Donna Rosalie Bronson grew up in Craik, Saskatchewan, and attended the University of Saskatchewan. She graduated with a BA in 1930.

Grant Wood worked for many years in Agricultural Extension at the University of Saskatchewan, and upon the closure of that Department became an Assistant Professor in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources in the Department of Plant Sciences. He received his BSA from the University of Saskatchewan and his M.Sc. through Agricultural Extension, also at the U of S. Wood has been a driving force behind the University’s rooftop gardens and other urban agricultural initiatives, and specializes in teaching urban agriculture, a course he developed to help students understand why we should be growing more food locally. He has acted as faculty advisor to the U of S horticulture club, and is also involved in various food-growing initiatives off-campus, frequently working with new Canadians, and sharing his love of urban farming.

Henry T. Abley, also often known as Harry, was an organist, choirmaster and composer, born in 1917 in Knighton, Wales. He studied at Trinity College of Music, London. He had fellowships at that college, and the London College of Music, and was an Associate of the Royal College of Organists.

He immigrated to Canada in the late 50s and worked as the organist at St. Luke’s Cathedral in Sault Ste Marie, ON from 1957-1959. From 1961-1967 he worked as the organist at First Baptist Church in Lethbridge, Alberta. Subsequently he worked as an organist and choirmaster at St. John’s Cathedral in Saskatoon, SK from 1968-1977, then at Third Avenue United Church also in Saskatoon, SK from 1979-1985. His last engagement as organist and choirmaster was at Church of the Advent in Montreal from 1985 until his death in 1994.

He was a recitalist known especially in Germany during the 70s and 80s, where he performed frequently in East and West Berlin, Bremen, Norden; as well as Geneva, Switzerland and Oxford and Cambridge, England. He excelled in music of the German School, but was also a fine exponent of Franck, Liszt, and 20th-century composers Olivier Messiaen and Jéhan Alain. Abley was also a composer of mainly sacred works, and his large output occasioned a 1981 concert in Saskatoon composed entirely of his music.

Edward McCheane was a Saskatchewan landscape artist, married to Edith Hinde. He immigrated to Canada from Birmingham in 1904, homesteading near Borden Saskatchewan. He later became a designer for Bulman Brothers of Winnipeg, and then for Bailey, Banks, and Biddle of Philadelphia. Family lore has it that during this time, Edward designed the sailor logo for Player’s cigarettes, and sold the design for $50. Edward McCheane returned to Saskatchewan to establish Globe Signs in Saskatoon.

Elsie (Hinde) Ingram was born in 1903 to Joseph and Martha Hinde. She married Wesley Reginald Ingram, a Railway worker and ranch hand in 1951. Together they managed the Valley Springs Ranch outside of Borden, Saskatchewan. The ranch was later purchased by David Horn, the donor, who was raised on the ranch from the age of twelve.

Jim Westcott was an undergraduate student in psychology at the University of Saskatchewan when he met Robert Hurley in 1949. It was the beginning of a friendship which continued until Hurley’s death in 1980. Wescott moved to Montreal where he earned an MA in psychology; and after briefly beginning studies for his PhD, switched disciplines and earned an MBA at the University of Pennsylvania. He worked in human relations throughout his career, eventually settling in Toronto. There, Westcott became active in promoting and selling Hurley’s artwork and came to own many pieces himself. He described himself as “an art collector, go between and the keeper of the Hurley Archives” (Novum in Libris, University of Saskatchewan Library, Spring 2009).

Doreen Ratcliffe was born in Regina on 17 July 1927. She earned a BA from the University of Saskatchewan, and worked as an executive secretary and advertising copywriter in Vancouver and Regina prior to meeting John McConnell, whom she married in 1957. They had three children; all of whom graduated from the University of Saskatchewan. In addition to raising her family, Doreen was active as pianist for her church, with the CGIT, and with the Canadian Institute of International Affairs and the World Food Program. John and Doreen shared interests in politics, public affairs and the environment, community and social issues; and both were freelance writers, often collaborating on articles. Doreen McConnell died on 31 July 2007.

Humphrey and the Dumptrucks. Country-folk group, active 1967-81. It was organized in Saskatoon as a jugband by Gary 'Humphrey Dumptruck' Walsh (banjo, dobro), along with Michael 'Bear' Millar (12-string guitar, bass, jug), Michael 'Ernie' Taylor (guitar, autoharp), and Graeme Card (guitar, mandolin). Each member sang. By 1969 a fulltime and professional band, Humphrey and the Dumptrucks performed throughout western Canada in clubs, on the CBC, and at folk and bluegrass festivals (eg, in Regina and Winnipeg), schools (where they gave workshops), and universities. They often appeared in small Saskatchewan communities, and many of their songs reflected rural life. (https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/humphrey-and-the-dumptrucks-emc/)

Mona Holmlund earned her BA at St. Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan; her MA at Reading University, and her PhD from Cambridge. She taught Art History at the University of Saskatchewan; and various courses on visual culture at Dalhousie University, where she holds appointments with the departments of History and Gender and Women’s Studies, and the Fountain School of Performing Arts; and is coordinator for the Certificate program in Art History and Visual Culture.

Nils Clausson served as Executive Director of AIDS Regina from 1987-1993. In 1989, he produced William Hoffman’s As Is, both as a fundraiser and to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic, then often thought of as a “big city” problem. He continued with four other benefits over the next five years, with Guy Michaud directing the productions. In October 1993, Clausson and Michaud co-founded Oscar Wilde & Company, a theatre group in Regina, the only gay theatre company on the Canadian prairies. Its primary mandate was to produce plays about AIDS and gay issues, as well as other important social and political issues. [With material from Clausson [email] and Michaud, “Introducing Oscar Wilde & Company”].

After graduating from the College of Engineering, Peter Weber began a career with the Canadian National Railway, interrupted only by service in the Army in 1943-1944. Mr. Weber retired in 1977.

Reverend Joseph Holmes a Methodist minister in Exeter, Ontario. He was married to Lucretia (Cretia) Burke. He and his family travelled between churches in Ontario, and ultimately retired in Saskatoon around 1918. Two of his sons worked as dentists in Saskatoon, and his daughter worked for the Star Phoenix.

Roger A. Pierson earned his B.Sc. in zoology (1978) and an M.Sc. in anatomy (1982) from Purdue University, Indiana. He went on to earn his PhD in reproductive endocrinology and physiology at the University of Wisconsin – Madison (1987). He joined the faculty of the University of Saskatchewan in 1988 as a professor in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and director of the Reproductive Biology Research Unit (College of Medicine). His research is multi-disciplinary: he is an associate member of the department of Herd Medicine and Theriogenology (Western College of Veterinary Medicine), and a member of the department of Biomedical Engineering (College of Engineering). He has earned numerous awards for his research, including First Prize Research Paper at the 14th International FIGO conference (1994); CFAS Basic Science Research Award (1996 and 2000), and the University of Saskatchewan Distinguished Researcher Award (2000).