So for this blog post, I will be interviewing and discussing the life of Father’s mother, my Grandma; Noreen Cronk!
So she was May 1st, 1946 right here in Victoria at the Royal Jubilee Hospital. She grew up in the Gorge area with your parents and sister and brother. Starting her education at Tillicum Elementary, then Colquitz (my future practicum school), and then finally Esquimalt Senior graduating in 1964.
Funny story about how she met her husband, and my grandfather! They met when she was only 13 years old (1959) at a Rock n’ Roll dance at the Victoria Memorial Arena. This is where their love first blossomed. 5 years later, they got married in November 28th 1964 making her only 18 years old. But my dad, the oldest of 4, didn’t arrive until 3 years later.
When they purchased their first home in 1967, Noreen couldn’t have her name on the purchasing contract because she was only 19 at the time!
Shortly after the birth of my dad, came the next child; Gary in 1967. Followed by Russ in 1970 and finally Colleen in ’72. Making my grandmother the mother of 4 children by the age of 24!
Prior to the start of the family, she worked at BC Telephone Company and had to quit in order to take care of my dad, and then the children to come. She went back to work when her last born child; Colleen was in grade one at the Greater Victoria School District 61. Her position was accounts clerk at Harbour View Jr High. Transferred to Fairburn Elementary, and finally Cedar Hill Jr High. Retiring in this position in 2002.
After retiring, Noreen helped to found the Creative Peace Mural Society. This society’s goal was to “promote international understanding through the creation of large textile murals in selected communities throughout the world”. In short, my. grandmother was given the opportunity to travel to Uruguay, Japan, China, New Zealand, Uganda, Ireland (sanctioned by the Olympics) and Ukraine. Here she created murals to created to highlight “local residents culture, history and geography”. Two more murals were created in Victoria, one with Esquimalt and View Royal band of Indigenous peoples as well one that represented Canada as a whole. Each mural incorporated a border of all the different hands of people of that country and city. Anyone could get their handprints on these murals including that of Liam Neeson on the Irish mural. At the end of it all, the total of 11 murals (5 meters by 2 murals) were showcased in numerous locations. The one place that all 11 murals were brought together in Westminster Hall in London, England. This took place on June 14th, 2012. This whole journey was over a quick 10 year period.
After the long creative process of this, my grandma tends to enjoy her retirement in the company of grandkids and friends!
The first two pictures are all of her murals, and the entire showcase at Westminster Hall. The last photo is of my grandparents in company of all their loving grandkids at a family dinner!
Riley
