ELLEN ELAINE MCCULLOUGH MAY

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ELLEN ELAINE MCCULLOUGH MAY

Elaine, daughter of Lyle and Ellen (North) McCullough, was born in Carman, Manitoba on April 18, 1937. Her father noted it was a good day: a new baby and the wheat was up. Her father would sing "My Little Buckaroo," a popular song of the era, to put the baby to sleep. The name stuck and Elaine was Bucky or Buck to family and close friends for the rest of her life. She was always "Bucky" to her three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

The momentous occasion of her arrival was soon followed by brothers, Travis and Jay and eventually a baby sister, Wilda-Jane (all now deceased). Tensions were high in childhood years with numerous uncles on both sides of her family enlisted in the military during the Second World War. Elaine often said you kept SILENT when Winston Churchill was speaking on the BBC! Schooling took place in a one room country school near Homewood and then on to Carman for High School. A year was spent in Winnipeg to attend Normal School and then she was off to Rapid City, Manitoba where she was met by 42 grade one and two students as green as she was! A friend suggested she apply for a job in Selkirk and she taught there for several years, as well as a year in East Kildonan during her first year of marriage.

Elaine and husband Jim met on a cold, wet, snowy Halloween night in 1955. An Aggie classmate had arranged to meet his girlfriend - Elaine - along with two cousins at the Roxy Theatre on Pembina Highway and Jim and another fellow were asked to come along as blind dates for the cousins. After the show, all went for coffee and during a nonsense discussion Jim winked at Elaine who promptly winked back, the start of nearly 70 years of friendship. She loved her teaching career so it was not until July 2, 1960 that the two began married life in Winnipeg before moving to Brookdale, Elaine beginning a ten year break from teaching to have a family. Kim (deceased 2011) and Kirby were born in Neepawa in 1961 and 1964. Elaine's cousin, a doctor in nearby Minnedosa, suggested Elaine go to there to have the last baby as they had some new ideas that might make things easier, and Krista was born there in 1965. Elaine returned to teaching in 1970 after again securing a position in Selkirk where she taught in various elementary schools until the mid-1980s. In Selkirk, Jim and Elaine built a beautiful home of their own design in which to finish raising the family and provide the setting for many spirited gatherings.

Elaine and Jim enjoyed camping and spent many a weekend at Delta and later Winnipeg Beach with family and friends. Manitoba is a great place if you like to travel. It's about the same distance to the west or east coast as well as Texas or California. Elaine figured at one time they had crossed every state except Alaska and Florida. Other memorable trips were a trip to Mexico City as guests of Massey Ferguson and a month touring Europe in a VW van with their three children. Elaine and Jim went back a few years later to attend some trade shows after which Elaine celebrated her 50th birthday doing a wine tour on the canals of Amsterdam.

Elaine felt she might become somewhat jaded and after 20 some years decided to take a break from teaching. This didn't last very long. She and youngest daughter Krista joined forces to start a picture framing business in 1986.

A couple of years later Elaine and Jim decided to move west, a bad winter and mosquitos helping that decision. The business in Selkirk was sold and she and Krista began again on Salt Spring Island, BC, operating for some 17 years. She and Jim then moved to Vancouver Island near Ladysmith. This made a visit with her brother or sister easier without the hassle of a ferry trip. She often said she felt like Cinderella rushing home early before the carriage turned into a pumpkin. Another 17 years were enjoyed at this Saltair home before Elaine left this world August 3, 2024.

A gathering of family and friends will be arranged at a future time.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 05, 2024, Oct 05, 2024