Minnie (Burton) Pearce was born in 1921 in Dauphin, but as her father was a Canadian National Railway station manager, they moved out to the Shortdale area while she was growing up. She joined the army in 1943. Rick said she did not talk too much about why she joined.
“Her dad was in World War One, so maybe that was the reason.”
Minnie was a member of the Canadian Women’s Army Corps, known by its acronym “CWAC’s”. She served in the army for three and a half years as a secretary. She never went overseas, but spent most of her service in Toronto, reaching the rank of corporal. She was discharged in 1946, the same year she married Nat Pearce.
Although it might seem the two could have met during their service, as Nat joined the Army in 1942, Rick said it was earlier. Minnie had been a housekeeper for Nat’s sister prior to signing up. Nat, originally from Swan Lake, served in the Queen Charlotte Islands in case of a Japanese invasion, prior to moving off to Europe. He was a truck driver in the army, eventually serving in Belgium and the Netherlands.
After marriage, the couple moved to Minto where they farmed and raised their family. On October 3, 1953, Minnie became a charter member of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Minto Legion Branch #201. She served as a vice president of the Auxiliary there in 1960-61 and president in ‘61-62. She also served as social convener and secretary in the following years. She was also often a delegate to District and Zone meetings. Minnie canvassed the area for the Salvation Army and Red Cross, and worked on a committee to provide a first aid course in the community through the Civil Defense Program. She was also on committees that provided packages to Deer Lodge Hospital in Winnipeg.
In 1974, the family moved to Boissevain, then to Killarney in 1976. Minnie continued on the Auxiliary, being kitchen convener in Killarney before she moved back to Boissevain in 1978. She then transferred to the Boissevain branch.
From 1979 to 1984, Minnie was in the Colour Party, which took part in parades, including the annual Colour Day parade in the Peace Garden. She was auxiliary treasurer from 1984 to 1990, and during that time also served as kitchen convener. These were some of the many titles Minnie held during her years with the organization in Boissevain. She visited sick members and their families, delivered meals on wheels when it was the organization’s turn and sold carnations as a Legion fundraiser from the 1950’s to the 1980’s. The United Church, Red Cross, and Cancer Society were among other organizations that benefitted from her work.
In the Legion Auxiliary, Minnie was awarded a 25-year pin in 1979 and the Certificate of Merit in 1981. She later was granted a lifetime membership.
Minnie and Nat moved to Westview Lodge in Boissevain in December of 2006. Nat passed away in 2014. Around three years ago, Minnie moved into Evergreen.
His parents’ service influenced Rick.
“That’s why I joined the Legion,” he said. “I joined up in 1978 and have been there 40 some years.”
This was at the time the Legion was adding the children of members to bring more people into the fold. He said he has served as president a couple of times while there, and it was an easy decision for him to make due to his parents’ service.
Minnie Pearce is the last Second World War veteran living in Boissevain, but not the last one from town. Laverne Tufts is presently in Killarney, and Rick said he was coming to Minnie’s birthday. He added the children were all planning to be there, with some of the grandchildren. Rick said they still had her uniform and identity tags.
With most of the veterans now gone, Rick Pearce said it is getting to be a different world now. He feels the schools do a good job teaching the younger generations about the wars, so remembering will continue.
The Recorder hopes Minnie Pearce enjoyed her special birthday, with more to come.
by PAUL RAYNER, Recorder staff