Image: Back row, left to right: Luke Dwyer, Mrs. Joe Miller, Betty McLane, Ruth Logan, Caroline Kramps, and Mrs. M. Thompson. Front row, left to right: Marlene Thompson, Sonny Thompson, Martin Thompson, Bob Kramps, Joe Miller, Jerry Kramps, Carol Clegg, Tom Clegg, and Harry Logan. Used in “Across the Smoky”, p. 111. 1940 (SPRA 116.09.01.01.0107)
Luke Dwyer was born in 1907 in Egg Lake AB, being the fourth of 11 children. Homesteading in Crooked Creek since 1929, Luke was a “Jack of all trades” and a “fixer upper” who was always ready to lend a hand to neighbors with mechanical problems. Besides his own farming, he hunted wild game for the Forestry department. During WW II he was a driver in the Canadian Army. His brother Patrick was also in the forces. These brothers were bachelors for some time, baking their own bread and pies, growing gardens, and canning wild fruit. When Luke married Betty McLane in June 1942 it was a surprise to most of their community. Luke owned the first school bus in Crooked Creek, and he drove bus for 13 ½ years. Luke and Betty had 4 children: Tim, Eunice, Pat, and Lucille. In 1978 the Dwyers moved to Parksville on Vancouver Island. While Luke enjoyed the life there, he still missed Alberta which he called “God’s Country”. They moved to Vernon in 1983, where Luke was diagnosed with cancer and died in 1988. Betty moved back to Grande Prairie AB in 1992 to be close to her family.
Source: Bridges to the Past pp. 232-233
Across the Smoky pp. 110 and 112
Herald Tribune: July 2, 1942 p. 4 c. 3 marries
Soldier Spotlight highlights veterans from the Archives’ online Soldiers’ Memorial. Each week, our volunteers select a remarkable individual to showcase in this blog series. The Soldiers’ Memorial commemorates more than 1,100 WWI veterans and 2,300 WWII veterans from our region. Three dedicated volunteers have contributed over 1,200 hours to this project by researching and writing biographies. Our goal is to have all South Peace soldiers acknowledged for their service. If you know of someone who lived in the South Peace and should be listed on the Memorial, or would like to get involved by researching a local veteran, please contact the Archives.