52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 2 Prompt - Favourite Photo

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 2

Prompt -Favorite Photo

Back Row: Diane Lutz, Wendy Hoffart, Don Peters, Rob Peters, Dennis Peters

Seated in Front from Left; Bonnie Cuthbertson, Vivian and Jake Peters, Betty Olajos.
Taken April, 1979 at a Saskatoon Photo Studio. To the best of my knowledge or at least in my collection, this is the last family picture of us all together including our parents.

I do not know what the occasion was to bring us all together. Obviously it was a planned occasion as we had an appointment and look at us all dressed up. I can't believe that this was taken 40 years ago. I still think I look the same!

At this time, mom and dad were still working. Dad worked full time at Intercontinental Meat Packing Plant as an “ham boner”. In March of 1979, dad had just received his “Quarter Century Club Service Award.”

My mother was also working full time. She was working at St. Paul's Hospital kitchens as a Journeyman Cook II.

My oldest sibling is Betty Olajos. She was born Mary Elizabeth Peters. Betty was a nurse and at this time was working part time at Calgary General Hospital. Betty and her husband, John had two school age children at this time – Glenn and Cathy.

Diane Barbara Lutz is the second oldest of the siblings. Diane and Art were living in St. Albert, Alberta. They were very busy raising four children – Sandy, Sue, Sarah, and Scott who was just a newborn.

My oldest brother, Rob was third oldest sibling. Born Robert Bruce Peters, but he has always been Rob to us. Rob had just received his Bachelor of Social Work in 1978 and was working as a Social Worker in Saskatoon. Rob did not have children at this time but over the next 12 or so years he had 3 children - Greg, Trent and Alyss.

Next in line is Dennis Alan Peters. Dennis had a Bachelor of Computer Science and was working for Saskatoon Federated Co Op. Dennis and his wife Sandy have no children. This past summer they celebrated their 50^th Wedding Anniversary.

Donald Gregory was the fifth child of Jake and Vivian Peters. Don was working at The Bank of Montreal at this time and I believe he was living in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Don and Sylvia had two children at this time; Joelle and their son Ben who was born two months before this photo. I believe before the year was done they had moved to Calgary where he became a postal worker until his retirement. Since his retirement, Don has traveled and lived in Costa Rica, Ecuador and is presently living in Kiev, Ukraine.

I am the sixth child. At the time of this photo. I was working part time in The Bank of Montreal. I had given up nursing already. Bill and I had our first child, Jill 4 months before. We had another girl, Jackie, two years later.

The baby of the family is Bonita Louise. Only when she was in trouble would she be called that. We called her Bonnie. Bonnie had married Doug the year before this photo in Saskatoon. Bonnie and her husband were working at The Bank of Montreal in Winnipeg. They moved back to Saskatoon in 1979 where they have lived since that time. They had no children at the time of this photo but would go on to have 4 children, Murray, Matthew, Lynn, and Michael.

We were in the prime of our lives. We were successful and happy. Mom and Dad had to be proud of their children.

I am including two more photos of our family. 

Back Row: Rob, Mom, Dennis, Don

Front Row: Wendy, Bonnie and Betty. (Diane is missing from this photo).
The above photo  was taken September 26, 1983. The day of our father's funeral.

Back Row: Don, Rob, Wendy, and Dennis

Front Row: Betty, Bonnie and Diane

Taken January 28, 1987. It was taken the night of Mom's funeral. Strangely, I have often thought of this photo as The Peters' Orphan Photo.

Wendy