52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. Week 41. Prompt - Newest

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 41

Prompt – Newest.

My father's youngest brother was Abraham or Abe Peters

I know very little about him.  This information is sourced from Susan Cliffe.   Susan is my cousin or Abe Peters niece.  I am not sure how she established his date of birth. 

 

Lt to Rt; Shirley Knoxel, Helena Heide, Abe Peters. Ca. 1980”s. 

Three siblings of my father. This is the only photo I have of Abe Peters.

I started perusing my newspaper.com database in hopes of finding an obituary. I did not find one (yet)! However I did run across this article in The Vancouver Sun dated September 15, 1987.  I found the following article; “No Finish in Sight in Fight For Homeless. Expo Evictee: Abe Peters Now Lives in 4 Sisters Housing Co-Op”

The photograph of Abe Peters in this article seems to resemble the only other photo I have of Abe.  It states his age as 61 and that fits with his birth date of 1926.   If this is my Uncle Abe Peters I have learned just a bit more about him.  It states he was a former PNE ride operator.  According to Jim Green of DERA (Downtown Eastside Residence Association), Abe was living in Regal Place Hotel at 146 West Hasting across from Woodward's.  Abe was served eviction orders under his door and because he could not read or write he had somebody else read it to him.  He had 5 days to move out.  However he came home one day and his locks were changed.  Jim Green goes on to say Abe eventually found another hotel to reside in, but that sounded as if it was never secure.  Upon which he moved into 4 Sisters Housing Co-Op

His resemblance, his age, his labour type employment, his illiteracy. and his low rental room living accommodations all come together to paint a background that is much like my father's other siblings, nieces and nephews who lived in Vancouver and we visited several times over my childhood.

This housing co-op is addressed as 133 Powell. Now here is the OMG in this story!. When I googled 4 Sisters Housing Co-op, it became crystal clear where this was.

I have been on that roof top patio and looked out over that same beautiful scenery of Vancouver Harbor. I have been inside that Co-Op housing and stayed inside several times; because it is where my daughter lives today!

This is my newest discovery in my genealogy journey and I don't know what to think about this coincidence, but it definitely has a spine tingling feel about it that leaves me in awe.

Can it be Serendipity?

Wendy