Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing, Class of 1917

Ada Cuddy, Class of 1917

Ada Victoria Cuddy was born on June 28, 1887 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1917 and enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corps.

Nursing sister Cuddy served in England and was posted to the Duchess of Connaught’s Red Cross Hospital, Taplow in June 1917. A few months later, she was transferred to the West Cliff Canadian Eye and Ear Hospital, Folkestone. In April 1918, she was transferred to the No. 16 Canadian General Hospital (Ontario Military Hospital, Orpington) where she served for seven months before being hospitalized in November with appendicitis.

Ada was discharged in March 1919 and married Dr. A.E. Morgan in England. After the war, they returned to Canada and lived in Toronto. She passed away in 1954.

Agnes McKeague, Class of 1917

Agnes McKeague was born on November 11, 1886 in Ireland.

She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1917 and enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corps in April 1918. Nursing sister McKeague served in England at No. 15 Canadian General Hospital, Taplow; No. 5 Canadian General Hospital, Liverpool; and No. 16 Canadian General Hospital, Orpington before returning to Canada in September 1919.

After the war, Agnes moved to California where she was on staff at Angeles Hospital in Los Angeles. She died on August 13, 1964 in Santa Monica.

Bertha Samson, Class of 1917

Bertha Samson was born on November 19, 1893 in Liberty County, North Dakota. She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1917 and joined the Provincial Nursing Staff in Winnipeg.

In February 1918, Bertha enlisted with the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) and served in England at No. 4 Canadian General Hospital, Basingstoke until July 1919.

After the war, she returned to Winnipeg and engaged in private duty nursing. In 1923, she was employed at Sea View Hospital in Staten Island, New York. She married Dr. R. Beck and they settled in North Dakota. She passed away on Oct 21, 1958.

Christina Parker, Class of 1917

Christina Irene Parker was born on August 13, 1888 in Lanchow, China.

She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1917 an engaged in private duty nursing before enlisting with the Canadian Army Medical Corps in November 1917. Nursing sister Parker served in England and was posted to the No. 15 Canadian General Hospital, Taplow.

Christina returned to Canada in July 1919 and accepted a position with the Manitoba Provincial Board of Health. In 1921, she resigned this position and moved to Salmon Arm, British Columbia and later moved to California. She settled in Cornwall, England in the 1940s and died there on October 25, 1964.

Dora Walters, Class of 1917

Dora Asta Walters was born on February 22, 1894 in Cavalier, North Dakota. She attended the University of North Dakota from 1913-1914 before moving to Winnipeg where she enrolled in the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1917.

Dora enlisted with the Canadian Army Medical Corps in January 1918. Nursing sister Walters served in England during the war. She returned to Canada in 1919 and moved to Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan where she nursed patients with tuberculosis at the Fort Qu’Appelle Sanatorium.

She married Eldon Truemner and they moved to Melfort, Saskatchewan. Dora contracted tuberculosis herself and died at the age of 34 on January 29, 1928.

Doris Crummey, Class of 1917

Doris Crummey was born on February 25, 1892 in Nellore, India. She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1917 and enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corps in April 1918.

Nursing sister Crummey served in England and was posted to No. 10 Canadian General Hospital, Brighton and No. 14 Canadian General Hospital (formerly Canadian Military Hospital, Eastbourne).

After the war, Doris married Charles Harrison. They lived in California where she was involved in private duty nursing.

Gladys Elizabeth Matheson, Class of 1917

Gladys Elizabeth Matheson was born on September 27, 1892 in Onion Lake, Saskatchewan.

She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1917 and accepted a position on staff at the No. 10 Manitoba Military Hospital (Tuxedo Park).

In November 1917, she enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) and served in both England and France.

Nursing sister Matheson was posted to No. 14 Canadian General Hospital, Eastbourne; No. 15 Canadian General Hospital, Taplow and No. 3 Canadian General Hospital in France.

After the war, she was engaged in private duty nursing in California and later in Winnipeg. She married Colonel S.M. Crim and they lived in several cities in the United States. She passed away in Winnipeg on July 22, 1991 at the age of 99.

Katherine Oliver, Class of 1917

Katherine May Oliver was born on October 5, 1895 in Carberry, Manitoba. She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1917 and enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corps in February 1918.

Nursing sister Oliver served in England and was posted to No. 11 Canadian General Hospital, Moore Barracks and No. 14 Canadian General Hospital (Canadian Military Hospital, Eastbourne).

After the war, Katherine moved to Detroit, Michigan and worked as a public health nurse. She also lived in California.

Kathryn Ross, Class of 1917

Kathryn Dorothy Ross was born in Bridgeville, Nova Scotia.

She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1917 and enlisted with the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) in March 1918. Nursing sister Ross served in Canada and was posted to the No. 10 Manitoba Military Hospital, (Tuxedo Park).

After the war, she left for China to assist Dr. Williams in opening a hospital and training school for nurses and became the Superintendent of a large hospital in Chingtu, China for five years.

In 1943, she was the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps Sister-in-Charge at Fort Osbourne Barracks in Winnipeg and later served with the U.N.R.A. [United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration] in Europe. After World War II, she accepted a position in charge of a new hospital in Lahore, Pakistan.

She passed away on February 9, 1967 at the Camp Hill Military Hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Martha Timlick, Class of 1917

Martha Mary Edith Timlick was born on January 8, 1889 in Union Point, Manitoba.

She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1917 and enlisted with the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) in March 1918. Nursing sister Timlick served in England until 1919.

Martha spent her career working in Manitoba – after the war she worked at Dauphin General Hospital and in 1921, she was in charge of the Operating Room at Children’s Hospital – a position she held until 1923. She also worked at Winnipeg General Hospital in Admitting.

She passed away on August 2, 1961.

Mary Ritchie, Class of 1917

Mary Ester Slee Ritchie was born on October 24, 1894 in Falkirk, Scotland. She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1917 and enlisted with the Canadian Army Medical Corps in July 1917.

Nursing sister Ritchie was posted to No. 10 Manitoba Military Hospital (Tuxedo Park) before going overseas in April 1918. She was posted to No. 10 Canadian General Hospital, Brighton and later No. 4 Canadian General Hospital, Basingstoke.

After the war, Mary returned to Canada and married D. McLean. They settled in British Columbia and later returned to Winnipeg.

Stella Pollexfen, Class of 1917

Stella Johnstone Pollexfen was born on June 8, 1892 in Limerick, Ireland. She lived in London, England until 1913, when she immigrated to Canada.

She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1917 and enlisted with the Canadian Army Medical Corps in March 1918. Nursing sister Pollexfen served in England and was posted to No. 10 Canadian General Hospital, Brighton; No. 14 Canadian General Hospital, Eastbourne; and No. 10 Canadian General Hospital, Taplow.

After the war, she returned to Canada joined the staff of the Social Service Department at Winnipeg General Hospital – a position she held until 1941, when she joined the staff of the MacDonald Aircraft Company.

From 1947 to 1960, she operated the Pollexfen Nursing Home in Winnipeg. She died on February 17, 1976.

Winnifred Isabelle Stinson, Class of 1917

Winnifred Isabelle Stinson was born on May 25, 1891 in Carroll, Manitoba, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.T. Stinson.

She graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing in 1917 and enlisted with the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) in January 1918.

Nursing sister Stinson served in England for one year and was posted to the No. 15 Canadian General Hospital, Duchess of Connaught’s Red Cross Hospital, Taplow and No. 5 Canadian General Hospital, Liverpool, before returning to Canada in September 1919. Her only brother, Charles R. Stinson, also served during World War I and died at Passchendaele in November 1917.

After the war, Stinson accepted a position on staff at Dr. Galloway’s private hospital in Winnipeg, where she worked until 1922, after which she began nursing at Deer Lodge Convalescent Hospital. In 1924, she married A.E. Kedward and they moved to England to reside. She passed away on April 17, 1937 in Brighton, England.