Two former residents come home from Australia

Ken Johnston
Editor

Two former Rainy River citizens came home from Australia two weeks ago and had a great visit!
Catherine Reid and Mildred Wentworth, twin sisters and formerly Bells, came home to visit former classmates Helen Ricci and her sister Margaret.
Mildred said that they always kept in touch with Helen and that she has made the trek back to Rainy River every five years or so since the pair of them left Rainy in 1941 to attend technical school in Winnipeg. However, her sister Catherine has not been back for 22 years.
So how did they end up in Australia? Catherine married an ex-Royal Australian Air Force man and moved overseas in 1949. Being a twin, Mildred thought she should follow and eventually ended up marrying and staying there to.
They were born Jan. 13, 1927 to George and Sissy Bell. They say they think they were the first twins born in the Rainy River Hospital, but are not sure of that fact.
While in Rainy River the past two weeks they said they met up with several old friends and even visited their kindergarten to grade 3 teacher, Margaret (nee Desorcy) Noble who is 92 and lives in Baudette. They also visited with Clinton and Doris Park, Lorraine Giles, Harry Sawchuk and Lenard Laverdure, who Catherine says is their manager whenever they come to town. “He always lines people up for us to see when we come,” said Catherine.
While in Australia for more than 50 years, neither of them have picked up the trademark Aussie accent. “I think you have to go to school for that,” joked Mildred.
Rainy River as a whole has not seen many changes in its housing. According to the ladies many of the homes have stayed relatively the same, but the number of changes in the business community was notable. They also found it interesting to see people rushing into their gardens for the growing season. “We have 12 months of good growing season, so this was interesting to see again,” said Catherine.
They also enjoyed seeing the leaves “pop out” on the trees and the vast variety of trees here.
The pair said the highlight of their trip was getting to see Helen. They would have liked to have seen more old friends and spouted off a list of people they could remember from their 14 years in Rainy River. It includes: Joseph and Rosemary Hamilton, Buzz Miniely, Vernon Russell, Evelyn and Horace Ducharme, Fern and Jean Langstaff, Ramona Byrnes, Lloyd and Lucille Galipeau, Pat Gorman, Billy Hughes, Jeanette and Lloyd Sleeman, Marty Roche, Gwen Sullivan, Coleen Tyne, Sammy Rasmussen, Jimmy Evans, Bud Hannam, Billy Chrysler, Phil Marquis, Virginia Henderson, Helen Fawcett, Lorraine Lambert, Maurice Oliver, Les Ivall, Edward Neddo, Billy Ross, Harry Arnold, Rosie Gunderson, Jim and Theodore Cyr, Grace Simard, Josie Croome, Helen, Ken and Ethel Hodges, Duncan McDonald, Leland Smith, Eleanor Brecht, Ramona Laverdure, Janeva Laverdure, Eva and Bill Beach, Jack and Mrs. Aikens, Mable and Bill Laverdure, Winnie and Cliff Morrison and Mary and Vern Hamilton.
Mildred said anyone wishing to contact her via email can do so at: alankw@melbpc.org.au or they can write to Catherine at C.P. Reid, 9 Bailey Road, Narrewarren North, Australia, 3804.
They left for Australia on Sunday.