Each year on November 19, some very special people in the community are celebrated. They are recognized for all they have contributed, the knowledge they continue to share, and the hard work that went into making Langley the exceptional place that it is.
Douglas Day is held by the Township of Langley and City of Langley every year to commemorate its pioneers, those who are at least 70 years of age and have lived in the community for at least 60 years.
On Wednesday, hundreds of pioneers and guests gathered at the Langley Events Centre for the annual celebration, where they enjoyed lunch, entertainment, special presentations, and a chance to catch up with old friends.
“It is truly our privilege to recognize our pioneers,” said Township of Langley Mayor Jack Froese. “These people built the foundation of our community. Their hard work, traditions, and values can still be seen and felt here today, generations later. There is a lot of wisdom here, and we are grateful for everything our pioneers brought to Langley, and for the huge role they continue to play as we grow and look towards the future.”
Organized with help from a dedicated volunteer committee, Douglas Day also marks the anniversary of the creation of our province. It is named in honour of Governor James Douglas, whose proclamation at the Big House in Fort Langley - “The Birthplace of BC” - on November 19, 1858 brought the crown colony of British Columbia into being. Douglas Day has been recognized in the Township of Langley since the 1920s and the banquet has been held annually since 1946.
“Douglas Day is a wonderful opportunity to come together to honour our rich past, but also to celebrate our exciting future,” said City of Langley Mayor Ted Schaffer. “I was very pleased to be here today to show our respect and give thanks to the pioneer families whose hard work and dedication have helped shape our special community.”
This year, Douglas Day recognized the community’s pioneer mechanics, the hardworking and dependable people who provided gasoline, repaired bicycles, maintained the family cars, and kept farm machinery running.
Mayor Froese also paid tribute to Doris Blair, a Langley pioneer and honourary member of the Douglas Day committee, who passed away on November 6.
Pioneers honoured at the 2014 Douglas Day event included:
Charlie and Lorraine Allen
Benny and Penny Anderlini
Bob and Susan Anderlini
Ray Anderlini
Albert and Dorothy Anderson
Gezina Anderson
Muriel Anderson
Harvey and Dianne Antonsen
Malcolm Arkinstall
Carol Armstrong
June Barichello
Del Barron
Walt Barron
Elsie Beggs
Katie Beier
Duane and Judy Benson
Bill Berry
Ernie and Sharon Bird
Phyllis Bishop
Sven Bjorknas
Italo and Jackie Bonetti
Bruce and Karen Brandow
Doris Braun
Frank and Chrissie Braun
Martha Braun
Ed Bregg
Joe and Marie Breier
Barrie and Beverley Brown
Myrtle Burnell
Norma Carruthers
Queenie Carson
Allan Cartwright
Wilfred and Jeanette Cartwright
Dick and Betty-Lou Chell
Barbara Chiste
Ken and Lenore Christensen
Irma Cockett
Walter Compton
Nadia Cooper
Mary Ann Corfe
Barbara Cornies
Thelma Coward
Marshall and Jennifer Cronkhite
Lorne Dance
Hugh Davis
Jean Davis
Rodney and Ada Deans
George and Marge DeGianni
Alfred and Eleanor Deglan
Wilma Denbraber
Daroyl and Evi Dent
Alex and Lois Dickson
Dietrich and Nettie Driediger
Seward and Joy Easingwood
Effie Ebbeson
Richard and Lois Edwards
Roy English
Dave and Elsa Faulkner
Dorothy Ferguson
Joe and Florence Fifer
Audree Foster
Patricia Frederick
Hilda Frosdorf
Mona Fruno
Charlie and Arlene Gandy
Helen Gardner
Peter and Rosemary Genberg
Bruno and Shirley Giacomazzi
Roy Giacomazzi
Jake and Helen Giesbrecht
Jarnail Gill
Annie Goddard
Mary Gooden
Tom Goodyear
Victor Gorcak
Ethel Graham
Betty Granholm
Bruce and Nicole Granholm
Maxine Grant
Terry and Joyce Greenfield
Eunice Greenwood
Alan and Jean Gregson
Bob and Helen Griffiths
Wilfred and Barbara Haid
Paul and Joyce Hamilton
Hazel Harrower
Cora Hayward
Verna Hickey
Gordon and Joan Hill
Jean Hope
Irvin and Jackie Howser Howser
Robert and Maureen Humphrey
Mervyn and Margaret Hunter
Charlie Iberg
Norma Jamieson
Alice Johnson
Gladys Johnston
Rodney and Dorothy Johnston
Carel and Lynda Jongs
Eugene and Shirley Kaetler
John Kelly
Alice Kennedy
Dan and Jan Kitsul
Edward Kosciuk
Walt and Mary Koziel
Helmut and Shirley Kramer
Joseph and Loretta Krentz
Barry and Marilyn Kristoff
Alica Kuhar
Gerald and Anna Larsen
Don and Gwen Lee
Marj Lee
Kay Lindquist
George Lockerby
Diane Logan
Percy and Kay Lotzer
Albert and Elsie Lundin
Freda Lynch
Gail Lynch
Walter and Jean Makela
William and Etta Marr
Elsie Martin
John Masztalar
Roy and Vicky Matts
Joan Mayo
Ted and Marylee McCallum
Peggy McGregor
Nora McKain
Edna McLeod
Donna McTaggart
Harry and Helen McTaggart
Genny Milligan
Alex and Lucille Minnis
Phillip Miskulin
Margaret Mitcham
Mary Mitchell
Diane Moffat
Iris Mooney
Beryl Moore
Doug and June Moore
Fay Morelli
Grace Morelli
Vernon and Merrilyn Morelli
Madge Mowles
Claud and Darlene Muench
Pat Muench
Dorothy Mufford
Pat Mufford
Joyce Murchison
Lurene Music
Fred and Frances Mutch
Eva Napier
Bonnie Nelson
Ruth Nelson
Monica Newman
Kathleen Nicholas
Robert and Melerly Norman
Don and Marion Nundal
Mary Olafson
Sam and Pam Omelaniec
Vera Omelaniec
David and Sheila Ormrod
Betty Oswald
Eileen Palmer
Norman and Joyce Paterson
Fred and Maureen Pepin
George and Audrey Pihan
Bill and Arlene Pike
Sue Plumridge
Robert and Sharon Poole
Edward Powroznik
Winnie Price
Mary Probert
Jerry and Bev Radtke
Arlen and Marilyn Randen
Max and Molly Reding
Dick Rees
Charlie and Doreen Reid
Don and Lorraine Reimer
Ann Renfors
John and Doris Riedweg
Jack Roberts
Bernice Robinson
Marilyn Rockson
Wilfried Schnabel
Roy and Grace Seifred
Diana Sendall
Norman Severide
Jean Seymour
Mabel Sherritt
Bill and Gail Shields
Marjorie Shiell
Mike and Betty Skwarok
Alfie Smaback
Charlie Smith
Ron and Jean Smith
George and Janet Southam
Wilma Stromsten
Doris Stroyan
Allen and Gwen Sturn
Gerald Tapp
Robert and Joan Tapp
Al and Marilyn Tecklenborg
Phyllis Thomas
Lillian Thomson
Bryan and Joyce Trattle
Bill and Mary Twemlow
Barry and Susan Vaughan
Edward and Mildred Vaughan
Ernest Vaughan
Harold and Joanne Vaughan
Laverne and Elaine Vaughan
Stan Warner
Anita Waska
Phyllis Waugh
Phyllis Wegesser
Wayne and Betty Westby
Ray Wiens
Fenn and Mary Williams
Doreen Willushaw
Grace Wilson
Lilian Witt
Ellen Worrell
Shirley Worrell
Joe Wrazy
Don Wrightman
Ron and Marilyn Yates
John and Shirley Yeomans
Frank and Leona Zoretic