1

NOTICEThe success of the Newsletter has been such that it is

necessary to move our headquarters to a larger building.

Phantom Publishers, who do our printing and distribution,

have asked us to take over the 7 floor of a 12 storeyth

building on Bernard Avenue, in Kelowna. The large number

of pensioners in Kelowna and the Okanagan makes the

move viable.

This will mean our editorial staff, digital photo department,

the motorized mobile equipment team, the design and layout

crew along with the finance and email distribution people,

must all relocate to Kelowna. The legal department will

remain in Vancouver.

There will be very liberal relocation incentives for the staff

to make the move. The Management team will each be

reclassified resulting in higher pay levels with new titles.

New positions created will include: Chairman, President,

and Chief Executive Officer, (who will now become an

Executive Vice President). Chairman of the Finance

Committee will now be a Vice President. The stipend for

the advisory board has also been increased to recognize

their contribution to the project.

This, of course, is all being done for the sole convenience of

our readers, the cost of which is expected to be within the

budget designed by Management

DAVE CHRISTIE

David Christie was born in Windsor, Nova Scotia in 1932.

His father was an accountant with the Canadian Gypsum

Co. who produced Gyproc for export to the United States.

He arranged a summer job for Dave as a deckhand on the

‘S.S. Novadoc’ that carried cargos of Gyproc to New York

city. When Dave decided he would like to work for the

bank, he needed a reference from his only previous

employer. When the request for a reference was returned

from Paterson Steamships Ltd., they pointed out the vessel

on which Dave had sailed, sank in a storm at sea, with all

hands lost and all records were on the bottom. They did

advise that inasmuch as David had worked two seasons, it

could be

assumed his

services were

satisfactory.

David said he

wasn’t too

worried about

the reference

because the

Manager of

the Royal

Bank, Lewis

McCoy, was

his Godfather.

David started in June, 1949 as a junior clerk at Windsor but

because he played hockey, and the Royal’s branch in Digby,

N.S needed his talents for their team, he was transferred to

Digby. He was moved to Truro, N.S and later to

Summerside, P.E.I. In 1952 the bank realized they needed

some special maritime talent in B.C so, 10 days before

Christmas, they transferred Dave along with Roger

Hemeon, Bernie Chafe, Pete Peters and Ross Cantley to

British Columbia. Dave went to Kingsway & Slocan where

Jack Dunsmore was Manager. Later he joined the B.C.

Inspection team under Bill Arthur and with such luminaries

as Cliff Sinclair, Jeff Styles, Jack McDonald and Brian

Gregson to name a few. After a stint at Vancouver,

Broadway & Cambie, with Harold Nelson, he became

Special Duties Officer under Andy Crawford. He later

served as District Training Officer and was succeeded by

Bill Gilbert. It was then a stint on the Credit floor in the

Supervisor’s Department before being named Assistant

Manager at Kamloops, B.C under Chuck Akenhead.

In June 1965 David married Florence, an RN, and they have

two boys. Following a period as Assistant Manager at

Prince George, Third & Quebec, replacing Jock Peddie, he

was appointed Manager of the branch. His next move was to

manage the Vernon, B.C branch, replacing Don Reed. He

later replaced George Siborne at Vancouver, Main &

Hastings, as Manager, from which position he retired in

June, 1992 at age 60 after 43 years of service. While

managing that branch he also had the responsibility as Area

Manager for four other branches.

RBC PENSIONERS’ NETWORK

BRITISH COLUMBIA CELL

email <RBCPENSIONERSNETWORK@SHAW.CA> VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3 - OCTOBER 2006

2

RJ (RAY) MITCHUK

Raymond John Mitchuk started his banking career in The

Pas, Manitoba, in July 1948. After the war it was difficult for

a young man to find employment, so Ray joined the reserve

Army. It was there he injured his knee, a problem which he

still suffers with today. He subsequently worked for Swift

Canadian, meat packers and distributors. One of his jobs was

to take the company deposit to the bank.

The Manager of The Royal Bank, Stavley

Charles Hudson Pilling, asked Ray if he

would like to apply for a position with the

bank. Ray agreed, and survived for 39

years.

Ray pointed out that in those days, the

Bank would only consider applicants of

Anglo Saxon origin. In his case they made

an exception and he was the first RBC

male employee from a Ukrainian

background.

It was in The Pas that Ray met the love of

his life, Hazel Cooper. She was born in

Grandview, Manitoba but worked for the

Manitoba Telephone System in The Pas.

Ray considers this meeting dramatically

changed his life - for the better.

It was not long before Ray was in trouble. He operated the

Gestetner machine for the local CCF candidate, turning out

printed political advertising. The rival candidate complained

to the Manager in The Pas (L.B. Chapman) who advised the

Royal Bank Supervisor, in Winnipeg. Any involvement in

the political process by a Banker, was taboo at that time.

Very soon thereafter, the Supervisor moved Ray to Prince

Rupert, British Columbia. Ray then had a couple of

problems: firstly he did not know where Prince Rupert was

and secondly, he wanted to marry Hazel. He had a week to

solve these problems. He found a map that showed Prince

Rupert and he married Hazel. In 1952 they both left for the

West Coast.

The Prince Rupert Manager, J.E. Taylor, was not

sympathetic to Ray’s problems and wanted to have him fired

for getting married without the Bank’s consent. He also did

not like the fact that Hazel worked in a local department

store. The Accountant, Bill Frazer, sided with the Manager

but the Assistant Accountant, Stan Cornwell, understood the

predicament and persuaded the other two that firing Ray was

not a good decision. Ray has been forever thankful for Stan’s

support and they are friends to this day.

In 1953 Ray was transferred as Assistant Accountant to

Hastings and Nanaimo branch where John McDonald was

Manager. Frank Johnson was the Accountant.

In 1955 Ray was appointed Accountant at Commercial and

Gravely branch replacing Eric Graham. Gordon Butler was

Manager.

1957 found Ray appointed Accountant at Main & 8 branchth

with Arnold Putnam, Manager. Ray succeeded Don Steele

who had been transferred to the Supervisor’s Department,

Credit Floor. While Ray was at Main & 8 , he met Dougth

Hepburn who was at that time the world champion heavy

weight lifter. Ray worked out in his gym every lunch hour

and on Saturday mornings.

His first Managerial appointment

came in 1959 to North Road &

Lougheed, replacing Manager,

Waddy Howat.

The Municipality of Coquitlam and

the Chamber of Commerce, at a

dinner and dance to commemorate

the event, honoured Ray in 1967 as

“Citizen of the Year.”

In 1967 Ray joined the B.C.

Inspection team where he stayed

until 1969 when he was appointed

Manager at Commercial & Gravely

branch- replacing Walter Fries.

In 1973 Ray was promoted to Manager, Kingsway &

Walker branch to replace Sandy MacDonald (who had

succeeded Chuck Linton.)

In 1979 Ray ran as a candidate for Alderman in Coquitlam

and was elected for a two-year term. He ran again in 1981

and lost. In 1983 he was again elected as he was in 1985.

He ran again in 1987 and was defeated.

Ray retired from the bank in 1987 and he and Hazel reside

in Coquitlam, adjacent to The Vancouver Golf Club. He has

been a member of that Club for many years, but has not

played much golf in the last while because of knee

problems.

In conclusion, Ray wished to express his appreciation to the

Bank for his career, which permitted him to meet many

extraordinary customers and staff - many of whom became

lifelong friends.

Charlie

Merrick

explains how

the world

revolves.

3

PROFILE : NORM BRADSHAW

Following graduation and a one-year stint at Eaton's, I joined

the Royal in 1951 at Nanaimo with Bob Mawhinney,

Manager. With the help of

Weir Muir, the Accountant, I

passed the entrance exams and

began my career as Junior

Clerk, the lowest of the low. I

quickly learned how to pick up

the mail, put out the books and

ledgers, deliver drafts, fill the

inkwells and most importantly

balance the stamp box!

After a year I was transferred

to Park Royal, West

Vancouver, the first of many

moves and my first boarding

house. A few years later, I was

sent to Kitimat with Jack Hilts to open our first branch at that

point. What an eye opener that was as we were situated in

one of the three construction camps, the total population

being about 5000 men and 20 females. I still look back and

consider this as one of my most interesting assignments.

After a stint in some other branches, I was moved from

Prince Rupert back to Vancouver as Assistant Personnel

Officer (remember when we used to call them Staff

Officers). Steve Allen was the B.C. District, Personnel

Officer. Part of my job was to hire about 70 young fellows

every year for training purposes, many of them went on to

have great careers. I knew I was getting old when I started

reading about some of them retiring! My wife Buda and I

were then transferred to Regina as Personnel Officer in 1961

and remained there for three years. I was moved to the

Vancouver Credit Floor and worked with such stars as Bill

Anderson, Jimmy Walker, Brian Gregson, and Jack

McDonald to name a few.

Later I was appointed Manager of Pender & Bute branch and

then moved on as Manger of Sales & Service Training-the

forerunner of todays proactive marketing programs. As a

result of this assignment, as well as my previous work in

Personnel, I think I knew every male employee in B.C.

Perhaps I knew too much about everyone and that is when I

was transferred, in 1971, to Head Office(then in Montreal at

Place Ville Marie), to work in the Business Development

Department reporting to Joel Milburn. Because of the nature

of the work, we were located on the Executive Floor and I

had the opportunity to work with the entire senior executive

and some of the directors, a big thrill for an average kid from

Nanaimo! After four years I was appointed Manager of the

Main branch in Regina- following Doug Rafuse. I was later

appointed Regional Manager of greater Regina. In 1988 I

elected to take early retirement at 56 and moved back to

Victoria, while I could still afford a house in that rising

market.

It was always my intention to continue working and at the

invitation of former Royal Banker, Dave Pollock, I joined

the Canadian Western Bank for four years. I then returned

to the Royal as a “Grey Panther” for another three years.

Buda passed away three years ago and since then I keep

busy with such things as Rotary, golf, travelling, gardening,

and making sure I enjoy every day. Ain't retirement

wonderfull!!!!!!!!!

EDITOR’S NOTE

Norm sent us a more recent picture but the Editor liked

this (circa 1963) image better. Norm told us he grew the

mustache to make him look older but has since removed

it, to make him look younger.

Many of you will remember the Staff Lunch Room located

above Hastings & Homer branch. This was the second

lunch room and came under the direction of Miss Joseph.

Does anyone remember the names of some of the excellent

waitresses? Hazel comes to mind. The menu often

included, on Fridays (Alaska black cod). There were the

usual standbys of macaroni and cheese and always a

sandwich selection. At that time lunch room tickets were 15

cents.

The first such lunch facility was above the Moler school of

Hairdressing at 303 West Hastings (circa 1946.) It was on

the second floor and required a walk up of two flights of

stairs. When Hastings and Homer closed, lunch rooms

were established at Royal Centre and the Data Centre. No

such thing anymore.

4

ANOTHER CHARLIE MERRICK COM MENT

HELP WANTED

It has come to the attention of the Publisher that one of our

pensioners on the NETWORK has just obtained a

substantial government research grant for a rather unique

enterprise. This pensioner is studying the effect of water

temperatures on the sexual habits of goldfish in an outdoor

pool. This will be a five year study and the funding will

include a generous salary allowance for a research

assistant.

We don’t usually encourage this type of advertisement but

have made an exception in this case, because the results of

the study could have a profound effect on the lives of

pensioners.

The work will be ongoing and if there is anyone who would

like to apply for this research position, and able to pass the

physical, you should present your resume through our

regular email address- that is <rbcpensionersnetwork.ca>

All applicants will receive a reply.

Who can identify this signature?

OWEN H. MORGAN PASSES

Owen died in West Vancouver on

July 3, 2006. He was born in

Rosedale, Alberta, on October 2,

1918 and grew up in Cranbrook

and Kamloops. He entered the

bank at Kamloops, B.C., on April

1 1937. He enlisted in the RCAFst

from New Westminster, B.C. on

November 20 , 1940. Followingth

his training as a Navigator, on

April 9 , 1942 he joined No.150th

Squadron, an RAF bomber

command unit. He was awarded the

Distinguished Flying Cross,

effective November 2, 1942 after

he had carried out 27 missions. These operations include

sorties to Essen, Cologne and six to Bremen. During this

period he was involved in two severe crashes, one in

Britain and the second in Germany where he spent over a

year in a German POW camp. He was mentioned in

dispatches twice while serving in North Africa. He did

sustain serious burns and a leg injury that he struggled with

for the rest of his life.

Following the war, Owen returned to the bank

reestablishing his banking career at Vancouver, Main &

Hastings. In the mid 50's he was transferred to the

Supervisor’s Department in Vancouver, where he headed

the bank’s thrust to write mortgages when legislation

allowed the banks into mortgage lending. He had a keen

analytical mind and his leadership made a significant

contribution to the bank’s earnings.

In about 1960, after nearly 25 years of service he left the

bank to further his career with the Industrial Development

Bank, where he earned an executive position serving in

Edmonton and Vancouver. He was a devoted family man

and is survived by his wife Vaughan, their 5 children and

10 grandchildren. A celebration of his life was held at the

Capilano Golf Club in West Vancouver, B.C.

Because of the

rear entrance,

many who

worked at 685

West Hastings

or in the

Department

would never

have seen the

front of the

Grandview

Hotel, their

favorite

watering hole.