Died peacefully on October 18, 2015 with her husband Kenn at her side. Lenora was much loved by her daughter Lorna, Lorna’s husband Jay and Lenora’s grandsons Evan Donnelly of Yellowknife, N.W.T., and Jack Donnelly of Toronto. Lenora will be greatly missed by her brother Glen Mason and his wife Phyllis Mason of Davidson, Sask., and the Schoenroth, Hoover and Hocevar families, as well as many other family members and friends.
Lenora dealt with Parkinson’s disease bravely and without complaint for 21 years. Lenora was a most gracious, kind person who loved music and art and was devoted to her family, friends and her church.
A memorial service was held on Friday, October 23 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Ansgar Lutheran Church at 600 Lawson Rd. in London, Ontario. In accordance with Lenora’s wishes, her ashes were interred at Girvin Cemetery in Saskatchewan on August 28, 2016.
The Kinsmen Centennial Swimming Pool had its grand opening on Aug. 2, 1967.
By Joel van der Veen
DAVIDSON — Inside the change house at the Davidson swimming pool is a historical record written with Sharpie markers.
The roof rafters bear dozens of names, accompanied by dates, plus the occasional inside joke.
At some point in the pool’s 49-year history, it became tradition for the staff to inscribe their names somewhere inside the building.
The scrawled collection now forms an incomplete record of generations of teens and young adults who spent their summers working as lifeguards, swim instructors and cashiers.
Some, like Ellen McConnell, came back year after year.
“Growing up in Davidson, the pool was the hangout place for us kids all summer,” Ellen recalled last week.
“I had always wanted to be a lifeguard. I thought it was one of the coolest jobs ever as a kid.”
Ellen spent several summers working as a lifeguard and instructor, including one year where she was co-manager. Her younger sisters Emiley and Elise also worked at the pool.
She said her favourite classes to teach were the Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross, which are required training for lifeguards.
Ellen said being a lifeguard taught her a lot of responsibility, adding, “It is something that I would push any kid to become.”
Construction is moving ahead quickly on the town’s new pool and all signs indicate it will be ready for the summer of 2017.
But the old pool — or the Kinsmen Centennial Swimming Pool, as it was originally known — will live on in the memories of those who enjoyed it over the past 50 summers.
Before Davidson’s pool opened for business in July 1967, there were a few options for swimming — most of which sound unappealing or even unsafe to modern ears.
For decades, the dam at the east end of town served as the local swimming hole, with lessons provided for several weeks each summer. (Today it’s known as the reservoir, located past the A&W restaurant.)
Gloria Zdunich, who grew up in Davidson in the 1950s and 1960s, recalled taking a bus to Etter’s Beach for swimming lessons one summer, leaving each day at 9 a.m. and returning at 5 p.m.
“Nobody took water bottles and nobody had sunscreen,” she said. “Can you imagine how burnt we got?”
Another year, she recalled taking Red Cross lessons on a dugout at her uncle’s farm near Kenaston.
She also remembered one of her sisters taking lessons at the dam and “coming home with bloodsuckers on her leg.”
“People didn’t go to the lake and people didn’t have cabins back then,” she said. “It was pretty rare to learn to swim for my generation.”
For the full story, please see the Aug. 29 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.
Pastor John Slemming and his wife Susie are returning to Davidson after an absence of 17 years.
By Joel van der Veen
DAVIDSON — John and Susie Slemming’s upcoming move has a touch of déjà vu to it.
The couple returns to Davidson this week, where John will take on the role of pastor at New Life Pentecostal Assembly — the same church he previously served from 1993 to 1999.
John said he and his wife, who have spent the last 17 years in Shellbrook, had been anticipating a major change for close to a year.
He said the move to Davidson has been officially in the works for about three months, confirming what they were already expecting.
“We knew we were supposed to be there,” said John, adding that they are “looking forward to a lot of good things.”
He said they have fond memories of their time in the Midway Town and hope to reconnect with lots of old friends here.
The Slemmings have five children — Paul, Joy, Tavis, Kent and Rylan — ranging in age from 17 to 27, plus two grandchildren.
Rylan, their youngest son, will join them in Davidson to finish his last year of his school.
For the full story, please see the Aug. 29 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.
DAVIDSON — The loss of a full-time relief nursing position at the Davidson Health Centre last month was a blow, but it was more than that.
For the remaining nurses, it was the last straw.
“We’re just in crisis out here,” said registered nurse Lyndsay Cross, speaking to Davidson town council at its regular meeting Tuesday night.
She and colleague Krista Alexander visited as a delegation to voice their concerns. Joining them was Audrey Hamm, who is both the senior registered nurse (RN) and a town councillor.
They told council that they learned the week of July 19 that a vacant, full-time relief position at the Davidson Health Centre — used to accommodate planned absences for other nurses — would not be filled.
“They abolished that position, so it’s completely gone,” said Cross.
This reduces the number of nurses working in Davidson by one, and according to the nurses, it will make a bad situation even worse.
The nurses said staffing levels at the facility are insufficient, to the point that they are concerned for the safety and health of patients and themselves.
“We’re trying to keep our heads above water,” said Cross. “It’s not even safe. . . All of us are burnt out.”
Since July, Davidson’s health centre staff is comprised of five full-time nurses and two part-time (0.71 FTE) nurses.
Cross said the nurses are routinely working overtime, stretching 12-hour shifts to 14 or 15 hours, trying to ensure a more even workload, and not wanting to abandon their colleagues or patients.
“Every shift, we stay overtime, because we’re helping the next guy out,” she said, noting that the nurses collectively logged roughly 300 hours of overtime in May, June and July, for which they were paid double.
Cross said this will only increase since the relief position was cut in July, and that the nurses end up working far more hours than they want.
She said she and her colleagues are mentally and physically exhausted, adding that they don’t expect the situation to improve.
For the full story, please see the Aug. 22 edition of The Davidson Leader, or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.
Grant Russell of Davidson, Sask., passed away peacefully at the Davidson Health Centre on Aug. 4, 2016 at the age of 89. Grant was raised on a farm in the Davidson/Bladworth area. His parents, Alexander and Jean (Scott), raised three children: Grant, Calvin and Kathleen (Loseth).
He received his education at Kipp School and Bladworth School. Grant and Calvin were employed at a bush camp in Red Lake, Ont., before returning to farm full-time. The Russell farm was established in 1911 and received the Century Farm award, which Grant was proud of.
Grant married Eileen Currie in 1952 when she was employed as a Practical Nurse in the local hospital. They raised two girls, Marilyn and Cheryl.
After retiring and moving into town, Grant enjoyed many drives into the country to check on the crops. He loved to garden and tinker in his workshop in town. He enjoyed his coffee outings daily, visiting with neighbours and friends.
Grant adored his family and spending time with them.
Grant is survived by his daughters Marilyn (Terry) Barros, Cheryl (Kent) Frank; grandchildren Calli and Kenley; Dillon, Raylene and Jordan; great-grandchildren Brooklyn, Grayson and Jayde; also survived by brothers- and sisters- in law Leonore Porter, Evelyn Currie, Ruth (Gary) Gooch, Dick (Myrlene) Currie; nieces and nephews and extended family.
Grant was predeceased by his parents Alex and Jean, wife Eileen, brother Calvin, sister Kathleen; brothers-in-law Victor, Bill and Don.
The celebration of Grant’s life took place on Thursday, Aug. 11 at 2 p.m. at Davidson United Church with Rev. Mathias Ross officiating. Todd Lockwood of Hanson’s Funeral Home, Davidson was entrusted with arrangements.
