Mary Elizabeth Lofgren ²

  Research Notes:

1. Lofgren surname
- prior to 1906, the letter 'f' was typically used for the letter 'v' (as were the letters 'fv' and 'hv'; after 1906 usually 'v')
- this is why you often see the surname spelled as Lofgren or Lovgren
- basic translation of the meaning of Lofgren; Lof or Lov means, good or goodness; Gren means a branch of a tree; so Lofgren would be a 'a good tree branch'
see, http://heirsofsweden.blogspot.ca/search?updated-max=2012-03-07T18:40:00%2B01:00&max-results=7&start=7&by-date=false ; and google translate


2. Schooling and Teaching - I've a Story to Tell; Each Step Left it's Mark and her book "I've A Story to Tell"
[ 26 Sept 2010 and revised, 20 May 2016 ]

1922 - 1924 - Grades 1 and 2, Hay Lakes
1924 - 1930 - Grades 3-8, Swan Hill,
1930 - 1931 - Grade 9, Sulitjelma
1931 - 1933 - Grades 10 & 11, Hay Lakes
1933 - 1934 - Grade 12, Camrose High School - graduated, spring 1934 (in the 1960-1970's was known as the Charlie Russell School)

1934 - 1935 - Camrose Normal School - graduated with First Class Teaching Certificate

Teaching:
1936 - 1937 - Swan Hill *
1937 - 1938 - Swan Hill
1938 - 1939 - Farmington (Kingman)
1939 - 1940 - Farmington -- see mom's school year book that she had made [PDF file] **
1941 - 1942 - Swan Hill (Each Step Left it's Mark, p 499; I've a Story to Tell, p 166-167)

1953 - 1954 - Branland School; partial year * see 2.a.
1962 - 1964 - some substitute teaching ? ** see 2.b.
1964 - 1970 - Armena, grades 3 & 4
1970 - 1980 - Sifton School, Camrose, grade 4

Retired - end of June 1985

*summer of 1937, Mom went to summer school at the University in Edmonton - see her book page 147. She says that she stayed at the Y.W.C.A downtown and took a street car to the university [at that time, it was called the "University of Alberta - see Henderson's directory, 1937, page 46 and 51]. I'm not sure why she had gone to summer school. Maybe she was planning to complete a degree. It doesn't appear that she continued with this plan. But in the summer of 1967 was able to resume university courses.

** on 24 Jul 1940, Mom and Dad were married and they went for about a week. Then mom started cooking for the road building crew that Dad was working on with the Cornhill Municipality.



* 2. a. 26 Sept 2010, Rueben D Grue; revised 17 May 2015
- mom doesn't mention substitute teaching in her book; however, in many conversations with her, she did do some substitute teaching; I recall sometimes driving with dad taking mom in the winter when the roads were bad in the winter
- in the booklet "Dear Old Golden Rule Days", 1967 compiled by Dorothy Lyseng for the Armena Home and School Association, there is a photo a school class, "Class at Brandland, 1954, M. Grue" and then the write up on the last page (page 23), "the years went by and teachers came and went ...... Mrs. Mary Grue ......"
-- my vague memory is driving with sleigh [?] but if it was, then this was in the early 1950's, but even as late as 1955, since it is likely I started school in September 1956 [actually, 1953-1954]. In Jan 2015, David said that he remembers when he was young, dad often used sleigh/wagon pulled by the horse in the winter (Ed Grue also remembered the horse and sleigh). It had wheels, so Dad must also have used it in the summer ** in the winter on snowy/cold days, dad would drive her with the horse and sleigh, since the roads may have not been passable by cars. I remember being under blankets for at least some of the trip ... the distance from home to Brandland school, was likely about 4-5 kms one way
- Likely this vague memory was from the early 1950's before I went to school; in Feb 2015, I also remember that mom taught for a few months as a "supply" teacher filling in for the regular teacher (who was on maternity) -- so this is likely the winter of 1953-1954 at Brandland School.
- There is nothing in the Hay Lakes History book for the Brandland School teachers after 1946. As the "Dear old golden rule Days" notes, "the Brandland School was moved and is now used a community centre near Miquelon Lake [1967]- on the western end of the Miquelon - this was known when I was a kid as the UFA grounds (or more officially as the East Hays Lakes Unifarm) or sometimes called the East Hay Lakes Community Club. I can remember going there for picnics and ball games.

** As a little kid, I remember playing around a wagon in the bush near the old house. This is most likely the same one that we tied ropes to the rails for the horse and rolled it down the little hill next to the old house. One time, I had pulled too hard on the one side, and the wagon went right for the trees/willows. A small stick stayed in my inner right thigh. I wasn't very old, probably around around 4 or 5, and so maybe 1955. I limped towards the new house, crying and screaming. Uncle Norman came running and carried me the rest of the way to the house. While I was healing, I was able to stay in the spare bedroom upstairs (across from mom and dad's bedbroom). I remember mom rubbing Watkins salve and wrapping an old towel or rags around the wound.

I still have a scar or healed wound on back of my right hamstring area - I quess that will never change. The smell of Watkins salve has always stayed with me - I think Mom was even in the nursing home at Rocky and she had a can/jar of it.

It's likely that this 'accident' is why I never really like to go tobagganing - see a note under Roger's page
[6 Sep 2022]


** 2. b. 8 Dec 2018

There are ERROR on mom's funeral brochure (printed through the Burgar Funeral Home, but likely based on my initial typo: (1) Mom died on 5 Dec 2001, NOT 6 Dec as printed. This error/typo was also likely printed in the obituaries that were published in the Camrose Canadian or Camrose Booster and the Edmonton Journal, and possibly the local Rocky Mountain House (The Mountaineer - although I am not certain if this was the name of the local paper in 2001).

As of 8 Dec 2018, I haven't found mom's obit on-line (2001 is no longer posted); hopefully, I will be in Camrose and be able to look this up in the Camrose Canadian. I have a typed obituary that was likely sent into the papers - it is dated 7 Dec 2001. This is the page, along with page 2, I had read at the funeral

(2) Part of the sentence is missing on this brochure (2nd paragraph, starting with the third sentence): the sentence should read "In the fall of 1962, Mary resumed her teaching career. She did some substitute teaching for two years ..." [ and from 1964 .... ]

** I only have a vague memory of mom substitute teaching for a few days once in awhile. I think this is true but I am not 100% certain. There is no record in her writings - in the Armena History Book (Footprints Along the Stoney, page 200), she writes "... in the fall of 1962 I went back to teaching in Armena ....". However, on page 209 of her book, "I've a Story to Tell", she says "...I started teaching in Armena in the fall of 1964." 1964 is the correct year that she started teaching in Armena. At that time, I was quite thankful that I had finished grade 8 and that in Sep 1964, I started grade 9 at Hay Lakes. I guess at the time I thought it would be too embrassing to attend the same small school that my mom taught at (at that time, Armena only had grades 1-8 and then students were bussed to Hay Lakes for grades 9-12).



[resuming "schooling and teaching" ..... from above point 2 .......... ]

When an opening came up in Armena for the fall of 1964, she was so pleased. I recall the Superintendent of Schools coming to the farm and meeting with mom, probably in mid-August 1964. Gramma Jonas died on 6 Aug and in 'booklet C' of mom's writings, she says that she had about 2 weeks to prepare for the school year.

- 1967-1969 - mom resumed University ---- I can't recall exactly, but likely started in the summer of 1967
- in my 1967 birthday card, mom had written that she was in summer school in Edmonton - Gail coming to get her and going shopping and another time going to Art and Velma's; she also said Mark was going to Calgary about a job; mom mentioned one course she was taking Geography 400 and was doing well since the prof said she was in the top bracket, and she then, "SO THERE" was her short comment. I [ I had written this, 17 May 2015 ]
- I believe she completed 2 years through night and summer school - she had 1 year through Normal School, but to keep an active teaching certificate, she had to complete more university
- in the fall of 1969, she took a Political Science course (# 302?) at Camrose Lutheran College. This is same class as me. She also took beginning English literature (at least one book, "Modern Poetry", has notes written throughout by both of us. She also wrote in the book "Shakespeare". At Edmonton, she also took a English in "Children's Literature". I also recall that on one exam for Political Science, I had received a higher grade than her. I think she was a bit upset because she said something to the effect "...I studied and worked for hours on this and you did little, just read books for your English class ..."
- I also recall that in the summers (July and Aug) she would attend Summer School at the U of A; I remember driving her - most of the time she went on a Mon or Tues, staying at a dorm room; some times I drove in the morning and then back that night and I recall at least once going to a golf driving range and and hitting a couple of buckets of balls waiting for mom's class to end and we would drive back to Camrose. This was likely the summer of 1968, since I was at home and did odd jobs with Terry's dad and painted grandpa Grue's roof (house that Amy and Glady's inherited and had moved to Camrose, near Mirror Lake;)

- ALSO: from Camrose Canadian, 15 Apr 1953, p27
Armena News; Scandia Sunday School ..... Mrs Oliver Grue, sand table class



3. Confirmation, page 116, "I've a Story to Tell"; also see Wilhelmina Church website - they have photos of confirmation classes; also there is a photo in my flash drive

- at Wilhelmina Lutheran Church
- 1932-1933 - confirmation classes. In mom's book (page 116) she said that in the fall of 1932, she had started Grade 11 at Hay Lakes. She also says that although she was older than the others her mom had persauded her to take confirmation instruction through Wilhelmina. Mom had Vanda Hanson (Grahn) to join her and so there were 5 in the class. They had the classes/lessons in winter and met in the homes, "...maybe every other Saturday" [see newspaper below]. Mom also wrote in her book, "That year was rich for me, studying God's word and producing a strengthening of my faith."
- mom wrote that confirmation day was 27 Aug 1933 BUT actual date was 3 Sep 1933 (her age was 17 years and 10 months)

- Camrose Canadian, 8 Feb 1933, page 7, col 2; "Wilhelmina" [news]; "Wilhelmina confirmation class at Lofgren's, Saturday, Feb 11";
then, in the edition of 30 Aug 1933, page 6 col 4; "Wilhelmina" [news]; "Confirmation at Wilhelmina, Sunday Sept 3 at 11:00 AM"
then, in the edition of 6 Sep 1933, page 3 col 1,2; "Wilhelmina" Sept 5 [news]; "Confirmation was well attended on Sunday, and the church was nicely decorated with white, pink, blue streamers. Confirmants were Mary Lovgren, Vanda Hanson, Alvan and Carl Naslund and Augnar Swanland. About $11.00 was realised Sunday night when Sylva Nordin, Mr Nordin, Alvin Forsen and Hilbert Forsen served lunch."


......


4. a. Misc. Camrose Canadian, 9 Sept 1959, page 8, col 4 (Armena News)
- Sunday school teachers: Grade 7, Mrs Oliver Grue; Grade 2, Mrs Ed Grue, sub, Oliver Grue

b. Camrose Canadian, 16 Sept 1959, page 8, col 2 (.... Armena News)
- Home and School Association, Armena; Secretay, Mrs Oliver Grue

c. Camrose Canadian, 29 Jul 1959, page 21, col 6 (.... Armena News)

Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Grue and Rueben and Barbara Grue and Mr. and Mrs. Dick Erikson spent their wedding aniversaries in Lac La Biche on Sunday."
abit further up on this column: David Grue and Dale Grue spent the weekend with Mrs. Jonas Lofgren in Camrose


NOTE: scanned pages, Our future, Our past - AB Digitalization project (hosted by the University of Calgary)
- sometime around 2014-2015, the University of Calgary stopped access and couple of years later moved some materials from the old website to a new website

- in terms of scanned images of the newspaper, Camrose Canadian, only a few years are scanned (as of 2 Jan 2019): https://libapps.ucalgary.ca/
Jan 1915 to 27 Dec 1917
Jan 1921 to 20 Dec 1923
BUT by abound 2020 or maybe earlier, all pages scanned - however a few years (1963-1964)



5. US Evangelical Lutheran Church, Swedish American Church Records: Vilhelmina, Hay Lakes
- image 48, Mary Lofgren transferred to Scandia [no date recorded, but likely 1940]
- image 56,
Jones August Lofgren, b 13 May 1875 at Vilhelmina, Västerbotten, received 1912; died 21 Aug 1950
Anna Margareta (Näslund) Lofgren, b 30 Jul 1891, Västerbotten, ..... transfered to Bethel (Camrose) 6 Apr 1952 *
Ivar
Mary (see image 48)
- image 54
Ivar Aug [August] Lofgren b 27 Sep 1912; married 21 Sep 1943
Anna Viloa b 1 May 1915
Edgar Ivar, b 4 Aug 1948, died 2 Sep 1948
Roger Arlen, b 6 Sep 1949 in Edmonton (adopted)
James Allen, b 23 Sep 1955, died 25 Sep 1955
Deborah Marie, b 8 Aug 1955 in Edmonton (adopted)
Darlene Fay, b 29 Oct 1956 in Edmonton (adopted)

Fridhem Lutheran .... link,
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61584/images/47830_554815-00000?usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=78373949

* Bethel Lutheran Church - was first organized in 1952 as a "mission congregation" of Fridhem Lutheran (east of Armena"; the church was first built by the Roman Catholic parish, then purchased by Grace Lutheran and then the building was moved to a location overlooking Mirror Lake; the building then bought by Ukrainian Catholic Church in 1986. Bethel had built a new church on the western edge of Camrose in 1986.
see, https://bethelcamrose.wordpress.com/history-2/
- since Gramma [Gramma Jonas] joined Bethel in 1852, then it is likely that in 1952 she moved to Camrose. ^2,4

Mary married Oliver Thurston Grue, son of Lars Thoresen Grue and Avey Rangborg Skaret, on 24 Jul 1940 in Scandia Parsonage, Scandia Lutheran Church, Armena, Alberta, Canada.¹ (Oliver Thurston Grue was born on 2 Jan 1915 in Hay Lakes, Alberta, Canada,¹ died on 31 Aug 1992 in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada ¹ and was buried on 4 Sep 1992 in Wilhelmina Lutheran Church Cemetery, Hay Lakes, Alberta, Canada ^1,3.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

1. Marriage, 24 Jul 1940, Scandia Parsonage, Scandia Lutheran Church, Armena, Alberta, Canada.

  Marriage Notes: