Who is George Greenaway

George James Greenaway

Born August 3^rd, 1914 Carberry, MB

Died February 1, 1996 (81) New Westminster, BC

George James born on August 3, 1914 in Carberry, MB, was the only child of George and Mary Greenaway (nee Hamill) who had come to Canada from Ireland in the early 1900’s. His first claim to fame was winning a public speaking contest in Winnipeg at the age of 13. George was 19 when he began teaching at a one room school (Grades 1-8) in Lake Francis, MB. He taught here for three years.

A day after his 25^th birthday he arrived in Chesterfield, England for a year of exchange teaching. (While there he read Full Stature by Dr. H.G. Stead, a book that influenced his philosophy of education).

As war had broken out life was far from normal – gas masks were issued and blackout came into effect. *  After his return to Canada he met a fellow teacher, Louisa Langton, who he married 2 years later. 12 Weeks after their marriage in March 1943 he was sent overseas where he was in charge of a French Canadian company that delivered bridging to rivers.  Almost 3 years later on New Year’s Day, 1946 he arrived back in Winnipeg. George and Louise moved to Vancouver where their son, David George was born in November of that year. Their daughter, Elizabeth Louisa was born in 1948. George returned to teaching, 1 year at Seaview Veteran’s School in Vancouver and 9 years as a high school Math teacher. The last 19 years of his career were spent as Supervisor of Special Ed.

A highlight was having a school named after him in 1974.

George was a man of detail. He made extensive notes on everything from weekly church sermons to his many worldwide travels (one of the more significant destinations was Normandy, France in 1980 where he attended the 50^th anniversary celebration of “D Day”).

He attempted to master the computer world but felt much more confident with pen and paper. Much of his handwritten record keeping is kept in the family archives.

(*Blackout regulations came into force as the war began. These meant that families had to cover up all windows at night to ensure that no light escaped that could aid enemy bombers to find their targets. Street lamps were also switched off and car headlights covered except for a narrow slit.)