* ~ Haida Gwaii ~ *
In Memory of my Stepfather --
Frederick Andrew Joseph MacDonald
June 30 1924 - April 4 1968
Fred (Dad), Mom & Dallas-circa 1961
My mom remarried when I was 3 years old, to Fred MacDonald.
Because he was a 'logger' and was at the time, stationed with MacMillan Bloedel
on the Queen Charlotte Islands, off the coast of British Columbia,
we moved there immediately after.
Our tiny community was called JUSKATLA and for us as children,
provided a wonderful playground all around us.
There were expansive woods everywhere and the Masset Inlet was at our back door!
We also had several ponds and rivers which provided our imaginations with lots of ideas!
Mom, Dallas, Dad with Ian & Darlene sitting on their knees!
In order to attend school, we climbed on an old yellow school bus and
travelled about 13 miles to PORT CLEMENTS where there was a 2 room school house!
Grades 1-3 were in 1 room and grades 4-7 were in the other.
I can remember my teacher's name was MRS. LEE ~ she was wonderful!
Mary & Malcolm MacDonald ~ my Step-grandparents!
He came to visit once when we lived on the Queen Charlottes
but she had passed away many years before!
They had a fairly large family of about 7 children -- (only a few are still living).
Malcolm was originally from the Isle SOUTH UIST in Scotland.
At this time in 1961, I met a 'friend for life' ~~ Corrine Biggs.
We were inseparable from 1961-1964 when her family moved to Terrace BC.
In August 1965 my family moved to Vancouver BC and though we were many miles apart,
we kept in contact via old fashioned letter writing!
Almost 36 years later in 1997, I spent a couple of days with Corrine and her family
on Vancouver Island when I visited Vancouver and family/friends.
What a wonderful reunion as we hadn't seen each other since 1975-Grade 12!
Port Clements Hotel
While attending school for those 2 years in Port Clements,
I went to the Port Clements Hotel almost every day for lunch as it was owned by
dear friends of ours ~~ Adam & Bessie PYPER.
Golden Spruce-Unique in the World
I can remember several visits to see this wondrous site near Port Clements!
It has since been vandalised and burned down! What a shame!
Tlell Beach ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Yakoun River
Two spectacular, picturesque spots that we enjoyed visiting from time to time!
Skidegate Village ~ many years ago! *** New Church in Skidegate abt 1973
While living on the Islands, we became friends with Arnold & Pearl PEARSON
and their large family who lived in SKIDEGATE, one of the very few Haida villages existing.
I can remember our very last night on the Island before we left in August 1965.
It was spent at Arnold & Pearl's and we shared sleeping quarters with their children and as children do, we played and talked more than we slept!!
The very next morning, my family and I hopped a plane at the little airport in Sandspit
and flew to our new hometown of Vancouver!!
What a change of scenery and what a difference to us children!
But, THAT'S another story ~~
