HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1985-07-10, Page 9Family follows its heart
BY HEATHIERMcILW RAITH
Some day they hope to make their return to
Ontario permanent but in the meantime Rob
and Marg Sallows and their children will live
on memories revived during a recent
three-week vacation here.
It's been five years since the Sallows and
their two children, Carly and Daniel, then
aged six and four, left Egmendville and
moved to a town called Kitimat, located on
the northwest coast of British Columbia at the
end of the Douglas Channel' and about 4()
miles northwest of Vancouver. It was a move
made out of a feeling that job security at the
Bendix plant in Hensell, where. Mr. Sallows
than worked, was only temporary. A job offer
from Alcan, Aluminum Company of Canada
Smelter, the second largest in the free world,
and the promise of an all-eXpenie paid
relocation to Kitimat, was too Much to turn
doWn.
And to date life in' Kitimat has been good.
The Sallo'ws say they've enjoyed the last five
years, but admit eventually they hope to
return to Ontario, the province they'll always
call home:
"You can't spend 20 or 22 years
somewhere and not call it home. It's where
you did all your growing up. Coming back
here will alw,ays,be coming home to us. This is
where our hearts are,' commented Mr.
Sallows,
"It's just too bad there aren't the jobs to
keep young people ie Ontario." '
The Sallows have found life in Kitimat to be
very different from the life they lived in
Egmondville. For one thing, they note, they
are very isolated, located in a valley
surrounded on one side by water, the other
mountains and bush,
`We're only a half day from Alaska," said
, Mrs. Sallows. '
"And being so close to Alaska, and after
seeing so much of Canada .travelling here,
Kitimat is, really like the last frontier."
Another difference the Sallows have
noticed is in the weather, which is almost
opposite of this area -- goal winters and. poor
summers.
Kitimat," said Mrs. Sallows. There we are,
for example but in the boondocks, so to
speak, and we have these great sports
complexes, unlike anything you'd even see in
cities such as Landon, Ontario. We've heard
all kinds of comments froin visitors td Kitimat
about how they've never seen anything like it
in a town that size," said Mrs. Sallows.
"Kitimat is very fitness oriented and the
facilities are there for it, both natural and
man-made. And at the rec centres, specifi-
cally at River -Lodge, where I work, Alcan
really gives its all. It holds six classes a week
of to• aerobic exercise and they're free. As
well it 'provides a weightroom at work for its
employees and soy children because Rob
works for Alcan can swirl for only 25 cents
each," said Mrs. Sallows.
One of the benefits of living in a place like
Kitimat is the opportunities it offers because
of its proximity to the ocean and the
mountains.'
One of the opportunities it offered Mr.
Sallows was the chance to take up scuba
diving. Interested in the sport even while
living in Ontario, but unable to pursue the
interest because of the expense of the sport,
(Conti
"The summers are lousy because there is a
lot of rain but the winters are good, very mild,
unlike the winters I remember in Huron
,-County," said Mr. Sallows.
With a population of 13,000, unlike other
towns its size Kitimat is a self-contained unit.
In order to survive the town has to cater to its
residents or lose them. And for the most part.
. a lot of the needs are met through the efforts
of Alcan, who chases to be very supportive of
the community that is so vital to its operation.
An employer of some 2,000 of the residents,
Alcan, according to Mr. and Mrs. Sallows is
responsible for putting a lot of activities and
programs in place, at reduced cost to
residents.
"There's everything you need right in,
FAMILY TRIP — The Sallows returned to Ontario for the first'time four weeks ago after a
live-year absence. They live now in the northwestern coastal town of Kitimat, British
Columbia. While Fn the Seaforth area they stayed with Jim and Janneke Murray and their
children near St. Columban. Seen here are (bottom) Daniel, Marg and Rob Saltows and (top)
Michelle. Murray, Carly Sallows and Morgan Murray, • (Mcilwraith photo)
MAN FROM A TLANTI§? 7 Rob Sallow's, originally from Egmondville, has taken up Scuba'
diving as one of his hobbies since moving to Kitimat, British Columbia. In a recent return to
Ontario, Rob' got in a bit of diving at Tobermory. Although unlike the "Emerald Sea" or
Pacific Ocean. he said Tobermory is a great spot to dive. •
XPOS.itor
SECOND -
SEAFORM,.ONTARID, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1985 — PAGES 81 - 88'
I
SECTION
Cousins meet after 50 years
DUBLIN MEETING—Marie Louise Melady, 76, of Dublin, recently had a cousin visit tier
from Coppell, Texas. The cousins had never met each other, and after 50 years or so, Mrs.
Melady's cousin spent time with her in Dublin, retracing the family's history. (Bader photo)
BY ANDY BADER
/ Imagine meeting one of your cousins after
50 odd years. Two cousins who had never met
did just that a couple of weeks.ago in Dublin.
"We really had a ball," Marie Louise
Melady said about the visit of her cousin
Mary (nee Murray) Bohstedt, "She is really
sociable--you know, the kind of person you
like as soon as you meet her."
• Mrs. I3ohstedt, 67, a native of Coppell,
Texas (approximately 10 Minutes from
Dallas) visited Mrs. Melady because she
wanted to leans more about her family, who
had spent time in Canada a long time ago.
"It all4tarted," Mrs. Malady began,
"wheivcmy uncle and aunt bought a farm in
McKillop Township back in the mid 1800's.
Matthew Murray was born in 1857 and he
married Mary Holland in 1881. They farmed
in McKillop Township until 1889, when
Matthew's brother, John Murray, bought the
farm.
"John was my father," she vividly recalls.,
"Matthew was my uncle--Mary Bohstedt's
grandfather. Mary was the daughter of Leo
Murray, who was the son of Matthew and
Mary.
Mrs. Melady, a 76 year-old retired school
teacher, had compiled a family tree a couple
of years ago. With a little help from these
books to help her refresh her memory, she
remembered everything like it happened
yesterday.
She gOntinued her story,
"Matthew and Mary had four kids while
they were still in Canada," she said. "After
they sold the farni,' they moved to Salix, Iowa.
They had four more kids in the United States.
"Noiv Mary wanted to meet her Canadian
cousin since she had heard about the family
originating here in Canada," said Mrs.
Melady. "She wag needing information for a
family tree of her own. She found all the
necessary information from the Murrays in
Iowa, but she didn't have any from the time
spent here,
"By a streak of luck, she contacted my
sister-in-laW in Palm Springs, California.
"My sister-in-law knew I had already made a
family tree otthe Murrays here in Canada, so
my sister-in-law referred her to me. That
how it all began," Mrs. Melady said.'
began," Mrs. Melady said.
Naturally, Mrs, Bohstedt followed up on
the tip from Mrs. Melady's sister-in-law in
California, and wrote to her in Dublin around
Easter of this year telling her who she was
and what she wanted.
"I mailed her a copy of my book which had
ail of the family tree information in it," said
Mrs. Melady. "When she received the book,
I got a phone call from her that same day. On
June 3 to June 10 she came to, visit."
Mrs. Melady mentioned that it was hard
for Mrs. Bohstedt to decide whether or not to
come to Canada to visit a cousin she had
never met or knew that well. When Mrs.
Melady invited her to visit, they both were
discouraged by the respective members of
their families,
"It was a tough decision for her to make,"
said Mrs. Melady (because her husband in
Coppell wasn't in tbo good of health), "Her
family started to talk her out of it, but her
daughter told her one day to do what she
wanted to do. That clinched it."
"If you think you can't do it, you won't,"
Mrs. Melady said. "If you think you can, you/.
Mrs. Melady, a teacher for 34 years
Logan, McKillop and Hibbert Townships,
was also having a tough time deciding
whether or not to invite her cousin in the first
place. The cheerfill, pleasant lady was happy
she did.
"She was a really informative talker," she
said. "She had an incredible irish wit. She
was sociable and pleasant.
"During the mornings of her visit, I'd take
her around to where her grandparents used to
live," Mrs. Melady said. "I drove her around
and showed her everything. •
"In the afternoons and evenings, our
relatives would visit," she said. "I'd invited
them all to see her, and over 100 showed up
throughout the week.
"She left a tremendoug impression on all of
my cousins. She also couldn't get over the
friendliness, 'generosity and warmth the
Editor's note: The following is a record of the
visit of Mary Murray Bohstedt as felt by
Marie Malady.
BY MARIE M EIADY
On Monday, June 3, I surveyed my garden
with proud eyes. The geraniums, fushias and
begonias were in full bloom, displaying their
red and white beauty. Around the flowers, -I
had placed my garden ornaments in the
theme of fairytales: Old MacDonald's Farm,
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and our
Blessed lady, to oversee it all. Yes,
everything was perfect to welcome my special
guest.
Slowly my thoughts drifted back to bur first
distant meeting. Could my sister-in-law in
California have told her cousin about me, and
that started, a chain of events that would
change both our lives? This stranger, her
father's first cousin, my second -cousin, from
Dallas, Texas, wanted to meet me, Marie
Melady and her other Canadian cousins.
Well, was I the one to give her the Murray
history! Several letters and phone palls were
exchanged from Texas to Canada. Finally, I
said to her the best way to lean about your
long-lost cousins was to come to Dublin,
' Ontario and meet them. And so a St.
Columban visit was arranged for the first
week of June.
My dreaming soon came to an end. My
people here showed towards her,
"She left here with the feeling that Canada
was the most wonderful place to live," said
Mrs, Malady. "She thought it was great.
"She also took pictures of everyone and
everything around the house, She took home
all kinds of symbols and reminders of
Canada, she said.
A widow since 1955, Mrs. Melody has lived
in St. Columban and Dublin, keeping herself
busy by helping out children at St. Columban
school by teaching them crafts. . -
She also keeps busy with her bell and
rosary collections, and by decorating her
lawn with flowers and shrubs.
"I haven't been in the best of health, but I
keep going day to day," she said. "I don't
have any family of my own, just the school
kids.. Some of my former studants still come
to visit.. They share' all of my enjoyment."
Mrs. Malady's school children, past and
present, are not the only ones who will share
the enjoyment and fun which radiates from
her. The relationship which began just a short
time ago between Mrs. Bohstedt and Mrs.
Malady will continue.
`We've started something," Mrs. Melady
said. "The communication will continue and
spread to other parts of the family.
"It was a glorious ending," she said, "to a
wonderful visit."
niece, Marie Cleary of London drove up the
lane with my honored house guest, Mary
Murray Bohstedt as the clock struck 5 p. in. on
that Monday June 3, Mary had a long day of
travel from Dalles, Texas to Toronto to
London, Ontario. But my warm welcome soon
erased any of her doubts about coming.
Inside my home I had a huge, colorful sign. It
read: "A special welcome Mary to St.
Columban and Dublin, Canada. I hope your
stay is an enjoyable one." Love Marie.
Our week together just flew by Every
morning we went out to visit different people
I wanted Mary to meet. I especially wanted
her to see her grandparents' Canadian
homestead in McKillop Township. Every
afternoon and evening, I opened up my home
to all the Murray relatives and friends of the
area. in total, we had over one hundred
guests in to meet Mary Murray Bohstedt,
sign the guest book, enjoy a visit, and a social
tea. Some of our visitors even took part in a
sing-song with "The Yellow Rose from
Texas."
When Mary and I wanted some quiet to
ourselves, we could go out on the back patio
and enjoy the sun, more flowers and a little
garden done in the theme "In a little Dutch
Garden." I made this as a tribute to our good
Dutch friends in Canada.
(Continued on page 136)
Diary of a cousin's visit