rick Sparling

The Neepawa Press

Rick Fraser graduated from NACI in 1977 and went to the University of Manitoba for a year, before heading to Brandon, where he graduated with a degree in Science. He applied for the R.C.M.P and during his waiting period, drove truck for almost a year. He was accepted in 1982, at which time, he married Anita Harkness (they graduated from NACI together). Rick had several postings over the years, all in B.C., including postings in Kelowna, Houston, Cranbrook, Quadra Island, Duncan and is currently in Ladysmith. He is still active with running and biking. The Frasers have two children, Chelsea and Ben, and they have three grandchildren.

Ken Stewart graduated in 1977, got his diploma in Agriculture and farmed on a grain farm between Brookdale and Neepawa, where he still works. He dropped the grain farming and looks after about 80 head of cattle. Ken used to work the rigs out in Red Deer, AB in the winter and would return to the farm for the summer. He married Belinda Webb in 1991 and they had two children. They enjoy camping at their site at Sandy Lake and Ken likes to fish and golf when he gets the chance.

Bruce Gladden worked in the grocery department at the Neepawa Co-op while in Grade 11 and was tragically killed in an automobile accident in 1976, at the young age of 17.

Greg Atkins is one of two players on this team who I was unable to locate. Doug Watt is the other one I could not locate. If anyone has information as to the where-a-bouts of either Greg or Doug, please let me know at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . 

Brian Pearson left high school to join up with the Armed Forces and in 1973, moved back to Neepawa to work for Daune Yerex at the rink. He worked for Carnation Foods in Carberry until 1986, at which time, he worked for Charlie Mayer, the Minister of Agriculture until his term expired in the early ‘90s. Brian then went to work at Simplot in Carberry until 1994. He did some farming around the Carberry district until he retired in 2014. Brian has three boys from his first marriage and two girls and a boy from his second, along with 13 grandchildren. As a hobby, Brian likes to put puzzles together and have them framed.

Ken Murray left NACI to farm in the area and eventually went to Brandon College for two years, then on to Brandon University for four years, where he received a Bachelor of Business degree. He married Sylvia Kabbeke and they had four boys: Chris (‘86), Michael (‘87), Tim (‘89) and Cody (‘96). Sylvia passed away in 1997. Ken worked in HR at Simplot before it was bought out by McCains, then to Maple Leaf in Brandon until 2007, then as HR manager with Stewart and Stevenson, an oil drilling business in Calgary. He then went to MTS ‘All Stream’ and was HR manager for Western Canada, until they sold out and he became self employed, hauling crude oil. He manages the company and three of his sons operate it. Besides the job, Ken travelled lots keeping up with Cody’s Junior A hockey games (Western Canada). Ken lives in Kelowna, BC 

Bob Dagg is a meat cutter by trade and spent the past 11 years at HyLife Foods, just east of Neepawa, as a supervisor. Bob had three children from his first wife, who all live in Prince Albert and he also has a son, James. They live in Eden. 

Tim Bolton graduated from NACI in 1977. He left Neepawa for Winnipeg and joined the world of finance in 1981. In 1983, he joined Scotiabank, where he became a branch manager in 1991 and managed a number of branches across the prairies until 2014. He is still with Scotiabank, based out of Calgary, with responsibilities for opening new branches and major renovations to branches for Western Canada. Tim has three grown children and one grandson. Tim and Jan were married in 2006 and spend their spare time travelling and golfing.

Grant Hurrell graduated from NACI in 1976 and stayed in Neepawa working at the Co-op, where he was in groceries in Gladstone then to the Chicken Corral as manager, there for a spell and back to the Co-op in Neepawa as produce manager. Grant then opened up his own shop in 1988, known as “Hymie the Haircutter” and is still busy at it after 28 years. He married Jo-Anne Suski in 1982 and they have three children, Kelly, Rob and Craig. Grant still plays basketball and has been coaching the high school team for 18 years.

If anyone can identify the only player wearing skates in the photo (front row left hand side) please contact me or the Neepawa Press.