Nick Michalchuk.

 

Nick moved to Ontario.

Alex married and lived in Brandon.

Bill farmed on the home place.

Bill and Alex died in the same year (1967).

When John’s boys took over farming, he moved
to Solsgirth, Manitoba where he started a shoe—
maker business. He later moved to Russell and set
up the business on the north side of the previous
Royal Bank. Joe Gallant was his helper and also
took over the business after John passed away on
March 5, 1922.

Mike and Pauline Michalchuk — son of John
Michalchuk

Mike married Pauline Kotelniski in 1922. He
took over the family farm along with many debts
and hardly any machinery to work with. Then came
the “dirty thirties” when things got worse, as some
of us still remember. Because of the drought, there
wasn’t even enough feed for the few head of cattle.
Therefore, we lost our land that we were renting
from the company for years. However, Mr. W. W.
W. Wilson, solicitor at Russell, came out to the
farm and urged Mike to buy this parcel of land
back. Since there was no place else to move, we did
purchase the land.

Times began to change and the future looked
brighter. Here, Mike and Pauline raised four chil—
dren: Lloyd, Walter, Verna and Janie.

Mike and Pauline moved to Russell in 1951. They
were still helping the boys on the farm and were also
keeping boarders in their home in town. Mike
passed away in 1967. Pauline still resides in Russell
and enjoys gardening and the many visits of her
children and grandchildren who help her to keep
things together.

Lloyd was married and divorced shortly after.
He farmed and also took a welding course and
worked for Brandon Steel and later Metal Indus—
tries. He later joined Olga in the Balfour area where
he farmed and also worked out. They raised two

254

 

 

Lloyd, Verna, Walter — threshing in 1936.

 

L to R: Mike Lapka, Verna, Pauline, Mike, Lloyd, Walter,
Janie in foreground.

children: Kenny and Paulette who are now attend—
ing Russell school.

Verna married Michael Lapka and is now living
in Russell. They have two children.

Janie married Ernie Lazaruk, barber in Russell.