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George Edwin Shiels 1922 1979

Thomas

George Shiels was born May 21, 1922 at Corning, Sask 20 miles north of Stoughton. He was the eighth child of John and Pearl (Gerry) Shiels. George's mother died when he was 11 and the family moved to Manitoba in 1937. They settled in the Bede area north of Melita. George and his brother Howard joined the Canadian Army in 1941 and went overseas to fight in World War II. George was stationed in England. During the next three and a half years, he served in France, Belguim, and Italy.

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Dan & Judy

2007 Vacation

In the fall of 1942, George and his two mates, Laun Gannon and Bill Burack, took a map of Wales and by closing their eyes and sticking a pin in the map, they picked the place to go on leave. This place was the city of Bridgend, South Wales. Betty Jones and her sister Ray met the men one night on a bridge. They took the men home and their mother Gwladys said they could stay at the house instead of paying room and board at the Y.M.C.A. From this time onward, George spent his leaves with Betty. The leaves were every three months and would last for seven days. George, with the help of Betty's youngest sister Vi, went to Cardiff on a Saturday night in August 1945 to pick out an engagement ring. George proposed to Betty in Newbridge Park in Bridgend on the Sunday. George had to get permission from the army to get married and Betty had a lot of forms to fill out. George finally got the license and they were married on a special leave on October 6, 1945. They were married in the Welsh Independace Church in Bridgend. Betty's brother Dewi was best man with Ray as maid of honour and Vi as flower girl. They had a one week honeymoon and George went back to his outfit. Three weeks later, he was back for a weekend before sailing from Southampton on October 27, 1945 for Halifax. He went from Halifax to Winnipeg by train and arrived back in Napinka, Manitoba in November 1945. Betty could not come at the same time as there were many forms to be filled out. She left her home on June 9, 1946 with her mother for the train trip to London. They stayed overnight and Gwladys returned home the next day. Betty left by train to Southampton. Along with other warbrides, she left Southampton on her birthday, June 11 on the Queen Mary. They arrived in Halifax on Wednesday June 14 and were transferred to a train. They arrived in Winnipeg on Friday night, June 16, 1946. Laun Gannon and George were there to meet Betty and they arrived in Melita the following day. George was working for Percy Brockington at the time and they lived south of Melita on Percy's farm. The ladies of the district gave Betty a welcoming shower in the school at Penninsula District. Three weeks after Betty arrived, George had to be rushed to Souris for an appendix operation. After the operation, they went to live with George's brother Ken, north of Napinka. That fall they went to Broomhill to farm on the old House place.

A daughter, Rosemarie was born there on June 2, 1947. They moved in June 1948 to rent the Harvey Gould farm near Bernice. Two sons were born there, David on July 26, 1948 and Dan on September 5, 1951. In August of 1948 Rosemarie was rushed to Souris at the age of 14 months to have her appendix removed and David had the same trip in July 1951. In 1952 George and his family moved to Napinka to half a house on front street beside George's father John. George went to work for the Canadian Pacific Railroad. Patty was born on October 30, 1952 and they moved to the Johnny Holland house on the north side of town. George started working part time for Hector McInness on the farm at night and for the CPR during the day. After Bill was born on July 28, 1955, George quit his job at C.P.R. and went to work for Hector full time. They moved to a little house one mile west of Hector. George's father John had lived in this same house ten years earlier before selling the farm to Hector. George and Betty had two more children there, Gareth on October 13, 1956 and Lynda on April 25, 1960. George rented a quarter section of land north of Napinka that he worked after hours and on weekends while he was working for Hector. In the fall of 1965 George and Betty bought the old Will Gould house in Napinka. They completely remodelled the house and built on an addition. George started doing carpentry work and worked on the bridge west of Napinka that winter with Jim and Jack Holden. In the summer of 1966, he worked on the Toronto Dominion Bank building in Deloraine. He worked on the Tweed Garage addition in Medora. He also worked for Johnson Construction building houses in Melita area and later in Brandon. George also did a lot of work on his own, building cupboards and house remodelling, as shown in many houses in south western Manitoba. In July of 1972 George and Gareth started to build a new house in Langruth for his daughter and son in law, Rose and Bud Carriere. During this time, on August 5, 1972, their son Bill was killed in an automobile accident. He was only 17. Fourteen months later, on October 7, 1973, another son, David lost his life in another automobile accident. Gareth and Dave's wife Beth were hurt in the accident and spent a long time in the hospital.

George was very resourceful. He actually built himself a garden tractor. He started with a motor from an old combine and lots of scrap iron. With his own welder and his self taught skills, he was able to put all the pieces together. He used this tractor for many years, working the garden in the summer and moving snow in the winter. He even put a front end loader on the tractor. He was not one to buy the parts needed, he would rather make them himself. That was true recycling!

During 1976 and 1977 George was a 4 H Leader and enjoyed sharing his love for woodworking with the younger people of the community. In July of 1978, George went to Winnipeg for a month to stay with his son Dan and wife Judy. Dan and Judy had just bought a house and George came in to renovate the house prior to moving in. He built lovely new cupboards and they laid new carpet and trim throughout the house. Judy worked with George during the day and Dan helped at night. George continued to do carpentry work in the Napinka and Melita area until the time of his death on November 10, 1979. Betty continued to live in Napinka for many years. She moved to Brandon and on to Campbell River before settling in Winnipeg where she passed away on July 27, 2005. The following is a brief history of George & Betty's children

Rosemarie Ann (Shiels) Carriere 1947-

Rosemarie Ann Shiels was born June 2, 1947. She was the oldest child of George and Betty (Jones) Shiels. She attended Napinka School from grade 1 to grade 10 and Melita High Grade 11 & 12. Rosemarie started to work for the Royal Bank in 1965. Her first job was in a small town named Langruth, Manitoba. Langruth is about 45 miles north west of Portage la Prairie. She married Bud Carriere from Amaranth on Sept 2, 1967 and in 1972 they helped her father, George build their new home in Langruth. Rose worked at the Langruth branch in various positions until 1993 when the branch was closed. At that time she was transferred to the Portage la Prairie branch. Two months later they bought a home and moved to Portage. Rosemarie worked at the Portage Royal bank branch as a personal banker until 1999 when she became the Mortgage Professional for Manitoba South area. Rose retired in 2004 and they continue to live in Portage.

David John Shiels 1948-1973

David John Shiels was born on July 26, 1948. He was the second child of George & Betty (Jones) Shiels. Dave worked for a number of farmers in the area when he was growing up. Dave left school and joined the army when he was 17. He was discharged from the army for medical reasons because he had flat feet. Dave married Beth Routledge from Gainsborough in September 1973. Dave and Beth lived in Winnipeg where Dave worked for Dominion Lumber. While they were coming home for a weekend, only six weeks after they were married, they were in a car accident on October 7, 1973. Dave and Howard Holden of Napinka were killed in the accident. It happened just outside Melita, Manitoba. Beth, Dave's brother Gareth and friend Leonard Ball were badly hurt and spent a long time in hospital recovering from their injuries.

Daniel Phillip Shiels 1951-

Dan Shiels was born September 5, 1951. He married Judy Vandaele of Medora Manitoba and they have two daughters, Jennifer, born April 29, 1974 and Tracy Nicole; born September 18, 1975. A separate and detailed history is provided by clicking on the picture to the right.

Patricia (Shiels) Switzer 1952-

Bill was born on July 28, 1955. He was the fifth child of George and Betty (Jones) Shiels. He was active in Air Cadets and was well liked in the area. When he was only 17 years old, he lost control of his car and hit a bridge near Melita and died instantly on August 5, 1972. He was so young and with such potential. We will never know how Bill could have changed the world.

Gareth Alan Shiels 1956-

Gareth Alan Shiels was born in Melita, Manitoba on October 13, 1956. He was the sixth child of George and Betty (Jones) Shiels. Gareth married Dawn Pedrick of Melita, Manitoba on May 19, 1979. Gareth & Dawn lived in Whitehorse, Yukon for many years. They also lived in Lac du Bonnet, Winnipeg and now live in Petersfield, Manitoba. Gareth and Dawn have three children, Alun Kalvin George, born September 3, 1980; Micheal William David, born February 8, 1982 and Mandy Allison Dawn born March 28, 1994.

Lynda Dianne (Shiels) Pauls 1960-

Lynda Diane Shiels was born on April 25th, 1960. She married Conway Pauls and they have two children, Conway Raymond Pauls Jr, born March 12th, 1982 and Ashley Elizabeth Pauls, born December 13th, 1983. Conway and Lynda lived in Winnipeg for a number of years and moved to Napinka before settling in Campbell River, BC.