Ordinary Seaman Makenzie Jae George (Wiebe)
Canadian Armed Forces
Canadian Forces Maritime Command (NAVY
Makenzie (Kenzie) Jae Wiebe was born 03 August 1976 at the Morden General Hospital. A daughter for Kenneth Wayne and Linda Ann (Dyck) Wiebe and little sister to Trevor Lee, 16 months her senior. Kenzie’s father, a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, was transferred to Europe and at 20 days old, Kenzie and her family landed in Germany, where she spent the first 5 years of her life.
Kenzie had a very spread out education, the hazard of being a daughter of a mom that was a military reservist and a dad that was regular force. She attended pre-school in Germany, grades 1 & 2 in Cold Lake, Alberta, 3 & 4 in Goose Bay, Newfoundland Labrador, Grades 5 – 9 in two different schools in Edmonton, Alberta, 10 & 11 St. Hubert, Quebec and Grade 12 in Edmonton. A lot of different schools, in different cities and provinces, yet she managed to graduate on time, and with a decent average.
After graduation Kenzie enrolled in the Navy Reserves at HMCS Non Such in Edmonton as an Ordinary Seaman (OS). She did her basic training at CFB St. Jean, Quebec. She had a minor setback during training, while playing soccer she got an elbow in her face, which broke her nose. As a result, she was medically re-coursed and given the choice of staying at St. Jean and being employed in light duties until the next course started or going back home to Edmonton to convalesce. She called dad who said, “If you stay they have to pay you and if you come home I’m not so sure.” Kenzie says, “I stayed. I just wanted to show my dad I could do it”.
After graduation from basic training OS Wiebe went to Halifax, Nova Scotia and took the Boatswain (called Bosun) Course. Upon completion, was posted to HMCS Glace Bay, a Kingston Class Coastal Patrol Ship. A ships Bosun is a seamanship specialist, responsible for the safe operation and maintenance of the ships rigging. In the summer of 1998 OS Wiebe moved to Winnipeg where her father had retired from the forces and continued training with HMCS Nonsuch for another year.
After the Navy, she lived with her parents for a short time and began attending the Church of the Rock in Winnipeg and was baptised on the confession of her faith by Pastor Mark Hughs. Shortly thereafter she enrolled in the School of Discipleship (SOD), a one year program, at the Canadian Mennonite University. The program was taught at several Manitoba sites as well as several months at a school in Canmore, Alberta learning Theology. Upon completion of classroom studies, her SOD class was sent to San Juan Del Obispo, Guatemala. A 3 month session, learning the culture, language and working within the community while living with a local family.
On return to Winnipeg, she became an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and worked on the Ambulance service out of St. Pierre-Joly. After a number of years as an EMT Kenzie decided medicine was definitely a career path she was interested in and enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing Program at the University of Manitoba (U of M) in 2003. While out with friends in early 2006, she met a young man who quickly became a big part of her life. He proposed to her on Christmas Day 2006, in front of her whole family. Very courageous.
Andrew Victor George and Makenzie Jae Wiebe were married on 29 July 2007. Kenzie graduated from the U of M in 2008 with a Bachelor of Nursing (BN) Degree. Andrew had a house in Winnipeg and they lived there until Kenzie graduated and started her practicum at the Grace Hospital in Winnipeg. In late 2008 they moved to Carman, Manitoba, Andrew’s home town. Upon completion of her practicum at the Grace Hospital, Kenzie continued to work there until May 2011 when she went to Boundary Trails Health Centre (BTHC) and eventually became an Emergency Room (ER) and Special Care Unit (SCU) nurse.
Sometime later Kenzie and Andrew decided it was time to have a family. They were blessed with a daughter 10 May 2011 and just under two years later on 12 March 2013 the blessing of a son. Kenzie still loves nursing and continues to provide care for those in need at BTHC as an ER / SCU nurse.
Information supplied by Makenzie and her parents.
PRIVATE JOHN (JACK) ALEXANDER GIBSON
British War Medal 1914-1918, Victory Medal 1914-1918
First Battalion
Canadian Mounted Rifles
John Alexander (called Jack) Gibson was born 04 February 1898 on the family farm at Rosebank Manitoba to James S. and Barbara (Hardy) Gibson. He was the 8th of 11 children, 4 sisters (Nellie, Ethel, Eva and Laura) and 6 brothers (William, Fredrick, James, George, Edward and Archibald). He was raised, went to school and later farmed in the Rosebank area.
Jack, like many young men of that time, lied about his age, using the birth date of his older sister Ethel when he enlisted with his brother Edward. Jack joined the 222nd Overseas Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) in Winnipeg, Manitoba 01 March 1916. He trained in Canada and shipped out on the S.S. Olympic and arrived in England on 20 November 1916. He was posted to the First Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles (CMR) on 21 April 1917. He landed in France from Branshott, England on 20 April 1917. The Canadian Mounted Rifles had been dismounted and converted to infantry in 1915 as the trench warfare was not conducive to mounted troops. Jack’s unit fought at the Second Battle of Passchendaele and the Second Battle of the Somme. Jack survived and was awarded a Good Conduct Strip on 25 March 1918 and was returned to England 13 February 1919. On 12 March he embarked for Canada on RMS Baltic. Jack was demobilized 25 March 1919 at Brandon, Manitoba and returned home to Rosebank. Once home Jack made it very clear he never wanted to talk about “trenches” again.
Jack married Mary Anderson Stuart on 23 November 1933. They lived on the Gibson farm north of Rosebank and raised their family there. They had 3 sons, Donald (married Elaine Woods, children Heather and Brenda), James (married Irene Harris, children Michael), and Kenneth (married Patricia Urquhart, children David and Katherine). They remained on the farm until they retired to Rosebank in the early 1960’s.
John (Jack) Alexander Gibson, age 72, died in the Morden Hospital on 04 August 1970, 20 miles from Rosebank.
He buried in the Miami, Manitoba Cemetery.