Catherine Elizabeth "Kay" Dennis was born on November 26, 1916 at Brandon, MB. She attended school in Brandon and received her Psychiatric Nursing degree at the Brandon Mental Health Centre (BMHC) in 1938. Kay worked at the BMHC for 42 years. Her hobbies included natural history, bird-watching and summers at at Clear Lake. She never married. Catherine Dennis died on December 16, 2003 in Brandon, MB. She is buried at Brandon Municipal Cemetery.
Evelyn MacKenzie was born on September 29, 1905 at Craggie Inn, Daviot, County of Inverness, Scotland. She came to Canada with her parents in 1909, first to Winnipeg and then to Balmoral in 1911. Evelyn came to Brandon in 1924 or 1925 to take her nurses training at the Brandon Mental Hospital, graduating with a diploma in Psychiatric Nursing in 1927. From 1927-1942, she worked on BMHC wards, before being promoted to Acting Superintendent of Nurses. Evelyn enlisted in the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service (WRENS) during the Second World War, and was stationed at Halifax. Following the war, she returned to the BMHC where she was Assistant Superintendent of Nurses until her retirment in 1970. Evelyn enjoyed golfing, curling and bowling, was a member of the Brandon Golf and Country Club, an honorary charter member of the Brandon Quota Club, a member of Ex-WRENS Association (Chippawa Division) and a member of First Presbyterian Church. Evelyn never married. Evelyn MacKenzie died on April 19, 1993 in Brandon, MB. She is buried at Stonewall Cemetery.
Custodial History
As part of the Westman Oral History Collection, this collection was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. The original tapes from the Westman Oral History project were deposited in the Brandon Public Library. Copies of these originals were made by Margaret Pollex of the Brandon University Language Lab at the request of Eileen McFadden, University Archivist in the early 1990s. These copies compose the collection held in the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Item is an audiocassette tape containing an interview with Catherin Dennis and Evelyn McKenzie about the Brandon Hospital for Mental Diseases, and their experiences as students and nurses there. The interviewer is A. Lloyd Henderson.
Notes
History/bio information from the records, Dennis' obituary and MacKenzie's obituary. Description by Christy Henry.
Access Restriction
Consult University Archivist for access
Language Note
English
Conservation
Preservation copy made 2021 (R. Hess)
Audio Tracks
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Edythe May Wood was born on May 24, 1904 in Scarborough, Yorkshire, England and came to Canada with her family in 1911, settling in Medora, MB. Edythe attended Brandon Normal School and then taught for a number of years, primarily in Brandon. During the Second World War she took over as Principal of Fleming School. In 1949, Edythe left teaching for real estate. In the summer she worked for McMorran Agencies in Clear Lake, later buying the agency when McMorran retired. She also managed Rainbow Cabins and the Elkhorn Ranch for R.O. Gregorson. During the winter, starting in 1960, Edythe was the administrator of the Brandon Allied Arts Center. She was forced to retire from the position in 1970 due to vision imparement. Edythe was a member of the Business Professional Group and the Council of Women. She was also instrumental in bringing a CNIB presence to Brandon. Edythe never married. Edythe May Wood died on March 9, 1998 in Erickson, MB. She is buried at Rosewood Memorial Gardens.
Custodial History
As part of the Westman Oral History Collection, this collection was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. The original tapes from the Westman Oral History project were deposited in the Brandon Public Library. Copies of these originals were made by Margaret Pollex of the Brandon University Language Lab at the request of Eileen McFadden, University Archivist in the early 1990s. These copies compose the collection held in the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Item is an audiocassette tape containing an interview with Edythe May Wood about her life experiences in the Westman region. Subjects include her schooling, teaching and business careers, her public service activities and coping with visual imparement. The interviewer is Marjorie Fitton.
Notes
History/bio information from the records, Woods' obituary and the Manitoba Historical Society website. Description by Christy Henry.
Language Note
English
Conservation
Preservation copy made 2021 (R. Hess)
Audio Tracks
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Mary Evelyne Conley (nee Dixon) was born on November 30, 1919 in Carievale, SK. She lived in Carievale until 1940, at which point she moved to Brandon, MB. In Brandon she received her nurses training, graduating as an RN in 1943, and then working at Brandon General Hospital (BGH). In 1945, she moved to Toronto where she continued working as a nurse and also married Murray Ross Conley (1919-1998) on April 21, 1945. The couple had three children: Judith, Sharon and Bradley. After a year in Toronto, Evelyne returned to Brandon to raise her family and work as a private nurse at BGH. She retired from Fairview Personal Care Home in 1971, to care for her son, who developed multiple sclerosis (MS) in his 20s. This experience precipitated Evelyne's involvement with the MS Society. Evelyne Conley died on September 3, 2013 in Brandon, MB. She is buried at Rosewood Memorial Gardens.
Custodial History
As part of the Westman Oral History Collection, this collection was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. The original tapes from the Westman Oral History project were deposited in the Brandon Public Library. Copies of these originals were made by Margaret Pollex of the Brandon University Language Lab at the request of Eileen McFadden, University Archivist in the early 1990s. These copies compose the collection held in the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Item is an audiocassette tape containing an interview with Evelyne Conley about health services, specifically the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. The interview includes a brief history of the MS Society, the trials and tribulations of funding, and Evelyne’s personal ties to the organization. In particular she discusses the Prairie Division and the Brandon chapter. Interviewer is Phyllis Long.
Notes
History/bio information from the records and Conley's obituary. Transcript by Kyle Head (2020). Description by Christy Henry.
Language Note
English
Audio Tracks
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