Revision as of 12:04, 4 June 2025

Calgary Meeting Room, Div. 6, AB (TW-EB) +1962-current

Early Correspondents

• Thomas Boyd 1951+
• Robert Sykes +1962-1973+
• Donald Pope +1962-1966+
• Alan Heslop +1973-1985+
• Lorne Butler +1973+
• Daniel Pilkington +1985+

Notable Early Families

Boyd family

Thomas and Annie moved to Calgary in 1951 in fellowship with this network, likely introduced to it at Newman Place Christian Assembly, and was arguably a forerunner of this assembly which developed by 1962. The Boyd family eventually joined with the OB at North Hill Gospel Hall then West Hillhurst Gospel Hall, both in Calgary. Annie was raised CoE, Thomas was Presbyterian in Scotland and became Coe, they remained as such as late as 1941 while residing in Montreal. Thomas immigrated to Canada at the age of 19, settling initially in Montreal where he resided with his sister Annie Boyd Morrison (b. 1892 Scot. - d. 1990 Verdun, QC). Their mother Mary immigrated to Montreal in 1922 to live with Annie. Mary was a daughter of John Hay (b. 1821 Aberdeen, Scot.) & Ann McRae Hay (b. 1841 Inverness, Scot. - d. 1913 Aberdeen, Scot.). John was a son of William Hay & Ann Fraser. Ann was a daughter of Donald McRae & Helen Ross McRae.

Thomas' obit: Calgary Herald 2001-5-1: "Thomas Hay Boyd, after long and faithful service, was called to be with his Lord on April 30, 2001, at the age of 99 years. He was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, on March 7, 1902, and emigrated to Canada in 1921, at the age of nineteen. He lived in Montreal, where he met and married Anne Sykes, and where his three children were born. He worked [+1931+] for the Canadian National Railways, went overseas with the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps during World War II, and in 1945 joined Canadian Pacific Airlines, where he was one of the Pioneers of the aviation business. After living in Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver, he retired in Calgary in 1967. For all his adult life, his Christian faith was all-important to him and he enjoyed fellowship with his Brethren at the North Hill Gospel Hall for many years..."

Annie's obit: Calgary Herald 2001-6-5: "It is with great sadness that the family of Anne Boyd (nee Sykes) announces her passing on June 2, 2001 at the age of 97 years. Anne was born in England and emigrated to Canada in 1920 at the age of seventeen. She saw snow for the first time in Montreal and was always glad thereafter that she lived in Canada. She spent many happy years in Montreal, where she married Thomas Hay Boyd and had three children. In 1951, they moved to Calgary, where she spent the rest of her life except for a three-year sojourn in Vancouver. She was a warm, compassionate and loving person, deeply loved by her family and especially close to her grandchildren. Secure in her belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, she attended West Hillhurst Gospel Hall for many years and felt that the congregation was like an extended family."

• Thomas Hay Boyd 1951+ (b. 1902 Aberdeen, Scotland; emig. 1921 Montreal, QC; d. 2001 Calgary, AB), son of Robert Boyd (b. 1859 St. Nicholas, Aberdeen, Scot. - d. 1915 Aberdeen, Scot.) & Mary Hay Boyd (b. 1864 Aberdeen, Scot.; emig. 1922; d. 1938 Montreal, QC). Robert was employed as a worker in a wool mill, a flax sorter, shoe dresser and restauranteur. Mary also worked in a mill at the age of 17, as censuses on Ancestry.com.
• Anne "Annie" Sykes Boyd 1951+ (b. 1904 England; emig. 1920; m. 1925 Verdun, QC; d. 2001 Calgary, AB), daughter of Robert Sykes (b. 1882 Blackburn, Lancashire, Eng. - d. 1962 Montreal, QC) & Alice Woods Sykes (b. 1883 Blackburn, Eng.; m. 1902 Blackburn, Eng.; d. 1952 Montreal, QC). During WWI (1914+), Robert served with the machine gun corps in the infantry. In 1911, he was employed in Blackburn as an iron moulder.
  • Alice Dorothy Boyd Linder (b. 1926 Montreal, QC). Husband (1953 @ Kensington, London, Eng.): George Linder FCA (b. 1926 Hendon, Greater London, Eng. - d. 2002 Calgary, AB), son of Norman Linder (b. 1891 Galicia, Austria - d. 1966 Surrey, Eng.) & Sarah Edith Shaffer Linder (b. 1897 Manchester, Eng.; m. 1920 Prestwich, Lancashire, Eng.; d. 1975 Edgware, NW London, Mid., Eng.). In 1953, Dorothy was a recipient of the Governor-General's Medal at her graduation from the Sir George Williams University, founded by the YMCA in Montreal. As per his obit, George battled cancer "as he lived his life, with quiet courage and a determination that endured, frequently against the odds, until the end". He enlisted with the British Army in the latter part of WWII, serving tours in India, Burma and Singapore, then immigrated with his brother John to Montreal where he earned a B.A. in Political Science, and a B. Comm. from aforementioned Sir Geo. Williams Univ. where he met Dorothy. They resided shortly in England, then Montreal, then to Calgary where Thomas & Annie had settled. George was employed in the caterpillar tractor and oil industries before serving a decade in the Faculty of Continuing Education at the University of Calgary, including as Assoc. Dean and Director the Mgmt. Development program. In 1979, he became a partner with [1], today one of the Big Four globally in accounting firms. In 1986, George was honored with the title FCA as a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, he had earned the initial designation in 1967 while at the Univ. of Calgary. He served many years with the National Board of the United Way of Canada.
  • Ronald Thomas Boyd (b. 1930 Montreal, QC - d. 2018 Brockville, ON). Wife (1953): Dorothy Boyd. As per his obit, Ronald worked initially for the Canadian National Railway while taking night classes to become a teacher which he started in Quebec City, later retiring from Leeds & Grenville BoE where he served many years as a principal.
  • Jean Carole Boyd Benson (b. 1940 Montreal, QC - d. 2010 Winnipeg, MB). Husband: Gary Benson.

Butler family

Alberta's 1st husband (1943 @ Halifax, NS): Petty Officer Arthur Douglas Snyder (b. 1919 Halfway Cove, Guysborough, N.S. - d. 1944 [2], Cape Breton Island, NS/Nfld), son of George Christopher Snyder (b. 1878 Queensport, Guysborough, NS - d. 1970 Halifax, NS) & Maude Laure Abigail Dort Snyder (b. 1878 Halfway Cove, NS - d. 1964 Armdale, Halifax, NS). Arthur enlisted with the R.C.N.R. in 1940, and was married to Alberta on May 14, 1943 at St. Paul's Anglican, founded in 1749 and meets in the oldest structure in Halifax. Their wedding was officiated by Thomas William Savary (1878-1948), who served at St. Paul's from 1930 until his death.

Arthur Douglas Snyder was "lost at sea" when the HMCS Shawinigan was sunk on Nov. 25, 1944 during the Battle of the Atlantic in the midst of a mission to escort the USCGC Sassafras which became detached. Investigation concluded that Shawinigan was torpedoed by the German submarine U-1228 during the night of Nov. 24th. The entire crew of ninety was lost, with only six bodies recovered. Arthur was employed prior to his military service as a fisherman, and registered in 1940 with the CoE. . Another victim was Dudley "Red" Garrett (1924-1944), who formerly played 23 games of professional hockey for the New York Rangers (1942-1943) after being traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

• Lorne Allan Butler +1973-1984+; +1988-1990+ (b. 1926 Winnipeg, MB - d. 2005 Calgary, AB), son of Clarence Robert Butler (b. 1897 Victoria, BC - d. 1973 San Francisco, CA) & Edith Beatrice Nixon Butler (b. 1895 Norfolk, ON; m. 1922 Brandon, MB; d. 1971 Calgary, AB). A tree was planted in Lorne's honor at Nose Creek Valley, Airdrie, near Calgary as a living memorial. He was a correspondent for the assembly in 1973.
• Alberta Rose Taylor Snyder-Butler +1973-1984+; +1988-1990+ (b. 1919 Okotoks, Calgary, AB; m. 1971; d. 2008 Calgary, AB), daughter of Egbert Oliver Taylor (b. 1886 Brentford, Greater London, Eng. - d. 1962 Banff, Canmore, AB) & Martha Agnes Selke Taylor (b. 1885 Berlin, Waterloo, ON - d. 1966 Banff, AB). Martha's parents were born in Germany, and departed this life in Kitchener, Ontario.

Clark/Zyelinske family

• Nadia Celia Zyelinske +2005+ (b. 1988 Portland, OR - d. 2009 Regina, SK), daughter of Theodoro Zyelinske (b. 1935 Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil - d. 1995 Troutdale, Multnomah, OR) & Lois Zyelinske-Clark +2005-2013+. Lois later remarried Harold Clark +2005-2013+. The Leader-Post 2009-12-16: "Zyelinske - Nadia Celia went to be with her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on Monday, December 14, 2009 at the age of 21..." Her gravestone has Psalm 96:1: "O sing to the Lord a new song". Nadia was previously in fellowship +1994-1996+ at the Gresham Meeting Room in Oregon. Theodoro petitioned to be naturalized in the U.S. in 1967, with witnesses of Helen K. Dake & Stanley E. Smith, both of Portland.

Covell family

• Deborah “Debbie” Hiram Foster Covell +1988-1990+ (b. 1952 Smiths Falls, ON? – d. 2003 Ottawa, ON), daughter of Barbara Foster-Page. Husband: Lorne S. Covell +1988+.

Fraser family

+1985-2001+ @ Edmonton Meeting Room, AB was one of the last remaining maintaining a testimony in that area thru 2001. In 1940, she was employed in Ottawa as a dental nurse, and married Roy Fraser, then a clerk with the RCAF who earned the rank of flight sergeant during WWII. Both were in fellowship with the Brethren by that point in Ottawa.

Their wedding was officiated by George M. Edwards of 305 Flora St., of McPhail Baptist Church, and held in Marion’s parents’ home in the Westboro neighborhood of western Ottawa. Miss Helene Calladine played the wedding music, Miss Doreen Munroe was bridesmaid, and Larry Shanks as best man, as per an article in The Ottawa Citizen. Out-of-town guests included: Mr. & Mrs. W.E. Munroe and family, Miss Alma Anderson, Mrs. H. Palmer and her son, Mr. Gerald Palmer, all of Perth. Others were Mrs. E. Harrison and her son, Mr. Kenneth Harrison of Montreal; Mrs. H. Ayres of Toronto and Mr. M.J. Morrison of Kingston.

The obit of Marion describes her as an “artist, loving mother, loyal friend, and woman of deep faith. Her generosity, hospitality, creativity and enthusiasm for life and learning, will be long remembered…” Roy’s obit indicates he “passed on to be with his Lord after a lengthy illness”. She had several siblings: Alvin Fred Munroe of Ottawa, Peter Donald Munroe of Streetsville & Doreen Mae Munroe Whitlam of Brampton. Doreen’s husband was Ray Whitlam.

Marion's parents were PB in Ottawa by 1921, likely at the Ottawa Meeting Room, they also resided in Brampton and later Edmonton. Her paternal grandparents, James Munroe (b. 1853 ON – d. 1928) & Anna Maria “Fanny” McKerracher Munroe (b. 1863 – d. 1932) were PB as early as 1891 at Perth, although both were raised Presby. Peter was employed lifelong as an accountant. Peter & Barbara’s wedding was officiated in Ottawa by W.A. McIlroy, mentioned on the front page of the 1910-8-3 issue of The Ottawa Journal.

• Roy Douglas Fraser (b. 1916 Winnipeg, MB – d. 1975 Edmonton, AB), son of Duncan Edmund Fraser (b. 1866 Kinburn, Huron, ON – d. 1957 Toronto, ON) & Emily Florence Hewit Fraser (b. 1876 Markdale, Grey, ON – d. 1915 Winnipeg, MB). In 1921, the family was Presby., residing in Winnipeg, and Duncan was self-employed in the wholesale glass industry. His mother Florence died four days after his birth.
• Marion Ida Munroe Fraser +1982-1984+ (b. 1915 Port Arthur, ON – d. 2009 Edmonton, AB), daughter of Peter Donald Munroe (b. 1885 Perth, Lanark, ON – d. 1953 Ottawa, ON) & Barbara “Birdie” Leslie Munroe (b. 1884 Montreal, QC; m. 1910 Ottawa, ON; d. 1973 Edmonton, AB).