Ference, Bill

BILL FERENCE1reftext77_159.gif

by Bill

I was born July 1, 1937, on a farm ten miles west of Elk Point in the Armistice district. We lived in a three-room log house, which was heated with firewood.

My earliest memory is of my oldest brother's wedding, which was held on the farm with about forty people in attendance. They came by horse and wagon, except for one truck, which came from across the river. It had wooden spoke wheels. Twelve people were standing in the back of the truck; there was no room to sit down. The people stayed for three days.

I started school at the age of six, walking three miles to Orvilton School, where twenty-five pupils were in attendance -- from grade one to nine, all in the same room. The teacher was Mrs. R. Rawluk. In 1951, my teacher was Mrs. A. Holliday from Elk Point. In 1952 the Orvilton School was closed and I rode a bus to Elk Point, which, at that time, we thought was impossible. I quit school in 1953 and started farming.

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Bill Ference family.
BACK ROW, Left to Right: Elaine, Ivy, Bill, Kenneth.

FRONT ROW: Darwin, Brian.

I married Ivy Boratynec from the Lake Eliza area on March 7, 1959. We have a family of three boys and one girl --Kenneth, Elaine, Brian and Darwin. At the present time we are farming N.E. 15-57-8-W4 in the Armistice district. I drive the school bus to Elk Point