Seniors that made a difference to Cortes Island
This island’s history is both broad and fascinating. The focus here is on individuals who made major contributions to either sustaining or preserving our island. It appears that most of our contributors are women but the men were doing their bit sustaining the economy.
I would mention Gilean Douglas in her work with the Women’s Institute lobbied for our island rights. She came to Cortes late in life but made it her own working for the things she valued.
May Ellingsen along with her husband Elmer was the moving force (literally) behind the Cortes Island Museum and Archives. She and Elmer organized and financed the move of the Whaletown General Store from Manson’s Lagoon to its current location at 957 Beasley Road. The story goes that as a young woman May started to collect photos and memorabilia from her friends and neighbors for the future museum. It is obvious from her archives that though she threw nothing away she kept it well organized. The museum came into being in 1996 when May was already quite elderly. Now that’s vision. From the mouth of one of her babe’s, May was also responsible for the Cortes Library. Single-handedly, she arranged all the details right up to the books. Thank you May.
Doreen Thomson, also born here, was steeped in island history. An active crafts person, she built the displays for the new Museum and renewed them as long as she lived. She was generous with her knowledge and would take anyone interested on walks through the woods pointing to every remaining artifact and telling it’s story. She traveled deep into Von Donop on her ATV as her knees were only good for so far. Many of our local old-timers, May and Elmer included, started their families while they lived on float houses and logged in Von Donop. When they left Von Donop, they took their homes with them. Doreen and the Ellingsen’s floated their homes to the various bays and lagoons before they dragged them to their final foundations.
Louisa Tooker raised her family almost like a single mom, as her husband’s job took him away for months at a time. Louisa became very involved in her community of Whaletown. She helped with the dances and children’s parties at the Old Whaletown Church Hall at the corner of Harbour and Carrington Bay roads. She served as president of the Whaletown Women’s Institute for many years. Louisa was made an honorary member of the B.C. Women’s Institute for all the wonderful work she did on Cortes Island. That is the reason the Whaletown Library was named after her.
Mary Weiler was a recording artist for the island. She painted many a mural of the island life and it’s economy. A great example is at the Cortes Museum inside the Doreen Thompson Gallery hanging above the Ellingsen jack designed and built by Sigurd Ellingsen, Elmer’s father.
Robbie Graham’s contribution to this island was an accident. In his checkered career as jack-of-all trades, Robbie transported vehicles to and fro on his barge. It so happened that when he was off loading Dan Campbell’s vehicle at the beach it landed in the water. Very shortly after, our Member of Parliament, had acquired for Cortes Island, its very own ferry.