In 1980 a project was initiated to put markers on all the unmarked graves in the cemetery of St. Aidan and St. Hilda Anglican Church at Rexboro. At that time it became apparent that many of the persons buried there would soon be completely forgotten in the neighbourhood. For that reason I am trying to make this record of who those people were. I have had wonderful cooperation from most relatives or friends whom I have contacted. With others I have not been so successful and in some cases I have not been able to trace anyone who knew the deceased.
BAILEY, Ross Albert.
Ross was born in Weyburn, Saskatchewan. He worked on the railroad at one time. He had a farm two miles west and a mile north of Fallis corner. He married a widow, a Mrs. White, of this district. Ross was in poor health and died suddenly at the age of forty-four.
Ross was born in 1918 and died in 1962.
BAMBER, John Thomas.
John Bamber came to Canada in 1912 from Preston, in Lancashire, England. He and his wife, Elizabeth, and their two sons Sydney and Norris and daughter Kathleen first went to a homestead at Sion. When Sydney and Norris joined the armed forces in World War I, they moved to the Rexboro district. They later moved to a homestead north of Fallis, Sydney returned from the war but Norris was killed. The John Bambers then moved into the Village of Wabamun and for many years ran the post office. John was also one of the first fish inspectors.
John was born in 1861 and died in 1934. Rev. Franklin officiated at his funeral.
BAMBER, Sydney (Syd)
Syd came to Canada from Preston, Lancashire, England in 1912 with his parents and sister and brother. The family first went to Sion and Syd and his brother "joined up" from there. When he returned at the end of World War I, he bought the Wabamun Trading Company in partnership with his brother in law, Reg Edgar. He married Ivy Porter in 1921 and they had six children, Evelyn, Mildred, Vivian, Roy, Norris and Wayne. When he lived in Wabamun, Syd served on the the village council and school board. He was also active in many sports. He started a mink farm in Wabamun but in 1939 he moved the operation to the Rexboro district, (SW21-53-4-W5) where the family continued to live and take an active part in community affairs until Syd and Ivy retired to Chilliwack, B.C.
Sydney was born in 1895 and died in 1967. Rev Cable officiated at his funeral.
BLEAKELY, Fanny Ann.
Mrs. Bleakely came from Norfolk, England and lived with her son Robert and his wife on the old homestead of Harry Smith, at the west end of Whitewood Lake (SW20-53-4-W5). She always remained very English. I remember having tea at the Bleakleys and we were given little silver teaspoons to stir our tea. As soon as we had finished, Mrs. Bleakley Sr. gathered up the teaspoons, wiped them with her serviette and put them carefully back in their cases. She was 86 when she died of a heart attack.
Fanny Ann was born in 1842 and died in 1928. Rev. Hatfield officiated at her funeral.
BENNETT, Arthur and Lucy.
Arthur Bennett came from either Herefordshire or Monmouthshire, England. He and his wife Lucy first came out to Wyoming, USA. Later they came to Edmonton, then west from there to a homestead on Wabamun Lake, about five miles west of Wabamun (SE18-53-4-W5). They had one son, Joe. Mrs. Bennett had been a clergyman's daughter in England so had received a good education, so she gave her son his schooling. Arthur did not go in very extensively for farming, but the Bennett's always had a very fine vegetable garden, and Mrs. Bennett's flower garden was famous in the country round about. There was a sight-seeing boat at that time on Wabamun Lake, the "Seba Belle", and one of its stops was at the Bennett wharf so people could go ashore and see Mrs. Bennett's garden. Arthur and Joe did a lot of fishing in Wabamun Lake. Arthur later built a new log house right on the shore of the lake. It is still standing on the eastern boundary of Whitewood Sands.
Arthur was born in 1867 and died in 1940. Rev. Cuttell officiated at his funeral. Lucy was born in 1866 and died in 1930. Rev. Elliott officiated at her funeral. (Dominion Land Grants)
BOUCHER, Herbert and Alice.
Alice and Herbert were from England. Alice was born in London. They lived on a small farm about a mile east from the village of Fallis, and south of the railway tracks (probably SW14-53-5-W5). Herbert did not do much in the way of farming but earned money fishing and doing odd jobs in the neighbourhood. He was a diamond in the rough, but a likeable person. His means of transport were his boat and his team of horses. His team was always in good shape. Herbert occasionally relied on them to take him home, when, after a visit to the local pub, he fell asleep on the return trip. He told a neighbour, in a semi joking way, that at times he would head his boat for "The Point" and when it ran aground, he knew he was home.
Herbert was born in 1878 and died in 1952. Rev. Mathews officiated at his funeral.
Alice was born in 1865 and died in 1934. Rev. Franklin officiated at her funeral.