The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Janet Isabelle Ketchen (nee Smith), long time resident of Flin Flon, MB died peacefully as she was being admitted to the Flin Flon General Hospital on March 19, 2005. Isabelle, as she was known to friends and relatives, was born in Swan River on November 16, 1915. Her parents, Charles and Emma (nee Danard), farmed just west of Swan River. She is predeceased by older brother Hugh, younger sister Mary and younger brothers Clarence K. ("Duff", "CK"), Lloyd C., James C. ("Cecil", "JC") and sister-in-law Theresa (Lloyd). She is survived by her youngest brother Alvin ("Al") and his wife Dorothy of Toronto, sisters-in-law Helen (Hugh) Kelowna, Joyce ("CK") Winnipeg, and Margaret ("JC") of Winnipeg. Isabelle often regaled visitors with stories of life and times on the farm with her two brothers in the earliest days of her life. The farm had five or six Holstein milk cows and provided dairy products to the Town of Swan River. Isabelle, Hugh and "Duff" delivered the milk and washed and filled the returned bottles for the next day's deliveries. In 1932 following the advent of the HBM&S mine and smelter complex in 1928 the family slowly migrated to Flin Flon from the Swan River Valley to job opportunities which were few and far between in the depths of the Great Depression and dust bowl of the southern Prairie. With the exception of James Cecil, all of her brothers worked for HBM&S at one time or another. Isabelle commenced work with the family of Mr. Frank Schieder, owner of one of the three men's clothing stores in Flin Flon, as Mrs. Schieder's housekeeper and child minder. She subsequently travelled to Toronto, lived with an aunt and studied piano, attended high school and obtained a diploma in Practical Nursing. This led to employment as the cook at the WCTU's Alexandra Hall, a hostel for young women in St. Catherines, ON. Upon her return to Flin Flon she worked as a cook, housekeeper and private nurse. She loved to tell stories of her adventures in Toronto and exposure to the ways of the big city. Isabelle married Maynard "Bus" Ketchen, (Watson, SK) on November 5, 1938 in the Northminster United Church Manse with a reception following at the Smith residence at 21 Grandview Avenue. Two weeks later, "Bus" was laid off from HBM&S. More stories to tell! "Bus" went back to work with "the company" a few months later and spent his working career on the "Paint Gang". Bus joined the Navy with the onset of WWII and Isabelle went to work for HBM&S in the Mill as a "Greasemonkey", a job that was redundant with the return of the former employees who had gone to war. In 1947, Isabelle and Bus purchased one of the 50 new houses built for returning veterans. Isabelle lived at 349 Princess Blvd. for the rest of her life. She was employed at the T. Eaton Company outlet in Flin Flon as bookkeeper for several years and moved to employment in the accounting department of Midwest Diamond Drilling. In June 1960, Isabelle lost her beloved husband to cancer. Isabelle and Bus had become avid curlers and were among the first members of the Willowvale Curling Club. Isabelle had led her rink from Willowvale to win the 1959-60 Provincial Curling Championship, a feat repeated in 1962. In 1963, the first year of the Western Canada Women's Curling Championship, Isabelle's team lost out in the final game and finished second. Subsequently, Isabelle personally, and later the 1959-60 champions were inducted into the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame. The Willowvale Curling Club, in recognition of her accomplishments later awarded her a "life membership" and ultimately she was appointed Chairperson Emeritus of the Club. A bronze plaque commemorating her accomplishments is on display at the Club. With the death of her husband, Isabelle determined that she needed to improve her accounting education in order to secure an adequate living standard as a widow. She enrolled at the Manitoba Technical Institute's commercial course in Winnipeg. On completion of the course she was offered a position as commercial teacher at Hapnot Collegiate contingent upon completing Grade Eleven at summer school. She obtained her junior matriculation that year and was granted a temporary teaching certificate. For the next ten years Isabelle attended summer school in Winnipeg to complete the requirements for a permanent certificate. By then she was head of the Commercial Department at Hapnot. She retired from teaching in 1982. In retirement Isabelle served on the Flin Flon School Board and unsuccessfully ran for the position of Mayor of the Town of Flin Flon. She continued her active involvement in the community as an advocate of improved services for seniors as well as personally assisting seniors with the problems of taxation, pensions, etc. In addition she quietly pursued many philanthropic activities. "Auntie Belle" is survived by many relatives. These include cousins in the McFarlane, Danard, Henderson, Stevenson and Jeffery families as well as the Cox, Gourlay and Potter families of the Swan Valley and Flin Flon. Extended family relatives include many Danards, Dainards, Daynards and Aikens from the Prince Edward County, Owen Sound, Saint Marys and Grimsby areas of Ontario. A recent Danard (sic) reunion at Danard Lake, near Golden, BC was attended by representatives of nearly 60 families. Auntie Belle will be sorely missed by her adoring and adored nieces and nephews, Maureen and Allan (Hugh), Susan and David ("CK"), Derek, Brent, Tara, Beverly and Maynard (Lloyd), Katherine, Margaret and James Cecil ("JC") and Allison and Shannon ("Al"). Isabelle would wish to have Bob Romph mentioned as an adopted relative who has been a great help and solace to her all his life. Isabelle lived life to the fullest with an optimistic acceptance of events and a determination to contribute to the community. She was loved and admired by her family and her many friends. She passed away happy, content and proud. We will all miss her.
