Irene Russell is officially all grown up, and she鈥檚 even got a fancy piece of paper to prove it.
Next stop 鈥� university.
Two months shy of her 100th birthday, Russell was feted by family, friends and the Magee secondary school community with a historic, provincial first.
Russell, nee Heggie, became the first person in B.C. to receive an honourary high school diploma.
It came roughly eight decades after Russell was forced to abandon her studies after her Grade 11 year in 1938. She did so after both her parents died, leaving Russell to care for her four siblings.
Russell would then go on to a career with B.C. Tel and have five children, all of whom attended mom鈥檚 big day on Dec. 18.
鈥淲e really, really appreciate this. A truly lasting memory,鈥� son Lee said, choking back tears.
Getting to Wednesday鈥檚 event was a process just two months in the making, in a rare instance where the wheels of bureaucracy moved at an accelerated pace.
Sons Lee and Dave brought up mom鈥檚 impending 100th trip around the sun at Thanksgiving dinner, when it was noted that Russell had never formally graduated. Magee science teacher Renate Lehmann caught wind of the story and passed it along to principal Andrew Schofield.
From there, Russell鈥檚 story was forwarded to the ministry of education. Within two weeks, Education Minister Rob Fleming signed off on what would became a piece of B.C. history.
鈥淚 think she鈥檚 a beautiful person,鈥� Schofield said. 鈥淪he makes [for] a wonderful representative for Magee secondary and public education. It鈥檚 an honour to be able to do this for her and for the family.鈥澛�
Russell鈥檚 recollections of pre-war life are admittedly a bit sketchy. The family home was on King Edward Avenue and she met future husband Herbert at Maple Grove Park on Marine Drive. She attended Quilchena elementary and Point Grey junior high before her time at Magee.
Herbert entered the picture when Russell was 11 years old.
鈥淗e came and asked me to be his partner in a three-legged race at a Sunday school picnic,鈥� Russell recalled. 鈥淭hat was quite exciting. He always walked me home after young people鈥檚 meetings from church.鈥�
When asked for era-specific memories, Russell is quick to point out 鈥渙f course, there was no television back then.鈥�
Silent film actress Clara Bow was the 鈥渋t girl鈥� of the time, and all the girls pined over her hairstyle and short skirts.
Herbert joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1940, setting the template for generations of his family to come. He left military life in 1944 and began a career in aviation with Trans-Canada Air Lines, which would later be renamed Air Canada.
Virtually every member of the Russell family went on to careers in aviation, mechanics or teaching. The first family home, a four-bedroom house on Valour Street in Winnipeg, cost $3,333.
鈥淓leven cities and at least 30 moves. That鈥檚 an airline family,鈥� Russell鈥檚 son Dave said.
Russell turns 100 on Feb. 8, 2020. Her future plans include a potential crack at post-secondary life.
鈥淚 just might like to try that,鈥� she said.
@JohnKurucz
