Remembering our roots – Winston & Carrie Sproule

Times Contributor

 

Winston’s parents moved from Ireland to Canada in 1928, purchasing a farm and settling south of Chancellor. Winston, the sixth of seven sons, was born in 1939 at Mrs Lee’s home near Standard, attended by Dr Fletcher. School started for him in Hussar, before moving to the school in Chancellor. Following the severe winter of 1948, his father moved the family, in the fall, to Bowness where Winston completed public school. He then attended the Berean Bible College in Calgary, where he met his first wife Vera, graduating on April 7, 1961. The following day he married Vera, and they moved to the Yukon as missionaries for the next four years. Their marriage produced three sons and a daughter (deceased), followed by two grandsons. Winston and Vera moved to Wetaskawin where he became the pastor for the next 10 years, then to Rosebud for the next 12 years, before moving to the Strathmore area in 1987. In 1985, Winston and Vera purchased the old Scheer farm yard. The entire farm site needed extensive restoration, before they could live there. It now houses Sproule Heritage Bed & Breakfast, located 13 kms east of the traffic lights at George Freeman Trail. A lot of work had to be completed before it finally opened. Regretfully, Vera passed away from cancer in 2007 after 46 years of marriage.

Carrie, one of seven children, was born in Calgary in 1942. She attended Ramsay, Colonel Walker and Western Canada High Schools. She then attended the Prairie High School in Three Hills, before enrolling at Berean Bible College in Calgary. From her first marriage she has two daughters, five grandchildren and one great-grand-daughter, all are her delight. Carrie and Vera were friends through their Berean Bible College connections. Following Vera’s death, Winston and Carrie met again at the college while attending a college reunion. After their marriage, they continued to work with churches in this area, providing pulpit supply at Strathmore, Rockyford, Rosebud, Dalemead, etc. 

Carrie has had the joy of serving in some 16 countries around the world, and leaves for her second trip to Rwanda in late February, where she will continue to work with genocide survivors, for five weeks. They’ve found the churches and residents of this community to be very supportive of this project. When she’s at home, she conducts a weekly community Ladies Bible Study. They find everyone in the community has interest in the well being of its neighbours. For example, following Carrie’s recent hip surgery, ladies of the community ensured Winston didn’t go hungry, realizing that he was not a very capable cook! 

Winston’s pride and joy is his well-equipped workshop, where he spends hours, mainly in the winter, creating unique products that can be made with local wood, gleaned from hedgerows, and neighbours fallen trees, etc.

Many a home in the surrounding countryside displays kitchen and bathroom cabinets, counters, tables, and other pieces of his handcrafted furniture, as well as old pieces he has professionally restored. The main changes they have seen in this area include the growth of The Town of Strathmore, and the growth of the number of acreages.