r:e_richards
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| Babe Richards was born in Whitehorse to parents Bernadine (Langholtz) and T.C. Richards. She grew up when Whitehorse was a town of about 300 people in the winter and about 500 in the summer.((Stephanie Waddell, “Pillar of the volunteer community remembered.” // | Babe Richards was born in Whitehorse to parents Bernadine (Langholtz) and T.C. Richards. She grew up when Whitehorse was a town of about 300 people in the winter and about 500 in the summer.((Stephanie Waddell, “Pillar of the volunteer community remembered.” // | ||
| - | Babe graduated from Crofton House in Vancouver in 1942 and planned to attend nursing school. She flew back top Whitehorse that summer and, after her oldest brother, Cecil, drowned in Ear Lake she lost heart for continued education. | + | Babe graduated from Crofton House in Vancouver in 1942 and planned to attend nursing school. She flew back top Whitehorse that summer and, after her oldest brother, Cecil, drowned in Ear Lake she lost heart for continued education. |
| + | As the children reached school age, they left the sawmill to attend the Catholic boarding school in Whitehorse. Babe missed her children so in 1960, the Browns moved to a home at Watson Lake, at mile 1.3 of the Robert Campbell Highway. The house was several separate skid shacks under one roof joined under one roof by an unheated 60' central corridor. Each shack was heated by a small propane stove. There was a cabin for the girls and one for the boys. John found a good stand of timer for his sawmill seventeen miles from town. Babe's last child was born in Watson Lake in 1963. Babe cooked for the mill employees, her ten children, and four boarders. The boarders were children of parents who lived in the bush or at Swift River where there was no school. One boarder was Dennis Fentie who became Yukon' | ||
| - | Babe Richards married | + | John's sawmill was no longer profitable so the Browns moved to Dawson Creek, British Columbia where started work with a trucking company. The family, with the five youngest children, |
| - | In 1971 Babe returned to her hometown and became a central figure in the community. She was the owner and operator of the Broises Tienda dress shop and later a day care where she was known to the kids as Grandma Babe. She was well-known for her extensive work with local charities. She raised her own ten children and as well as a number of foster children. Babe had a great memory and could tell many stories about the past. One time she borrowed a bulldozer from a highway maintenance crew and briefly took a few lessons before building a road to a lake site where her family eventually built a cabin. Richards took on the role of beloved grandmother to twenty-three grandchildren, | + | Babe became a central figure in the community. She operated |
| Babe was an active and dedicated member of the Yukon Order of Pioneers Auxiliary. She welcomed calls from those who wanted to hear stories and borrow pictures or newspaper clippings to make copies.((Yukon Archives MSS40, Meg Waddington.)) The Yukon Historical and Museums Association 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award was given to two recipients: Gudrun Sparling and Babe Richards. As Jim Robb wrote in his nomination, these ladies have always shared their valuable knowledge, experience and history of the area, to both the general public and to the media. The two lifelong friends have contributed a lot through the years. YHMA was pleased to honour two ladies who have contributed a true lifetime of building and preserving Yukon heritage.((Erin Wall, Executive Director, YHMA Press Release, 18 February 2009.)) Babe Richards moved to Macaulay Lodge in March 2013 and soon became the unofficial greeter. She was remembered by her friend Goody Sparling as a “jolly” spirit.((Stephanie Waddell, “Pillar of the volunteer community remembered.” // | Babe was an active and dedicated member of the Yukon Order of Pioneers Auxiliary. She welcomed calls from those who wanted to hear stories and borrow pictures or newspaper clippings to make copies.((Yukon Archives MSS40, Meg Waddington.)) The Yukon Historical and Museums Association 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award was given to two recipients: Gudrun Sparling and Babe Richards. As Jim Robb wrote in his nomination, these ladies have always shared their valuable knowledge, experience and history of the area, to both the general public and to the media. The two lifelong friends have contributed a lot through the years. YHMA was pleased to honour two ladies who have contributed a true lifetime of building and preserving Yukon heritage.((Erin Wall, Executive Director, YHMA Press Release, 18 February 2009.)) Babe Richards moved to Macaulay Lodge in March 2013 and soon became the unofficial greeter. She was remembered by her friend Goody Sparling as a “jolly” spirit.((Stephanie Waddell, “Pillar of the volunteer community remembered.” // | ||
r/e_richards.1766449494.txt.gz · Last modified: by sallyr
