Merose Woronuk Family

Merose Woronuk was the fourth son of N: Erena Woronuk, born in Rycroft on May 18, 1922. He grew up on the farm and obtained his elementary and high school education in Rycroft. In 1947 graduated from the Faculty of Dentistry with a D.D.S. Degree from the University of Alberta in Edmonton. During this time, he received military training in the Canadian Officers' Training Corp.(C.O.T.C.) in anticipation of serving in the Canadian Dental Corp.

He attended university when the depression was over, nevertheless money was still very difficult to come by. His financial load was made easier by regular cream cheques from home.

After graduation in 1947 there were many excellent locations in the Province for opening a practice. However, that community-minded gentleman, George Potter, together with Rycroft Village Councilors influenced his decision to locate in Rycroft with an attractive offer. Hence, Merose, with assistance from the Village, located his Dentist's Office in Victor Young's residence - the shingle went up in June, 1947 and Rycroft had its first resident Dentist. Dr. Dirkson was in Spirit River at this point in time, hence there were two dentists in the I Peace area.

A good practice was established in Rycroft very quickly because there was a large backlog of dental patients in the area. There was regular passenger train service and Rycroft had an excellent geographic location. Practicing in the same community in which he had grown up did not create any major problems. He joined the local Board of Trade and was pleased to be a Charter Member and the Exalted Ruler of the Rycroft Elks Lodge when it was organized.

Then in 1948 and 1949, Dr. T. B. Letts and other citizens of Fairview strongly encouraged him to move to that community. Even though their offer was very attractive, he had no intention of leaving Rycroft unless a permanent replacement could be located for the Village. Thus, when Dr. Peter Poohkay agreed to take over the Dental practice and the announcement was made that the Agricultural School would definitely be located in Fairview, Merose Woronuk, after two years of enjoyable practice in Rycroft crossed the beautiful Peace River on the "Dunvegan Lame Duck" (old cable ferry) to commence practice in Fairview in August, 1949.

In 1950 he married Christy MacKay of Fairview, first daughter of Jack and Christina MacKay, pioneers of the Waterhole district.

Merose was an active member of the Town of Fairview, having served on many of the organizations in the community. His strongest interests were in the area of music and education. He was appointed to the Board of Governors of the Fairview College when that institution came under public Government.

Dr. Woronuk has been an active member of his profession. He assisted in the organization of the Peace River District Dental Society and served on the Alberta Dental Association Board for several years. He was President of the Association in 1961.

In 1970, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the Canadian section of the International College of Dentistry presented Merose with a Degree (F.I.C.D.C.) [Fellow of the International College of Dentists (Canada)] in recognition of his outstanding services to the profession.

After thirty-two years of general practice in the Peace River country he accepted a teaching position in the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Alberta in 1979, necessitating a move to Edmonton, Alberta. In 1981 he was appointed Associate Professor and given the responsibility of Chairman, Division of General Practice Dentistry.

Gregory, the eldest son, was born January 6, 1953. Greg married Eunice Little, daughter of Bob and Betty Little of Fairview, in 1972. They have three children: Kenneth, Dawn and Joelle. Greg and Eunice live in Fairview where Greg is the principal of Fairview High School.

Donald, the second son was born September 21, 1954. On June 8, 1974, fate dealt Christy and Merose their most severe blow. They lost their dearly loved son Don in a car accident at the age of nineteen years.

Judith was born on June 5, 1957 in Fairview. Judith is a Physio-Therapist at the G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The original family home was a two-room log house with a clay floor. The front room served as a kitchen and living room, the second room as a dining room and sleeping area with an earthen cellar below. It was quaint, clean calcimined and uniquely constructed, but it was dismantled soon after moving into the new house, because it was a reminder of poverty and backwardness. Today the family is ashamed of having been ashamed. It was an incredible mistake to have effaced so much history. Also gone is the 1918 one-room schoolhouse with the wood stove in the middle, cloak rooms at the back and the invaluable two pedal organ against the wall. When Mrs. English played the instrument during Christmas concert rehearsals it sounded like music from heaven.

Who could forget the lively sessions around the old wood stove during the noon hour (The Hot Stove League) - only nostalgia remains.

Walking to school with Alex and our cousins Mike, Fred and Tom Lazoruk will always be remembered because the group always got along so well. Each carried lunch in a Roger's Golden Syrup can. In addition, the Woronuk boys carried at least four additional syrup containers filled with milk to be delivered to regular customers on the way through town; empties were picked up on the way home. Crossing the railway tracks on the way to school during the depression and seeing dozens of unemployed people ("Hobos") riding on freight trains in search of food and work was an unforgettable observation.

The old Christmas concerts were always well attended. T. H. Stout was Emcee and curtain man the year Alex made his violin debut. He played the Highland Fling (without accompaniment) with lots of frills, the way Dad used to. There must have been some good Scottish blood in Mr. Stout because he immediately started some fancy footwork.

Remember when the community could not afford a skating rink, "too big an undertaking," they said. So the kids got together and built one. The farm boys pitched in also. They put the wooden tanks on the sleighs, hitched up the horses, drove down to the river beside the railway bridge, baled tanks full of water and flooded the rink in forty below weather. The hockey games were good. Basil Hill skated through the opposition as though they were made of wood. John Mahatchuk (McKay), Bill Murray and Fred Lazoruk were the Gretzky's of the game.

Surely many must remember the Rycroft Stampede and Ed Ward on the Burnt River King; when fast as lightning, he was wafted up on high, flying through the air like he had wings, -just a little more thrust and Ed would have been in orbit. When he returned his rib cage was not the same. However, a nights rest in his tent beside the Spirit River was all he needed. Ward was up early the next morning still spitting blood and feeling cheated. He must have consumed something, because with renewed courage and full of revenge, he was right back at the rear of the corral trying to mount the King. Jim Hanna and Bert Sales heard the commotion and went to investigate. They asked Ed what he was trying to do. He replied "I'm going to ride `em standen up!"

Those days to be a cowboy was the thing. Bringing the milk cows home through the bush, the farm kids could be heard a mile away singing the "Strawberry Roan", "Yoho Valley", "When the Work's all Done this Fall", and then "The Cadenza" and "Finale of Yodels" just like Wilf Carter.