BC Tel, Supervisors

Dealing with the Supervisors from the point of view of a TWU Representative, on grievances, etc.
I could add lots of negative things, about many on the list below,
and originally started to do that in collecting this information.
But then realized that would be sinking to their level.
So the site has been modified to record history only.
I know the good, from the bad, and so do they!
There still might be a comment or 2, lingering around,
on some of my pages, if it is relevant, or a part of history.

Over the years there has been many supervisors, that have come and gone in the District.
If we had Union trouble with them, we would hear,
“Wait long enough, they will be gone from the District before the Union person.”
A statement that proved true in many cases.
Most on the list used the area as a stepping stone, to advance their careers to the top.
Very few on this list, made it to the so called top.

Here is a list in Alphabetical order, of Supervisors located in the Terrace District

I have added any pictures I may have.

• Jes Andersen (Ktmt, QC Islands)
• Ron Anderson (Trrc CO) (Retired in Trrc)
• Brent Anderton

• Gerry Bakker (Satt, Trrc CO) (retired in Trrc, died in 2017)
• Brian Bates (Smtr network)
• Deanna Bellissimo (Opr Svc) (1978- left in 1980 to PG)
• Raymond (Ray) Benner (Smtr Const)
• Charles (Charlie) Leonard Bennie (District Manager Terrace District to 1967)(note below)
• Erna Bischoff (Bishcoff?) (Opr Svc)
• Bob Blue (Smtr Network, Trrc I&R) Worked for BC Tel/Telus from 1966-1997, retired in Abbotsford BC
• Dave Brown (Pr Rupert Network)
• Gordon Brown (Smtr Const)
• Claude Bussieres (Smtr Network) (was Trrc Dist Supv 2006) (former Antenna Crew Member based in PG)

• Dave Carey (Trrc I&R/PBX)
• Harlan Chew (Pr. Rupert Network)
• Rose Cleeve (Trrc Opr Svc)
• Terry Close (Smtr Const)
• Brian Copeland (Trrc Const) (left to Kelowna area)
• Rob Cumiskey (Svc Ctr)

• Gail Davis (Svc Ctr) (came in 1980)
• Gerry DeKerf (Svc Ctr)
• Dave Deleenheer (Ktmt) (was Eng Supv out of PG in 2003)
• Pat Donnelly (Opr Svc)
• John Donovan (Smtr Const, ca 1980)
• Joe Dunn (Svc Ctr) (1974-75, Secretary Terrace Kinsmen club)(Customer Service Manager Nov 1976)

• Amazing out of all these names, none that started with an E, what's the odds of that?

• William A. “Bill” Fagervik (Trrc Network, QC Islands)
• Corrine Fertado (Opr Svc)
• Charles Finch- Dec 1957- District Commercial and Traffic manager

• William “Bill” Graham- Terrace District Plant Manager- Dec 1957
• John Edward (Jack) Greaves (Trrc PBX Supv) (I&R Supv) (see note below)
  
  • b- Sept 20, 1928 in Winnipeg MB- d-Dec 11, 1998 in Terrace
• James (Jim) Gural (Trrc Network Supv)(see note below) -Deceased 2015

• Don Helliwell (QC Islands)
• Yvonne Hickman (Ktmt & Trrc Opr Svc)
• Brooke Hodson (Pr. Rupert, Trrc Radio) (left in 1990 to PG) Lives in Lower Vancouver Island, at Youbou (See Plate Section Below)
  
  • (View the Photo Collection from Brooke, new Oct 2009)
• Lyle Douglas (Skip) Hollands (Svc Ctr) (see note below)
• Mark Hubber (Trrc Opr Svc) (left Terrace in 1984)
• Sharon Husberg (Svc Ctr)
• Al Hyde (CT&S)

• Jim Inglis- (District Plant Foreman, Kitimat, involved in first call Nov 4, 1967 from Kemano)
• Bryon Isfeld (alias Santa) (Ca Maint, Trrc)

• Gord Jakubec (Trrc I&R)
• Don Jeffrey

• Robert (Bob) Kelly (Trrc Const and I&R) (came in 1990) (left ca 2003)
• Lloyd Keeney
• Donald (Don) Kerr (Trrc Network Supv, became Cust Svc Manager, June 1990) (left to Vancouver area) (retired)

• Jim Lalonde (Trrc Const Supv)
• Larry Lundgren (Trrc Const Supv for 1 / 2 day(s) (see Plate section below)

• Sandy Mabley (Opr Svc)
• Bruce MacRae (I&R Trrc)
• Al Mason (Trrc Opr Svc)
• Bill May (Smtr/Trrc BTE)
• Ray McCabe (Trrc Const)
• Jack McDougall (Trrc Radio/Toll)
• Ken McLean (Trrc Network) (Nov 1978, Network Svc Manager 1977)(moved to PG) (AGM) (retired) (See Plate Section below)
• Dave McNeice (Ktmt, Trrc Eng/Facility) (became Tech supv 1990) (retired in Trrc)
• Mary Mehl (Trrc Svc Ctr- ca 1980)
• Ron Merk (QC Islands)
• Larry Miller (Smtr Network) (retired)
• Stan Miller (Trrc Toll/Radio) (retired)
• Tes Moore (Opr Svc) (left Terrace in 1984)
• Frank Mungiello (Smtr Network)
• John A. Murray- (District Commercial and Traffic Supervisor working out of Terrace, was involved in first call from Kemano Nov 4, 1967)
• Jon Myers (Smtr Network) (ca 1980)

• John Nitz (Pr. Rupert)

• Jean Oakes (sister to Fay Mitchell) (Opr Svc)
• Parker Okano (Trrc Eng Supv) (left in June 1990 to Nanaimo)
• Keith Olsen (CT&S Supv) (2009- President of the Fall Fair Assoc in Princeton) (Served as Mayor of Princeton)

• Donald Geoffrey (Don) Parr (Trrc Radio Supv) (retired in Terrace) (Deceased) (see Trrc Radio Section)
  
  • (b- Aug 30, 1932 in winnipeg, MB, d- Jan 7, 2016, at his home in Lac la Hache BC)
• Stanley (Stan) George Patterson (see note below) (Deceased) (Trrc Gen Mgr)
• Steve Pearson (Trrc Facility supv)
• Bob Pegg (QCI, Trrc I&R Supv) (left in 1990 for Castlegar)
  
  • (I believe he might be an owner and breeder of American Brittany Spaniel dogs now, Bragdon Brittanys, at Genelle BC)
• Kathy Peterson
• Ron Powell (Trrc Toll)
• Tony Praill (Svc Ctr)

• Bill Reynolds (retired May 30, 1986) (Trrc Network Supv., District Foreman, Installation Operations Supv., and I&R Supervisor)
  • Telephone Pioneer Member at large
    
  • 31 years with BC Tel, started working at BC Tel January 1955 as a lineman. Bill was a long time member of the Shriners
  • He was born in Smithers BC, Deceased Aug 2017, in Terrace BC
• Margaret Robertson (Ktmt & Trrc Opr Svc)
• Dave Robinson (deceased) (Trrc Network)
• Sandy Robinson (Opr Svc) (left Terrace in 1984)
• Bill Rush (Trrc Ca Maint) (see Trrc Radio section) (Deceased May 1, 2012, Bowen Island)
• Guy George Rushton, b- Apr 4, 1933 St. Catharine, ON, d- Apr 16, 2004 in Vancouver BC (Satt Supv.)

• Denise Sawtell (Phone Mart Trrc) (came in 1990)
• Dennis Scanlon (Trrc Const)
• Len Shaw (Svc Ctr) (left in 1987 Abbotsford)
• Les Sinnot (Trrc Radio) b- England, d- Aug 4, 2012 in Terrace BC
• Faye Smith (nee Mitchell) (secretary of the Pioneers)
• Greg Smith (QC Islands)
• Rod Snazel (Pr. Rupert) (Lived on Trutch Island, mid 60's) (moved to Kitimat after Trutch, then Prince George)
  
  • (Mar 2009 Treasurer Langley Power and Sail Squadron), his wife Inga is the Historian, Langley BC
• Bill Spearn (Trrc Const) (1981- left to PG in 1987)
• Bill Stanway (QC Islands)
• John Stevens (Trrc Const)

• Rob Taylor
• Mike Tkachuk (Smtr Network) (passed away Apr 24, 1981, age 51 in Smithers)
• Brian W. Truitt (Trrc Toll) (left to Vancouver Island, later flight OPS as a Pilot) (Living in Courtney BC) (Think he might be flying his own Cessna C-140 now, as of at least 2005.)

• Doris Valverde (Svc Ctr) (left to Nanaimo in Apr 1987)
• John Vanderwal (Trrc Const/ Svc Ctr) (came in 1974- resigned May 2,1980)(Nov 1978, Terrace Dist Customer Svc Manager)
• Fred Van Essen (Smtr Network) (retired)

• Claire Wadley (BAR supv)
• Doug Watt (Trrc Eng) (left Terrace, worked in Victoria area)
• Gordie West-Johnson (Trrc Const)
• Pat Whitten (Ktmt network, Svc Ctr)
• John Wiseman (Smtr Network) (Pre June 1990, Network Supv in PG) (June 1990, became Network Supv. in Terrace) (was in Vancouver area 2003)
• Marty Wolfe (Trrc Toll) (moved to Ft St John)
• Glen Woollett (alias Q-tip) (self proclaimed “the Terminator”) (Trrc I&R) (left ca 2005)

and more, please send the names, or correct spelling etc.

Stanley (Stan) George Patterson
Died Sept 9, 1997, age 79, in the Sechelt area, southern BC

Stan Patterson appointed Terrace District Manager July 1, 1967
Joined BC Tel in 1948

Sometimes a person has to die to fully understand who they were. This is the case for me of Stan Patterson.
When he was the General Manager in Terrace I would say we respected him, but he wasn't my most favourite person to be around. But after he left, and later retired, I realized he was probably one of the better Managers we had.

Stan was a big supporter of Terrace. Most of the rest after him were interested in their careers, not the town, and the area. He actually fought for jobs in this area. Unlike most of his predecessors. He was a big supporter of the first Ice rink, second ski hill, and other recreation centers in town.

With Terrace being declared Hockeyville 2009, it should be common knowledge, that Stan, who was President of the Chamber of Commerce at the time the First Ice Arena was built, was also the head of the Arena Committee at the time, and instrumental in getting it built. I know lots of BC Tel Equipment was working in there, no charge, due to him. I think it's important to know why we have an arena here in the first place, to win the Hockeyville title. He would have loved to see the game played in that arena.

I remember he was also instrumental in getting the Second Terrace Ski Hill built at Kitsumkalum Mountain. The first ski hill was called Northern Heights Ski Hill. Located just off Cedar Crescent, owned and operated by Bill Little. It was only 1,000 feet long, and only 1 wide run. The need was there to build a larger ski hill, and Stan took up this challenge as well. I know others like Bill Reynolds were also involved. And probably many more. I know first hand Stan was involved, as I actually had to haul a BC Tel Spryte snow machine up there on Company time, to take Nancy Green, and other dignitaries, to view the mountain, and snow conditions, to see if it was feasible to build a ski hill there. Ironically the snow was so deep, and we had so many people on the machine, 5 in the cab and another 3 or 4 on the rear deck, that we got stuck in the snow, and couldn't get totally into the area, as far as we hoped. The party waded in thru the snow to the base of the Mountain. This sadly was not the case later on, and snow was always a problem at that hill, thus Shames, the third hill, was born.

He let us get away with murder, in building the rafts, to float down the Kitimat river, using just about every construction bolt in stores, and never said a word about it. He knew we were working as a team then. BC Tel brought in a million Team building plans after that, Best, Towards Excellence, Quality Circles, etc., designed by some big shots in the States, and all they did was make us suspicious of the whole thing. The raft bonded us, and made us work together. No fancy videos, or books.

Dec 1974, Stan was President of the Kermodei Club, part of the Terrace Telephone Pioneers.

I received word from Don McRobb, about the passing of Stan's wife, and now I find out he was a Captain in the military. I remember a few calling him Captain Patterson, but didn't think it was in this context. Learn something every day don't we?

Stan was a member of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in WWII. He was a member of the Sechelt Legion when he passed away.

Here is his wife Greta's obituary, placed here in Memory of Captain Stan Patterson.

Patterson, Margareta
(Greta) Elizabeth
(née Christiansen)
Dec. 8, 1916 – January 28, 2006
It is with sadness we announce that Greta Patterson passed away peacefully on Jan.28, 2006 at Capilano Care Centre in West Vancouver, B.C.
She and her twin sister were born in Pembroke, Ontario, on Dec. 8, 1916. Greta served as a nursing sister lieutenant in WWII and met Captain Stanley George Patterson in Kingston Hospital. They were married in Pembroke and traveled west on their honeymoon to West Vancouver where they resided and raised their children Kathleen, Robert and Ann. In 1968, they moved to Terrace where Stan became General Manager for B.C. Telephone Co. Greta was an active member of that community. In 1976, their beloved summer residence in Sechelt became their permanent retirement home. Greta lived there even after Stan’s death until Jan. 2005 when she moved to Capilano Care Centre.
Greta was an active member in all the communities that she lived in. She was involved in the Scouting movement for 15 years and was active in Hospital Auxiliary. Being an avid curler and golfer, she held positions in the Hollyburn Country Club, Terrace Golf and Country Club and Sunshine Coast Golf Club.
Greta is predeceased by her husband Stan, her sisters, Mona and Elsa and her brother, Harold. She is also predeceased by brothers-in-law, Norman, Ralph and Lawrie.
She will be dearly missed by her children, Kathleen Casey (Mike), Robert Patterson (Pat) and Ann Patterson (Fred); grandchildren, Ryan, Sidnee and Megan; her twin sister, Freda Winn and sisters-in-law Mary Patterson and Marg Patterson. Family and friends will lovingly remember Greta and her zest for life. No service was held by request. In memoriam donations can be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Alzheimer’s Society or St. Mary’s Hospital in Sechelt.

Don Helliwell
AcroVoice was co-founded by Saanich resident Don Helliwell, ex-manager for Telus. They are in direct competition with Telus now with VOIP! Talk about switching sides!

Guy Rushton- in 1975 he was a member of the Mills Memorial Hospital Board in Terrace, He was also Vice-Chairman of the Skeenaview Hospital for Senior Men, and was introduced in the BC Legislature, Apr 21, 1975, by Hartley Dent, MLA for Skeena, at the time.

Royal Plates!- In the late 1880's and early 1990's we always had visits from the Area General Managers from Prince George, or even once in awhile a visit from a Vice-President from Vancouver. In honour of these visits, we would custom design what we referred to as “Royal Plates”. Similar to the Wedgwood English porcelain plates, ours were slightly different. They were paper plates, sometimes high quality Corelle, sometimes the cheaper variety, like the real gold plated ones, or non-gilded. Our Draftsman would then go to work, custom designing the faceplates for them. They were displayed on the trophy shelf in the coffee room after the visits. Sometimes they were so valuable, they would actually get stolen, or at least they disappeared, so assume they were stolen. Anyway we had fun with them, and a few examples have actually survived in my archive.

Ken McLean, Bill McCourt, Brooke Hodson, Larry Lundgren.
I even had a Supervisor ask us for a copy of his plate, from a previous visit, he liked it so much. Or maybe he was sending it to the CSI lab for fingerprints??? I think he was very lucky, and the mould hadn't been broken yet, so a copy was able to be made. So besides my 4 plates, there could be one more floating around probably on EBay now!

Bill Fagervik
He was the 2nd line Supervisor in Terrace in 1969, and he was the guilty party that hired me. He later went to the Queen Charlottes as District Supv. over there. He built a cement boat while there, and then I believe he resigned and went into professional photography area. Inquiries on the internet I found out Bill was a member of the 416 Squadron, Armament Services Technician, 2 wing. There is even pictures of him in France online, in August 1953.

Charles (Charlie) Leonard Bennie

He was District Manager of the Terrace District, replaced by Stan Patterson, July 1, 1967. He transferred to New Westminster from Terrace. Oct 25, 1967, Charlie and his wife were living in Burnaby BC. I know he was a BC Tel District Manager in Campbell River area ca 1977. He died Aug 10, 1985 in Port Alberni, age 64.

John Edward (Jack) Greaves
He retired May 30, 1986,
(b- Sept 20, 1928 in Killarny MB- d- Dec 11, 1998 in Terrace) Worked for Manitoba Telephone Company, starting in Oct 1944. Worked as a groundman and eventually a Supervisor. Left Winnipeg MB in 1957. He started at BC Tel in February, 1964. Worked for 22 years for BC Tel. He told me years ago, he did some professional wrestling in Winnipeg. Ran his own model railroad- airplane business, and did picture framing as well, in Terrace, even after his retirement. Dec 1974 Jack was Vice-President of the Kermodei Club, part of Terrace Telephone Pioneers.

James (Jim) Gural
Nov 4, 1967 he was District Plant Supervisor involved when the first call was made from Kemano. Oct 1968, he was President of the Parents Committee for the 6th Terrace Cub Pack. Mar 24, 1976 he was the Nanaimo District Plant Manager. Jim was visiting in Ladysmith as a BC Tel Rep., Apr 27, 1983. Had a photo printed in a BC Tel Company bi-monthly magazine called “Telephone Talk”, in 1950, titled, Amazing photo of Jim Gural atop a swaying pole in the middle of a Capilano River flood. Found a record a James Gural was appointed a Coroner in 1999. In 1981, He was in Nanaimo as a BC Tel Customer Service Manager, he was 52 years old, with 32 years of service, and 18 years as a BC Tel Manager up to that time. I show a James Gural as a greeter for the Kamloops Rotary Club, where he lived. His son contacted me in Dec 2017. Jim passed away in 2015 in Kamloops.

Lyle Douglas (Skip) Hollands
(b- Apr 27, 1919 in Medicine Hat AB- d- Dec 20, 1986 in Terrace BC, age 67, buried in Terrace BC) (Svc Ctr Supv.) (President of the Kermodei Club, Telephone Pioneers, to 1978) (retired May 1, 1981) Skips funeral was on Dec 23, 1986 at the Alliance Church in Terrace. He came to Terrace in 1945 after his discharge from the Canadian Armed Forces. He was employed by the Dominion Government Telephone and Telegraph Company (DGTT) at Rosswood, BC. In 1947 he moved to Terrace with his wife Sylvia, nee Bushell. BC Tel took over DGTT in the 50's and he worked for BC Tel until he retired in 1981. He was known as “Mr. Telephone” to the early residents. What I remember the most about this gentle giant, was his handshake, and his way of greeting you, by gripping your shoulder. He had the most powerful handshake of anyone I have ever met. And he could put you to your knees in seconds with a grip on your shoulder, that would almost paralyze you. Tougher than nails. But a real nice guy. Never hear one man or woman say a bad thing about Skip. For years they lived in a small house SW corner of Molitor and Keith Ave. Empty lot in 2017.

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