Madsen, Mark and Rachelle (nee Saindon)
I, Rachelle Madsen (Saindon) was born in Fort McMurray, Alberta in 1980. I lived there with my family for most of my life. My mom. Aline de Montigny, and I moved to Crandall to live with Brian Johnston during the summer of 1996. After living in the city most of my life, I found living on a farm and in a small town quite different, and I really enjoyed it. Brian would tell me stories about Crandall, and I had a hard time believing that it was actually a booming town at one time. He would show me pictures and drive me around telling me where certain places were and I found this all very interesting.
The house that we moved into with Brian was very old. He said that it had been a while since anyone had a room upstairs, which made me the first in a long time. The fall after we moved in, it was really windy outside, and I was standing in my room and couldn't figure out why it was so cold in my room. Then I noticed that my curtains were blowing in the wind. That was when my parents decided that we needed to get new windows!
Brian and I decided to get a few rabbits. We started out with five and in no time we were overpopulated! My mom hated when they would escape from the cage and get into her flowerbeds in which she worked so hard. We eventually ended up with too many, and Brian started to take them and let them go in the valley.
I really enjoyed it when mom and I would take Brian out his supper to the field when he was busy baling. We would eat in the back of the truck, and then Brian would be back baling in no time. Everyone around here does that quite a bit, but I had never done it before and I really liked it.
I moved to Hamiota in the fall of 1997, and shortly after I met Mark Madsen. Mark was born in Swan River, Manitoba and lived most of his life in Hamiota. Our first child, Riley Triston, was born in 1998 and our second child, Mikayla Dawn, was born in 1999. Mark is working with Nelson River Construction at the time, and seems to enjoy doing that. We are living in the old Coveney house, which is owned by Alan and Bernice King. We were married on April 15, 2000 in my parent's farmhouse. In the short time that we have lived in Crandall, we have really enjoyed it. Everyone in the community is really friendly, and we think that Crandall is a great place to live and raise a family.

Maxwell, Ron and Debbie (nee Henderson)
Following my graduation in 1981, I moved to Brandon, Manitoba to work and met Ron Maxwell from Darlingford, Manitoba. We were married in the Crandall United Church on April 13, 1985. We made our home just east of Brandon where we raised Ron's sons, Sheldon (28) and Devon (26). We moved to Douglas, Manitoba in 1995, where we are active in the community working with the community hall, rink, curling, youth hockey and anything that involves our two goddaughters, Jennifer and Kayla Snow. We are also active in a re-enactment group "The Redcoats of the NorthWest" where we re-enact the life of the R.C.M.P. in 1886. We also participated in the Marchwest in May 1999. Ron is employed at Eecol Electric as Warehouse Manager. I have been employed at Ayerst Organics as a secretary since 1986.

McConnell, Milton Howard & Violet May (nee Lewis)
Milton and Violet moved from Brandon, Manitoba where they had retired, to Glenboro, Manitoba in 1981 to be near me, their daughter Myrna. My dad, Milton was unwell and mother, Violet, needed some family help. Dad spent several months in Glenboro Hospital, but did spend some time in their small apartment at Glen Haven Manor. I remember giving mom and dad all the news and showing them pictures of the wonderful Crandall reunion, which my husband, Allan and I attended in 1982. My dad passed away in the Glenboro Hospital, January 2, 1983 in his 89th year, and is buried in the Hamiota Cemetery. My mother Violet, had reasonably good health, and except for very severe hearing loss and failing eyesight, managed on her own with family help for several years. In her 91st year, she continued to have a remarkable memory for people's names and events regarding people in Crandall where she grew up and spent most of her married life. Mom enjoyed her grandchildren and great grandchildren very much, and took an interest in all of their activities. Mother died in the Glenboro Hospital on January 18, 1993 in her 93rd year, and is buried in the Hamiota Cemetery.
Milton and Violet's children all attended Crandall School. They are Murray James McConnell - born February 8, 1923 in Shoal Lake, Manitoba. Murray joined the Navy during World War II, and following discharge from the service, did several jobs, joined the Army later, then became employed with Canada Post. Murray married Helen Dodds of Brandon Manitoba in May of 1953 and they had two children, Brian James, born January 1955 deceased December 16, 1977, and Jody Lillian, born in 1956. Jody married Rick Raymond Schuerbeke, September 27, 1974 and they have two children, Ryan Aaran, 1977, and Reid Shawn, 1980.
Murray McConnell died July 25, 1999 in Red Deer Hospital, Red Deer, Alberta. Helen McConnell lives in Veteran, Alberta. Jody and family live in Winnipeg.
Morris Edmund McConnell-born in 1929 married Georgina Spearman on March 26, 1951. They had one son, Morris Richmond (Rick), born in 1951. Rick had one son, Kyle Richmond, born in 1990. Morris has many happy memories of his Crandall school days, and his fun with the Model T Ford with his friends, Jim Carnegie, Doug Castle and Bill Wallace. They called themselves the "Big 4". Morris spent most of his life in sales in the Winnipeg area and is retired, living in Winnipeg.
Myrna Loy McConnell- born at home in 1930, and I remember many happy times in Crandall and area. What fun we had in the old school winter van with the Colbecks and Kerrs. I have fond memories of Christmas concerts, singing in the choir, skating at the rink, visiting the Lees, the Harvey Hyndman's home, riding horseback with Kaye, visiting and singing with Donna, Vi, Ivy and Jean Douglas at their home, and also attending dances at Arrow River. I married Ernest Allan Greer from Spy Hill, on August 8, 1953 and we had three children, and now have seven grandchildren.
Catherine Leslie (Greer)- born in 1957 married Kevin Craig Vrooman, September 29, 1979. They have two children. Holly Terrell, 1982 and Kelly Craig, 1984. They all reside on the farm at Belmont, Manitoba at the present time.
Cheryl Ann (Greer)- born in 1960 married Richard Pankratz on March 9, 1985. They have three children, Carleigh Robin, 1987, Daryn Richard, 1988 and Jenna Michelle, 1992. Cheryl and Richard and family have lived in Bargara Queensland, Australia since April 1992 and love the climate.
Kenneth Allan Greer- born in 1964 married Valerie Eve Jasienczyk on May 10, 1991. They have two children, Matthew Allan, 1996 and Eric Lawrence, 1999. Ken and Val have lived in the United States for approximately 9 years. They are presently residing in Cicero, Indiana.
Myma and Allan enjoy their grandchildren very much and have visited Australia, three times and visit the U.S. at least once a year. We are happy that we see our two older grandchildren frequently. We enjoy our retirement, and take part in senior curling in winter and golf in the summer, and have lived in the friendly community of Glenboro, Manitoba for approximately 38 years.

McCutchin, Traci Leigh (nee Johnston)
Born in 1969 in Brandon Traci daughter of Dennis and Helen Johnston, graduated from Shilo High School in 1987. She then graduated from the Assiniboine Community College with a Business Administration Certificate. Traci joined the staff of the Royal Bank of Canada in 1991. She has held the positions of Customer Service Representative, Personal Banker, Assistant Manager Personal Banking, Financial Advisor, and Customer Assistance Officer.
Traci met her husband, Stanley John McCutchin, while she was working with the Royal Bank in Neepawa, Manitoba. They were married in Brandon on September 11, 1999. Stan graduated from high school in Neepawa. He attended the University of Manitoba and then transferred to the Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. He graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Stan also spent a year in Japan where he taught English at a private school. Stan graduated from the R.C.M.P. Training Academy in Regina on February 28, 2000. Traci and Stan are now living in Thompson, Manitoba, where he is employed with the R.C.M.P. Traci is working with the Royal Bank.
Stan and Traci both enjoy sports, especially playing volleyball. They also enjoy outdoor activities, camping and visiting with family and friends.

McKinnon, Brent and Donna (nee Smith)
I, Donna Marie, am the third child of Newton Smith and Elizabeth (Betty) Gunson. I attended Crandall school up to grade 8, and then I went to Hamiota Collegiate to finish school.
After graduating from high school I took my Registered Nurses Training at the Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre. Following training I worked in the mental health field doing individual, family and group counseling. I also worked in the drug and alcohol detox centre. After my marriage I worked as a general duty nurse at the Hamiota Health Centre.
Brent McKinnon and I were in the same class in high school. We were married July 5, 1974 in the Crandall United Church. We celebrated our 25th anniversary in 1999. We bought the Jimmy Morrison farm near Pope, Manitoba and moved in to a mobile home. We are the proud parents of three children.
Krista Marie was born in 1977. She attended school in Hamiota, then took her Bachelor of Education at Brandon University. She is employed as a youth program coordinator at the Y in Brandon, Manitoba. She married Drew Clayton of Brandon at our farm on July 15,2000.
Haley Erin was born in 1978. She attended school in Hamiota, then went to the University of Manitoba, in Winnipeg, Manitoba where she graduated with her Bachelor of Agro-Ecology in 2000. She is employed as a lab research specialist at the new Ag-Quest research station in Carman, Manitoba.
Jarrett BrenDon was born in 1986. He is in grade 8 at Kenton School. He likes several sports.
We moved to the original Ingram/McKinnon farm in 1981. This farm was first homesteaded in 1882 by Brent's great grandparents, so we are the fourth generation of family to live here.

Mitchell, Duncan
I was born in Miniota in 1940 to Mary Georgina (Torrance) and John Edward Mitchell of the Blairis and Arrow River districts respectively.
We lived on my grandparent's (Mitchell) farm until my father passed away in 1946. My mother later remarried (Harry Gardham), and my sister, Janice and I spent our childhood attending Arrow River and Crandall schools. I particularly remember the extra attention I received from Miss Johnson (Vera Coburn) who realized when I entered her grade two class that I couldn't read, and spent every noon hour until Christmas tutoring me until my reading skills were brought up to speed. For that I am eternally grateful.
I spent my high school years living with my Aunt and Uncle (Marg and Ray 0'Connor) and attended Crandall High School under the stern gaze of Bill Davison. Bill you will be delighted to know I finally passed my math finals in 1986 with my daughter at night school.
Upon leaving Crandall High in 1958 with a more or less complete grade 11, I joined the Royal Bank. Due to an inability (later discovered to be dyslexia), to perform required routine arithmetical functions that were required in those pre-computer, pre-calculator days, the bank and I mutually agreed to part ways after a couple of years.
Subsequent forays into the construction engineering and financial fields resulted in my residing in such exotic locales as Hudson Hope and Dawson Creek, British Columbia and Edmonton, Alberta.
In 1966, I married Marjorie McFarland of Wainwright, Alberta who, amazingly (according to our friends) still shares my bed and board. We reside on a farm near New Sarepta, Alberta -OK near Edmonton, and have somehow accumulated five children, nine grandchildren and a motley assortment of other species, all of which live near us and visit frequently- very frequently.
I keep the wolf from the door by offering business consulting (in the winter) and operating a commercial honey farm (in the summer). I guess there must be something to that bit about not being able to take the farm out of the boy.
I feel sorry for people who didn't have the opportunity to grow up the way I did. I had the best of all worlds and the community gave me everything I needed to make my way through life. My memories of Crandall are all warm ones.

Morison, Edward Cruikshanks
Edward was born August 9, 1908 at NE 28-13-25. He owned and operated his father's farmland. In 1970 he and May moved to Virden, Manitoba. He died June 22, 1996 in Virden and is buried in the Crandall cemetery. Ed married Elizabeth May Welsh in Crandall on October 10, 1936. She was born at Shoal Lake, Manitoba on January 6, 1914. May presently resides at the Personal Care Home in Minnedosa. They have two daughters, five grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.
Edwena Denise Morison was born in 1937 in Hamiota, Manitoba. She married LeRoy Wellington (Bud) Amy on August 10, 1957 at Crandall United Church. They have three children, Kimberly, Lee, and Heather. Their family history can be found under the Amy name.
Sharlene Margaret Morison was born in 1942 in Virden, Manitoba. She married Dallas Earl Smith (born 1941) in Brandon, Manitoba on August 12, 1961. They have two children and two grandchildren.
Darise May Smith was born in 1965 in San Mateo, California. She married Craig Eric Holland, July 29, 1989 in Portland, Oregon. They have two daughters, Makala Paige, born in 1992 in Portland and Delanie Dallas, born in 1995 in Portland. Darise is a legal secretary, Craig is employed with Intel Computer Corp. and they live and work in Portland, Oregon.
Darcey Gordon was born in 1962 at Homestead, Pennsylvania. He married Roxanna Lee Hardt on June 28, 1997 in Portland, Oregon. Darcey is a contractor and finish carpenter. They live in Portland.

Morison, Patrick
Patrick Morison was born December 16, 1868 in Roseharty, Scotland and died in April 1933 at the Crandall farm. He married Jessie Henderson in 1902. Jessie was born February 12, 1877 and died November 7, 1968 in Neepawa, Manitoba. Both are buried in the Crandall cemetery. They had seven children, and as of July 2000, they are all deceased. Their names were: Mary White, Alexander Smith, James Henderson, Edward Cruikshanks, Gowan Brebner, Thomas Watt, and George Alfred.

Mott, Phyllis R, (nee Douglas)
Our family is now so small. George and Madge have only two siblings living. Myself, and my sister Evelyn Porteaus. We do have two sisters-in law, Gwen and Alice.