Johnny Friend
	
Johnny Friend served with the Canadian Army in Winnipeg as a cat skinner and truck driver before settling in Watson Lake in the 1940s. He partnered with Huey Pete to build and operate Watson Lake Motors. He was community minded and involved in many projects around the town. He was the founding coach of the local baseball team, and for a time was the town’s self-appointed mortician. He was known for his generous spirit and colourful character.((“Johnny Friend.” Watson Lake, 2020 website: http://www.watsonlake.ca/celebrity/johnny-friend/.))
	
Friend participated in many sports in Watson Lake although he was not a noted athlete. When one of his curling team died on the ice during a game, Friend decided to continue and finish the game as a fitting tribute to the fallen friend. He umpired softball and baseball games and called “out’ whenever a played bunted the ball, so the pitchers loved him. He was not a hockey fan, but the residents called their new town area after him.((John Firth, //Yukon Sport. An Illustrated Encyclopedia.// Sport Yukon, 2014: 386.))