- Rodgers, Wallace and Alice (Vennard)
Wallace was born in Jan. 1927 to Clifford and Mary Rodgers, their second child. Wallace lost his mother at the age of three. After being cared for by his Aunt Ethel for a time, Wallace was sent along with older brother Jim and younger sister, Marjorie, to Kipling to live with their grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Apperly. Wallace took two or three years schooling in Kipling and then returned to live with his dad and Grandfather Rodgers. He went to school in the St. John's District and helped his dad on the farm.
In Apr. 1952, Wallace married Alice Vennard (born Apr. 1930). We were married in the St. Mary's Anglican Church with immediate families present. We had a short honeymoon weekend in Regina and Moose Jaw. We then returned home to the family farm.
Money was not plentiful in our married life so I milked cows, planted garden, did the usual jobs of a house wife. Homemade bread was a real treat for the men, who had batched for many years. To bake 15-20 loaves of bread twice a week was a job in itself.
In Jan. 1954 Sharon was born. It was cold and there was plenty of snow. We were in the hospital for ten days. We came home part-way by car, the remaining way with a team and sleigh. She was the apple of her grand dad's eye, who was at her beck and call. When she was old enough and could walk, on a nice spring day they would dress her up and take her to the strawpile for straw. She loved the outdoors and being around cattle. Sharon took her schooling in Whitewood, graduating in 1972. She joined the Homecraft for one year. She worked two holidays in the Whitewood Co-op. In 1972 she was hired in the Credit Union. In 1973 she married Donald Jordens. They have two children, Mark and Colleen. Sharon is now the Office Manager in the Whitewood Credit Union.
In Dec. 1955, Suzette Marie was born, another grandchild for grandpa to bounce on his knee. The years flew by and before you knew it, Suzette was in school. In 1973 Suzette graduated and attended Reliance School in Regina, graduating in 1974. She began to work at the Toronto Dominion Bank in Regina. In 1976 she married Dwayne Stone and moved back to Whitewood. She worked awhile at McLeods, then joined the staff at the Bank of Montreal. They have two girls, Christine and Michelle.
In 1957 David Michael was born in Feb., a son to carry on the Rodgers name. David attended school in Whitewood. When he was thirteen, he joined the Air Cadets at Moosomin. He worked for Ken White for awhile. In 1977 he married Donalda Haffner of Moosomin. They moved to Esterhazy, where David took up work at the K1 Mine. In 1980 they moved to Estevan to work for Fowly Motors as a mechanic. In 1982 they were divorced and David returned to Whitewood to work for Ken White. In 1984 he moved to Arcola and then to Carnduff. In 1986 he moved to Calgary. In June 1988, he married Corrine Pritchard in Calgary, where they still reside.
In Aug. 1961, Darwin was born. Our large one room downstairs and three bedrooms upstairs with four children and three adults was getting a little crowded. In the fall of 1961 Dad bought the St. John's School and with the help of the neighbors, they moved it home, to rest on the north side of the house. This gave us two extra rooms and a living room which was really nice. Darwin was the only one to go to kindergarten. He was a good student and also joined the Air Cadets. In the last years of his school 1978-79, Darwin had an exchange student from Mexico. His name was Jose Louis Gonzales. Darwin graduated in Sept. 1979. He moved to Regina and worked for Canadian Water Softener. In 1980 he moved home to help run the family farm for three years. As well, he worked for the Whitewood Co-op.
In Apr. 1983, he married Janice Carlisle of Moosomin. I, Alice, moved to town and they lived on the farm. Two sons were born at Whitewood, Jeremy Patrick, Sept. 1983 and Michael Wallace Lloyd, Feb. 1985. Darwin took his family and moved to Cutknife, where he worked on a farm for two years. He then moved into town and worked there for two years. In Dec. 1986 in North Battleford, Sarah Lynn was born. In 1987 Darwin and the family moved to Regina where he drives a truck for City Courier. In May 1990, their last child, Laura Allyce Josephine was born in the Pasqua Hospital.
In Apr. 1978, Dad Rodgers developed cancer. He died in Nov. 1978.
In Apr. 1980 Wallace met with a tragic accident. An explosion occurred while he was fixing a pump on the gasoline tank, burning 98% of his body. He was rushed to Regina by ambulance, but after fighting for his life for seven weeks, Wallace died 17 June 1980. (The neighbors had come in May and put the crop in.)
In May 1985, I had a farm sale and rented the land to Donald Jordens. In Feb. 1988, I sold the home half-section to Yvon Gatin, and two years later sold the other half to Sylvain Dumonceaux.
On 17 Dec. 1983 I married Chester Wilson from Wawota. We are enjoying our retirement in Whitewood. [3]
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