Ethel Holmes

Ethel Holmes (nee Kerr) at 1968 reunion with her eight children. Front row: (left to right) Wilma, Ethel (Gram), Winona (Winnie). Back Row: Edwin (Ed), Donald (Don), Glenn, Eric, Gordon, and Ralph.

Ethel Hamilton Kerr was born 7 March, 1901 in Ottawa, Carleton County, Ontario. Her parents, William and "Gussie" Kerr, had five children of which she was the youngest, having two older sisters and two older brothers.

In September 1907 she moved with her parents and siblings to homestead at New Ottawa, Saskatchewan which later became part of Speers, Saskatchewan District. In 1913 they moved to another homestead in the Rabbit Lake, Saskatchewan area.

Ethel took her schooling in these two districts. She received her grade VIII Diploma 20 August, 1917. She was granted a teacher's certificate 3rd pt 1 under farm regulations in 1918 and proceeded to middle form on Principal's recommend in 1919. In 1920 she attended the Provincial Normal School in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan from January 5 to March 12 and was awarded a Conditional 3rd Class Certificate on May 17. On 27 December 1920 this was cancelled and a "Regular Third" was issued. She taught in the school districts of Ormley in 1920, in Acton 1920-1921 and in Riding Hill in 1922.

Ethel Hamilton Kerr Saskatoon Normal School Third Class 1920 Picture contributed by Wilma "Billie" Holmes

Ethel married Harold Holmes 12 August, 1922 in Battleford, Saskatchewan and they had a family of six sons and two daughters. Harold worked for various farmers, and in logging camps at Gallivan, Rabbit Lake and Meeting Lake. In 1934 they started farming in the Triple Lake District. Harold died in 3 January 1938. the family continued to live on the farm until September, 1940 when they moved to a farm near Glenbush.

The three eldest sons, Donald, Glenn and Gordon all served in the Canadian Army during World War Two, while the rest of the family carried on as best they could.

In 1950 Ethel sold the farm and moved to northeastern Saskatchewan where several family members had located. She found employment there as a housekeeper. She also looked after grandchildren, either in her own home or in her childrens' homes, occasionally as far afield as B.C. or Ontario.

Photo courtesy Elsie Evjen

To quote her son Ralph: "Ethel Holmes; small of stature, guided and disciplined her family with a wisdom to be marvelled at. She had a relationship with her God that even her own children didn't understand."

In November 1968 she was diagnosed with liver cancer. She passed away 22 April, 1969 and as she wished is buried beside Harold in the Cut Knife Cemetery, with a spruce tree growing near by.

Taken from the Holmes Family History as compiled by Wilma ("Billie") Holmes