Donald Ross MacKay was born in Weyburn, Saskatchewan. He came to Brandon College in 1936, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1939. From 1940-1947, MacKay served in the Canadian Army Canada and overseas. In September 1947 he was appointed Registrar-Bursar at Brandon College. During his career he also served as University Comptroller, Public Relations Officer, Director of Development, Secretary to the Board of Governors, Secretary of the Board of Directors, Secretary to Senate and Assistant to the President. He also served on the Brandon College Expansion Committee, the Hales Museum Committee and was the Chairman of the Athletic Directorate. MacKay retired from the University in 1984. After his retirement he served on the Brandon University Foundation Board of Directors. In recognition of his service to the University MaKay was presented with the Alumni Award in 1974 and with the Distinguished Service Award in 1981 for his contributions to society. MacKay's additional community involvement included the Centennial Auditorium Committee, the Brandon Schools Orchestral Band Association, the Planning Committee for First United Church - St. Paul's Church (what became Central United Church), the Manitoba Heart Foundation, the Kiwanis Club, the Wally Byam Caravan Club, Nitecappers and Northview Pools Inc.
MacKay's career at Brandon College and Brandon University was unprecedented in the breadth of administrative responsibility. As a result, records created during his tenure as Comptroller almost certainly also reflect his responsibilites beyond the Comptroller's Office.
Don MacKay died on April 2, 1990. He was predeceased by his first wife Gwen Dobie, with whom he had four children: Joan, Holly, Ross and Jane. He left behind a second wife, Mona.
John Peters was born on November 7, 1918 in Hague, SK. He moved to the Broodkale area in 1941, and then the Minnedosa area. Hazel Sayward was born on January 5, 1929 in Brandon, MB. Her family lived on a farm northeast of Moore Park. Hazel attended school in Moore Park, then in the Brookdale district but eventually quit school to help on the farm. John and Hazel married in November 1943, and together they had two children: Connie and Perry. The couple farmed in the Oberon district, then moved to Duddenhoffer farm, which later became part of the Langford Community Pasture. They managed the government pasture from 1948-1979. Hazel and John then retired on their own farm beside the community pasture. John Peters died on January 21, 2011. Hazel Peters died on January 14, 1917. The are both buried at Riverside 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 John and Helen Peters about community pasture life in Langford and Lansdowne. Interviewer is Dorothy Martin.
Notes
History/bio information from the records, the Broodkale local history "Quest in Roots," and Hazel Peters' obituary. Description by Christy Henry.
Audio Tracks
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