Remembering our roots ~Nick & Rose Makrugin

Times Contributor

 

Nick was born in Russia in 1937, the second child in a family of five children. Following the end of the Second World War, they moved to Clyde, Alta. to stay with cousins. The family moved to Calgary in 1950, where two more children were born. Nick remembers going to school in Russia when he was five years old, then completing his education at Colonel Walker School in Calgary.

Rose’s mother was born in Norway, and moved to Calgary in 1931. Her father was born in Kamsack, Sask., and moved to Calgary in 1933. Rose was born in 1937, and has two brothers.

Nick and Rose met while they both lived in Parkdale, a subdivision of Calgary. They were married on April 3, 1959 and this marriage produced a son and a daughter, and now they have two grand-daughters, Ava June and Anastasia.

Nick started work with Canadian Pacific Railway in 1954 in Calgary, and spent the next 25 years there working as a switchman and brakeman. He also worked part-time as an installer for Cal West Elevators, who constructed and installed freight and passenger elevators on high-rise buildings. A construction elevator is known as a hoist, and is used to transport material and workers, usually on the outside of a high-rise building. In 1999, with his son Jarret, they formed their own hoist company – MAC RAC & PINION HOIST INC, which has taken them to Fort McMurray, Northern Alberta, Saskatchewan and here in the Calgary area working on industrial and public buildings. 

Their daughter Shelly works as a producer at CTV, and has just completed her Masters in Communication. 

Rose spent her working years in the employ of both the Provincial and Federal Governments.

When Nick and Rose moved to Strathmore in 1999, the intention was to retire, but Nick still works with Jarret every day, while Rose volunteers with different charities around town. Their community activities include working with different committees at the Strathmore Legion #10, the Food Bank, and the High School Rodeo.

The main change they’ve seen over the past 14 years has been the increase of population from around 6,000 in 1999 to 12,400+ now.