RIVERS
BANNER
ersary v i n Celebrating our 109th An
Gazette-Reporter
Serving the Rivers, Rapid City and Oak River areas for 1078years
Gourlays given century status July 28, 2017
Volume 110, Issue 4
89¢ + tax
By Sheila Runions Banner Staff
W
hen Gerry Gourlay retired from t he RC M P i n 2015, he considered moving back from Saskatchewan to the family farm eight miles northeast of Oak River but the house there was no longer liveable. Therefore, he and wife Darlene opted to build in the 200 block of Seventh Avenue in Rivers. Now fully settled there, he began to think of the farm’s history. “I asked about and received an information package from RM of Oakview regarding applying for Century Farm status. I submitted the paper work through the provincial Department of Agriculture; turns out Grandpa purchased the farm in August 1906, so we could have applied for this designation a few years ago.” And so, a small party was planned on Tuesday, July 18 to recognize the status and receive a Century Farm sign from Riding Mountain MLA Greg Nesbitt. Approximately 50 family, neighbours and a few friends gathered at southeast 8-14-21 for a noon barbecue of hamburgers, hot dogs and cake. The official presentation was made at 2 p.m. and the party concluded at 3 pm. Nesbitt said, “It is my pleasure to recognize the Gourlay family with a Century Farm gate sign, on behalf of the province of Manitoba. My thanks to the family for the hospitality and refreshments provided to all the guests!” In addition to the provincial gift, Manitoba Historical Society was notified of the application; they sent a plaque in the mail. It is given “in recognition of those pioneers whose descendants have continued on the land for 100 years or more.” Accurate ownership of the l a n d b e g a n w it h A n d r e w “Andy” Gourlay; on March 22, 1922 after he married Cather-
Photo by Donna Morken
MLA Greg Nesbitt (centre) presents a Century Farm sign to L/R: Gerry, Darlene, Audrey and Doug Gourlay.
ine McLellan, the title became joint. Gerry further explains the family tree and the farm’s history. “Catherine arrived in New York on Nov. 11, 1918 (the day the First World War ended) with her two sons Robin (four) and Allisdair (two). They immigrated to Canada and were accompanied by her sister-inlaw, Grace McLucas, a nurse. They came to Brandon to set up a convalescent home. Andy’s sister, Eleanor McEwen, was a nurse at Brandon Hospital and got to know Catherine. Eleanor introduced Andy to Catherine. They had three sons together: George was born Feb. 26, 1923, Fred on Nov. 23, 1924 and Doug on Dec. 1, 1929. Allisdair died in November 1930 from a ruptured appendix. In 1932 Marie (pronounced Mary) Dereniwsky (born Jan. 21, 1917) came to work on the farm and never left. She became part of the family and grew up like a sister to the five boys. Marie played a major role in the life of the farm and proved to be very valuable and capable in all farm chores and duties associated with a mixed
farming operation. The farm grew grain, oilseeds, forage crops, and over the years has raised beef cattle, milk cows, ducks, chickens, laying hens and pigs. “George left the farm in 1941 to pursue a career in the Air Force. Robin left the farm in 1942 to join the army. Doug left the farm in 1952 after graduating from University of Manitoba with a degree in agriculture; Andy died that July. Catherine became owner of the farm which was farmed by Fred. On Nov. 23, 1983 Catherine enjoyed her 100th birthday; she died in May 1988. She had stayed on the farm all through the years, cared for by Marie and Fred, and was only hospitalized for a short period before her death. Fred then became owner of the farm and Fred and Marie remained on the farm together. Due to health reasons and in order to be closer to the medical support he required (dialysis), Fred moved to Brandon in 2008. In 2009 Gerry and Darlene became owners of the farm; Gerry is Doug’s son. That same year, Marie left the farm
and moved to a seniors housing unit in Oak River.” Although Marie moved to Birch Lodge (Hamiota’s personal care home) in 2015, she is still a member of the Gourlay family. Doug and wife Audrey regularly travel to visit and take her on outings, as do Gerry and Darlene. Ger r y, Doug and Marie were in a decorated Kawasaki 4x4 Mule side by side at Oak River’s parade the day prior; they proudly reminded fair goers Marie is 100 years old. Gerry says he and his dad “continue to care for Marie just as she did for Catherine for many years.” She was also part of the Century Farm party, as were Gerry’s son Nelson and family, who travelled here from Calgary. There were four generations of Gourlay men at the farm: Doug, Gerry, Nelson and his son Gryfon. Gerry and Darlene own three quarters of land at that home site. They seeded their own crop the first retirement year (2015) with wheat, barley and canola but have now switched to alfalfa. Gerry says they plan to “transition to organic status,
which is a three-year process. A farm neighbour, who has all the proper equipment, has cut and baled the hay this summer; we have some basic equipment but it is older and small in comparison to today’s norm.” An even older piece of equipment with no known history is now the focal point for the Century Farm sign. “I wanted to create a space to place the sign and I found the old auger in the corral, so thought it may be a good use for the tired piece of equipment. I don’t know anything about the auger other than it has been sitting neglected ever since I remember coming to the farm as a youngster.” The auger, which pays homage to Fred by means of a sign perched above its wheels, now rests with the century sign in a giant sandbox at the end of the driveway. Of Catherine’s five boys, only two survive. Doug lives in Brandon and George in a veterans’ home in Ottawa. Robin was killed in a truck accident in 1960 and Fred died in 2012.