Essie was
born on May 26,
1917
in Dry Fork, Alberta and died on February 27, 2012 in White Rock, B.C.
Orville was born on June 5, 1911 and died on October 15, 1998 in Creston,
B.C.
Essie was
born into a pioneer family, the second youngest of six children and grew up
on a farm just south of Pincher Creek, Alberta, as her father James Logan (Logie)
McWhirter was one of the early homesteaders in the area. The McWhirter
family had over three
hundred acres of grain, hay and pasture which they farmed with teams of
horses. Her mother, Ina Amanda Dyer, was from another founding family in the
United States. Essie grew up in Dry Fork and attended a one room country
schoolhouse named Cyr School.
The winds of
Pincher Creek are legendary, and Essie and her siblings loved to go onto a
ridge above the barn in windstorms. They’d hold their jackets open and the
wind was so strong that it would almost give them wings, allowing them to
take giant steps across the prairie.
Essie
married Orville M Cox on December 23, 1941 at the age of twenty-four, just
before he started service as a military police officer in the Canadian army.
She moved several times, following Orville’s postings, living in Chilliwack
and Kamloops before moving home to help look after her parents on the family
farm. During the war years, Essie gave birth to their son John Logan in
November 1942 and son Orville Gary in July 1945.
When the war
was over, Essie and Orville spent many years in Alberta while Orville worked
in the oil industry.
| |
 |
|
|
|
| |
House in Lloydminister - after war |
|
|
|
Their daughter Trudy was born in 1953 in Edmonton.
They moved to Marysville, B.C. in 1953 and eventually to Creston, B.C. in
1967. They lived in a variety of locations in the valley, including
West Creston, Wynndel and Alice Siding. In 1971, they bought
their much loved sixteen acre farm on Goat River and raised dairy
cows. For many years, Essie and Orville grew large gardens and several
acres of corn. They milked up to six cows at a time and sold cream and milk
to neighbours, and made their own butter, yogurt and cottage cheese. Essie
was a very good cook and worked as a chef for many years in the Swan Valley
Lodge retirement home in Creston.
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
Orville and Essie's House on Goat River South,
Creston |
|
|
Barn looking toward house |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
Goat River behind Essie and Orville's farm |
|
|
Garden at farm |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Christmas in Creston |
|
Essie loved her
family, both immediate and extended. She organized family reunions for both
the Cox family and the Dyer family (her mother's relatives) during her years
on the farm in Creston.
On October
15, 1998, Orville died suddenly at the age of eighty-seven. Essie left the
farm in Creston to live with her daughter Trudy on her farm in Langley,
B.C., where she had her own mobile home with a lovely garden. For the next
ten years, she road "shotgun" with Trudy and enjoyed a quiet life, with lots
of movies, dinners out and family around her.
In 2008,
failing mobility forced Essie to make a final move to Ocean View Care Home
in White Rock, where she met new friends, and enjoyed many activities. Essie
was a favourite among the care staff, and was known for her wonderful
attitude and her sense of humour.
Essie has
three children – John, who lives in Invermere, B.C. (wife Anne), daughter
Mandi, (Raymond Wells) and great grandchildren Cody, Kaylee, Jayden, and
James Wells; Gary, who lives in the Nass Valley near Terrace, B.C. (wife
Marty), stepchildren Landon and Camille, great granddaughter Brittany, great
great grandson Kaleb; and Trudy, who lives in Langley, B.C. (husband Brant),
twin daughters Carly (Darryl Wethersett) and Shannon (Nathan Barnes).
Essie
enjoyed music and could play both the piano and the violin. She played for
local dances in B.C and Alberta. She also enjoyed playing cards,
particularly cribbage and solitaire.
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
Essie on her 90th birthday May 2007 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
Essie and cousin Kay Leigh in April 2008 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
Essie and her good friend, Elsie Gold. They had
the same birthday, with Elsie ten years old. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
Kris, Essie's care aid. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
Gary, Shannon, Essie - May 2008 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
Thanksgiving 2008 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
Mother' Day 2008 - Shannon, Essie, Carly
and Trudy |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
Here's to you - one last time. |
|
|
She is
survived by her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, great great
grandchild and her sister Jean.
Essie was
predeceased by her husband Orville, her brothers Edward, William, James and
sister Margaret. We like to think that they’re together out there on the prairie,
with their coats open wide, taking giant steps, as the wind gives them
wings.
