18 — Sunday, August 8. 1999 - North Shore News

Lynn Vall

JOHN and Mary Thompson are the type of neighbours anyone would like to have.

They are popular and appreciated, not only by their neighbours and community, bur by wildlife as well. They have had their share of illness, but this has not kept them from enjoying life and helping, others. John has had his own mountain (sort of), a place in the sun at sea level, and lots of lakeside spots in benveen — and Mary encouraged her mountain man at every trail along life’s way.

John was born in Lynn Valley in 1920 and remembers being a proud member of the Seymour Rangers, 2 group of young lads who would hike from Lynn Valley to spend weekends at their log cabin on Mt. Seymour. The cabin is gone, but cach August the remaining members gather at Seymour Lodge for a reunion.

At age 21 John joined the armed forces and spent the next five years stationed on the West Coast. After the war he worked as a blacksmith for 13 years with Air Equipment in Vancouver.

John met Mary Johnson in

1942 and they tied the marital knot in "46.

Mary grew up and was educated in Squamish, B.C., her birthplace in 1924. Her family moved co Fort Williams, Ontario — now Thunder Bay — where, as a young wonnan, she was employed with Canada Car, nveting in their aircraft factory for six months during the war years. She hated every minute of it and wanted to move back home to beautiful B.C. On her return to the Coast, she worked at Bocing where she worked until the end of the war. Mary then found employ- ment with Woodwards, in their Vancouver and Park Royal stores until she stopped working to raise her two sons.

John commenced employ- ment with the Me. Seymour Caterers, where he operated

SENIORS

the chairlitt on Mik. Seymour.

John would start his day at 5 a.m., seven days per week, to get things rolling on the job. Weather conditions would dic- tate the work during the win- ter. In summer, the Eft was used for tourists.

This was John’s schedule tor the 30 years working on the mountain with his friend and boss, Earl Pletsch.

People skiing on Mt. Seymour were forever getting fost and sumetimes injured. So John would be called out late at night to run the chair and snow packer for his co-workers to find those lost. fohn calmly says: “Sooner or later the res- cu¢ team would find them.”

John retired from his job on Mt. Seymour in 1991. He smiles when he remembers: “In ’61 we bought a lot, sight unseen, for $500 at Heflley Lake (in the interior of B.C.) and it took us two weeks to find the damn place. Our friends all thought we were nats, but we had wonderful times at that cabin.”

The Thompsons take pride in caring for their huge Lynn Valley backyard with its veg- etable and flower gardens, the many beautiful trees and bush- es. It’s like a little park of their

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very own behind the house they built themselves — with wildlife. They grow apples for the bears, plums for the rac- voons, berries for the birds, and roses for the deer. They have watched a mother bear with three cubs come and shake apples from the tree, then they sat under tie tree eajoying the tasty fruit.

is roots

Coyotes have a den on the property, abour 200 fect from the house.

Mary has had her share of surgery and John suffered a stroke last year, but they arc still active. Mary says: “Your attitude makes a world of dif- ference.” John has had to give up skiing and curfing, bur still enjoys lawn bowling. Mary, on

the other hand, still curls and lawn bowls five days a week.

On June 8th, the Thompsons celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary. Belated congratulations from all of us, John and Mary.

If yor know of someone who might make an interesting pro- file, send your tdea to Vikki c/o North Shore News.

JOHN and Mary Thompson take great pride in the garden of thelr Mountain - Highway home and the wildlife that their fruit and flowers attract.

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