Elsie John Sumanik, nee Weltons (b. 1938)
	 
Elsie Sumanisk was born in Fort McCloud, Alberta to Mary and Harry Weltons. She met her future husband, Don Sumanik, in high school and they married in 1957 after Elsie had completed training as a nurses’ aide in Calgary. She worked at Blairmore Hospital while Don was employed by the Canadian Weather Service. His work took them to many places between 1960 and 1967 including Whitehorse twice. In 1967, the family settled in Whitehorse and Elsie worked at the Whitehorse Medical Clinic.((“Elsie Joan Sumanik 1938.” //Trailblazers and Change-Makers: Pioneer Women of the Yukon,// 2022 website: https://yukontrailblazers.ca/changemakers/elsie-joan-sumanik.))

Both Sumaniks enjoyed dancing and they formed the Sourdough Stompers Square and Round Dance Club. In 1968, their sons joined Father Mouchet’s Territorial Experimental Ski Program and Elsie gave up her job to concentrate on her family. Don developed trails and racing programs and Elsie and the boys trained and raced.((“Elsie Joan Sumanik 1938.” //Trailblazers and Change-Makers: Pioneer Women of the Yukon,// 2022 website: https://yukontrailblazers.ca/changemakers/elsie-joan-sumanik.))

Don died in 1982, and the boys were on their own when Elsie won three medals at the Seniors World Masters Cross Country Ski Championships at Lake Placid, New York. In 1986, Elsie moved to New Westminster, British Columbia to care for aging parents and in 1989 she married Myrle Westervelt and they settled in Coquitlam. In 2011, Elsie moved back to be with family and friends in Whitehorse.((“Elsie Joan Sumanik 1938.” //Trailblazers and Change-Makers: Pioneer Women of the Yukon,// 2022 website: https://yukontrailblazers.ca/changemakers/elsie-joan-sumanik.))