(L) Doreen Patterson Reitsma, (C) Eric Nicol, (R) Stan Douglas

 

Doreen Patterson Reitsma (1927 – 2000)

Doreen Patterson Reitsma was born and raised in Vancouver. In 1951, she became the first woman from British Columbia to enter the newly created Postwar Women’s Division of the Royal Canadian Navy.

Patterson Reitsma began basic training at HMCS Cornwallis, trained as a radio intelligence operator at HMC NRS Coverdale, and served a term at the Naval Radio Station at Churchill, Manitoba. In 1955, she helped persuade Prime Minister Louie St. Laurent and his cabinet a permanent, integrated force for women in the Royal Canadian Navy.

Eric Nicol (1919 – 2011)

Eric Nicol was born in Kingston, Ontario. In 1921, his family moved to Vancouver. In 1941, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia. Following military service in World War Two, Nicol earned a Master of Arts degree from UBC. While at UBC, he wrote a popular weekly column known for its humour, for the student newspaper Ubyssey. Later, he studied at the Sorbonne in France, before moving on to London, England where he wrote comedy for the BBC.

In 1951, Nicol returned to Vancouver where he served as a regular columnist for The Province newspaper, for several decades. During this time, he wrote more than forty books. He won the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour in 1951, 1956, and 1958. In 2000, he was appointed Member of the Order of Canada.

Stan Douglas (1960 -)

Stan Douglas was born and raised in Vancouver. After graduating from Lord Byng Secondary, he studied at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design.

Douglas is known for his photography and film and video installations, which touch on the history of cinema, music, and literature. His work reflects the influence of modernism, politics and race, Jazz and blues, Cinema, and the writings of Samuel Beckett. His awards include the Hnatyshyn Foundation Visual Arts Award (2007), and the Bell Award in Video Art (2008).

 

Dorothy Lenore Montgomery, nee Miller (1930 – )

Doreen is a world-class athlete who holds many national and world records.  During the period 2003 – 2017, she participated in numerous sanctioned running events. Recently, she entered the W90 age group, where she has continued to prove herself a world class athlete, setting a new world record in the 1500m race, and a new Canadian record in the 800m race.