Olive Watherston was born in Hinckley, England, the youngest of 10 children born to Reverend Alexander Law Watherston, headmaster of Hinckley Grammar school. She received her training in nursing and midwifery in England and graduated in 1913. Shortly after World War I broke out, she enlisted with Queen Alexandra’s Military Service and served as a nurse at a Casualty Clearing Station in France, where she was mentioned in despatches several times in 1918.
In 1921, Olive came to Canada and on December 12, joined the Alberta Department of Health. She was appointed district nurse at Halcourt (southwest of Grande Prairie). She was district nurse for Valleyview from 1930 to 1936.
Olive was in Britain on holiday leave when World War II broke out. She offered her services as a nurse and midwife in London and worked there during “The Blitz.”
She returned to Alberta and resumed work as a district nurse at Lindale and Tangent until her retirement in 1950. She moved to Victoria, BC, where she passed away on November 29, 1969.