On July 21, 1947, 17 and just out of Grade
12, I began as an Office Boy in the Stock Controls Dept. of the Maritime
Division. The Wharf office was where the
Historic Properties now stand. I did
various gopher jobs and ran the mail there and the Main Office, now known as
O’Carroll’s Restaurant
In the mid 50’s our new four story office opened on Barrington Street and I moved up the ladder to stock Control Clerk. After 15 years in the Accounting Office, I was transferred to the Sales Dept. and began my field experience as a domestic Heat Representative out of Dartmouth, supervising Agencies in the area.
In 1962 I went to P.E.I, becoming the
General Sales Rep for the western half of the island, residing in
Summerside. Five years later I was transferred
to Charlottetown, as the Consumer Rep. for all of P.E.I and the Magdalene Islands.
A year later it was back to my home area in the Retail Sales Dept. with responsibility for the service stations
in Dartmouth and area. My office was in
the Royal Bank Building Dartmouth, where a number of newly hired university
students had their initial assignment working with me as part of their Sales
Trainee Program. Two trainees that come
to mind are David Collins, now V.P. of Wilson’s Fuels and Carl Brown, who
stayed with me for almost a year, looking after the home base while I was
travelling the Maritimes on a special assignment.
I went with The Comptrollers’ Division in
1974, covering the Atlantic Region as Account Advisor to reduce the Capital
tied up in Outstanding Receivables (credit).
After almost 40 years of service, I decided to take advantage of
Imperial’s Early Retirement package and officially retired on Dec. 31, 1986.
Helen and I have been richly blessed, with
almost 61 years of marriage, producing two sons and a daughter. We are also
happy grandparents of seven and great grand-parents of one. Working for Imperial Oil produced many family
benefits. Important to us was the Scholarship program. It paid full tuition for
each of our children to Acadia University. Randy and Cleve became professional
accountants and now live in Alabama and P.E.I.
In addition, Laura also received the Walter Teagle Fellowship, after she
was married and attending Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ontario.
Most of my life I have been involved in
music, piano, organ and male vocal choirs, etc. At age 70 I took fiddle lessons
and I am now a member of the Dartmouth Fiddlers. Helen and I enjoyed the music and exercise of
Ballroom dancing for many years. Bowling and Curling brought fun into my life,
as well. The highlight of mu Curling career was being a member of the rink I
1981 that won the Atlantic Oilmen’s Bonspiel, where a hundred rinks
participated. Other members on the team
were my friends Dieter Schroeder, Don Appleby and Eldon Champion. It has been a
great life and Imperial was a big part of it.
