Fonds 565 Doreen Cooke fonds

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Summary information

Repository: South Peace Regional Archives
Title: Doreen Cooke fonds
Reference code: 0565
Date: [1900-1947] (date of creation)
Physical description: 1 certificate

29 photographs

Dates of creation, revision and deletion: Processed by Patricia Greber January 2014
Added to new database January 2025 – TD

Administrative history / Biographical sketch

Doreen Mossey was born November 9, 1924 in Lethbridge and trained to be a registered nurse before arriving in Grande Prairie in 1947. Doreen moved in to the residence by the Grande Prairie Municipal Hospital where she worked and quickly made many friends, including a bowling group called the Penicillin Kids who happily were the ‘champs’ for the bowling season they played. Doreen was also involved with the float the hospital entered in the Grande Prairie parade.

In 1948 Doreen married Donald Cooke, a life-long resident of Grande Prairie. Donald was the son of early pioneers to the area. His father Thomas Cooke arrived with brother-in-law Bill Boyd in 1911 and they set up the Cooke & Boyd sawmill on the west side of the Smoky River. The steam engines used to power the sawmill in the winter could also used to operate threshing machines in the summer and fall, and at one time Thomas owned up to five threshing outfits. In 1919 Tom moved from Crystal Creek to Grande Prairie.

Donald served in World War II, training at the D Coy Armouries in Grande Prairie.

Donald and Doreen spent many years in Grande Prairie where Doreen enjoyed the outdoors and was involved with the Peace Parkland Naturalists organization. Donald passed away in 1998 and Doreen in 2013.

Custodial history

The records were donated from the estate of Doreen Cooke by her daughter Moira, September 5, 2013.

Scope and content

The fonds consists of 29 photographs and one certificate. The photographs include four military photographs of platoons and regiments from Grande Prairie during World War II, 20 photographs of nurses who worked at the Grande Prairie Municipal Hospital, and three of nurses on a bowling team. There are also two early family photos from the Boyd and Cooke families: one of the wedding of Jen Boyd and blacksmith Bob Barley ca. 1900, and the other of a group at the Boyd sawmill in 1945. The certificate is for Donald Cooke Grade 2 Piano.

Notes

Title notes

  • Source of title proper: Title of fonds based on contents.

Access points

  • Textual record (documentary form)
  • Graphic material – photograph (documentary form)
  • Health care (subject)
  • Military (subject)
  • Sports, recreation and leisure (subject)
  • Family and personal life (subject)
  • Women (subject)

Series descriptions

Reference code Title Dates Physical description
0565.01 Item – Donald Cooke, Grade Two Piano  1936 1 certificate
  Scope and content:

One certificate given to Donald Cooke for achieving his Grade Two piano from the Toronto Conservatory of Music.

0565.02 Item – Barley Wedding Portrait
Lambly, Lachute, Quebec
 
[1900] 1 photograph : b&w ; 10.5 x 14.5 cm
  Scope and content:

Wedding portrait of Jen Boyd and Robert “Bob” Barley. Bob is described as a blacksmith.

0565.03 Item – 2nd Edmonton Regiment, Camp Sarcee
Oliver Studio
 
1942 1 photograph : b&w ; 17.5 x 64 cm
  Scope and content:

A group portrait of men in uniform with band instruments in the foreground and tents in the distance. The photograph is labeled “2nd Edmonton Regiment, Camp Sarcee, 2nd Camp, 19 July-2 Aug 1942.”

0565.04 Item – “D” Company Hockey Team  1944 1 photograph : b&w ; 19 x 24.5 cm
  Scope and content:

A group portrait of the “D” Company Hockey Team showing hockey players Bob Kelly, J. Blais, P. Wright, F. Edmundson, J. Hunter, G. Halverson, M. Swanson, A.J. Mantle, J. Swanston, O. Blais, D. Guittard, H. Shields, B. Spicer, C. Swanson, D. Miller, and Sgt. Maj. Ewing

0565.05 Item – D. Coy 49th Grande Prairie Loyal Regiment
Oliver Studio
 
1944 1 photograph : b&w ; 14 x 24 cm
  Scope and content:

A military portrait with company members. Back row: J.H. Velve, M. Vatne, S. Rohne, J. Sonstvedt, P.G. Loberg, O. Klettke, Sgt. A. Flannigan, A.G. Howes, R. S. Wigmore, W. Duncan. Third Row: G. Halverson, P.M. Melhus, O. Homme, G. Tosczak, A. Westad, A.J. Dumbeck, R.G. Miller, H.C. Pearson, M. Horneland, R.L. V. Reed, D. Dyer. Second Row: F. Field, K. Knutson, E. Blais, E. Buchholdt, A. Dolemo,, G.A. Duncan, M.E. Swanson, D. E. Guittard, T. K. Leslie, R. Wagner, A. Krantz, S. Braathen. Front Row: D. A. Miller, L/Cpl. P.D. Wright, Cpl. D. O. Hanson, Cpl. W. Spicer, Sgt. D.R. Cooke, C.S.M. L.V. Cobb, Capt. A.J. Mantle, C.S.M. T.E. Booker, Sgt. J.C. Leitgeb, Cpl. H.J. Shields, J.A. Swanston, F. Knutson, A. Nelson.

0565.06 Item – No. 11 Platoon, No. 2 Company, 133 C.I.(B)T.C., Wetaskiwin
Artistone Studios
 
1944 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 32.5 cm
  Scope and content:

A military portrait labeled “No. 11 Platoon, No. 2 Company, 133 C.I.(B) T.C., Wetaskiwin, Oct. 1944”. Company members are identified as: L-R ? , Damsguard, Maerz, Korporaal, Miller Jim, Braham Terry, O’Neil, Jack Scott (Sgt.), “Pinky” Middleton (Lt.), Lloyd Spooner (Cpl.), Dinnie (Cpl.), Keech, MacDonald, Lambright (Zombie), Hein, Blair (Zombie), Boschalk, Petrie, Park, Campbell, Cooke (L/Cpl.), Collins, Wilson, Rose, Soldberg, Hopfe, Cameron, Harvey D.J. MacDonald, Vickermanm, Anderberg, Tuttle, Weir, Sarasin, ? , Perkins, Sandborn, Ritchie, Rosenblatt, Sand, Bob Wigmore, Isaac, Isaac, Moe, Joe Perry (L/Cpl.), Wawushka, Vigor, Armstrong, Bennet, O’Keefe, Bulman, and Howard.

0565.07 Item – Group Photograph at the Boyd Sawmill  1945 1 photograph : b&w ; 13 x 18 cm
  Scope and content:

Group photograph at the Boyd Sawmill. Back row: ? , Harold Mansfield, ? , George Hallet, child, Pete Wright. Middle row: ? , Dave Toews, ? , ? Front row: ? , Dorothy Mansfield with the Knesevitch girls.

0565.08 Item – On Duty at the Hospital  1947 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.5 x 10 cm
  Scope and content:

Dorothy and Boz walking from the Nurses’ Residence to the Grande Prairie Hospital in winter.

0565.09 Item – Marcine Lee  1947 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.5 x 10 cm
  Scope and content:

Marcine Lee in her nursing uniform posing in front of the Grande Prairie Nurses’ Residence.

0565.10 Item – Marguerite & Hilda  1947 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.5 x 10 cm
  Scope and content:

Marguerite and Hilda standing on the steps of the Grande Prairie Nurses’ Residence.

0565.11 Item – Mary & Lee  1947 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.5 x 10 cm
  Scope and content:

Two ladies, one in a nursing uniform, outside of the Grande Prairie Nurses’ Residence.

0565.12 Item – Betty Brown  1947 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.5 x 10 cm
  Scope and content:

Image shows Betty Brown posing in front of a tree, wearing a nursing uniform. The caption on the back of the photograph reads “Betty Brown – (Turner) 1947.”

0565.13 Item – Nora Shields & Alma Slater  1947 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.5 x 10 cm
  Scope and content:

Nurses Nora Shields and Alma Slater in uniform.

0565.14 Item – In Nurse’s Uniform  1947 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.5 x 10 cm
  Scope and content:

An unidentified nurse standing outside in her uniform.

0565.15 Item – Alberta Ross, Matron  1947 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.5 x 10 cm
  Scope and content:

Matron Alberta Ross standing outside in her uniform.

0565.16 Item – Alma Slater (Wright)  1947 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.5 x 10 cm
  Scope and content:

Alma Slater (Wright) in her nursing uniform.

0565.17 Item – A Lady in Nurses Uniform  1947 1 photograph : b&w ; 5.5 x 7.5 cm
  Scope and content:

A nurse standing outside the Grande Prairie Nurses’ Residence.

0565.18 Item – Two Young Women  1947 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.5 x 10 cm
  Scope and content:

Two women posing outside the Grande Prairie Nurses’ Residence.

0565.19 Item – Women in Nurses’ Residence  1947 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.5 x 10 cm
  Scope and content:

Image shows women in the nurses’ residence in Grande Prairie. Some of the women identified on the back are Doreen Mossey, Louis Riley, Ross, Boz, and Emiline Doeker.

0565.20 Item – Nurses Standing by Their Residence  1947 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.5 x 10 cm
  Scope and content:

A. Davison, E. Kurtz, and N. Kovopoalnicki standing by the Nurses’ Residence, with the hospital in the background.

0565.21 Item – Woman Standing Outside  1947 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.5 x 10 cm
  Scope and content:

An unidentified woman standing outdoors.

0565.22 Item – Grande Prairie Hospital
James Drug Store
 
1947 1 postcard : b&w ; 9.5 x 14.5 cm
  Scope and content:

Postcard showing the Grande Prairie Hospital. The handwritten note on the back reads as follows: “I forgot to say that I was enclosing a picture of the GP hospital – the nurses home is to the left side where you can’t see it.”

0565.23-.25 Item – Penicillin Kids Ladies’ Bowling Team  1947 3 photographs : b&w ; 6.5 x 10 cm
  Scope and content:

Three photographs showing the five women that made up the bowling team “Penicillin Kids”: Gwen Wilcox, Marie Koropalininki, Erna Kurtz, Ann Davison, and Doreen Mossey. They are standing outside their residence in Grande Prairie. The team’s average in October was 1500 for 3 games, and in April they were champions with a score of 3000 for 3 games.

0565.26-.30 Item – Nurses’ Float in the Grande Prairie Parade  1947 5 photographs : b&w ; 7.5 x 8.5 cm
  Scope and content:

Various photographs of the nurses’ float that was in the Grande Prairie parade.