Left to right: Jeff (22), myself, my husband Ray, Lindsay (19)

Janet Edgeworth Gill
Class of 1971

After graduation('71) I attended Saint Mary's University, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I completed the first year of Arts and met my husband. We married December 15th, 1973. School was not one of my favorite "subjects", so I did not continue my studies. My first job after we were married was as a life guard and swimming instructor at Centennial Swimming pool, Halifax.

My husband Ray, was working for Saga Foods at Saint Mary's. Ray received a transfer to the University of Toronto. So after living in Halifax for only 8 months, off we went to Mississauga. We lived there for four years. During this time I worked at the local K-Mart, starting on the sales floor and eventually made it to the merchandise office, as a buyer.

Ray then received a transfer back to Saint Mary's, the fall of 1978, where we bought our first home in Dartmouth. I tried to get into the office at K-Mart here. There was no way the people here were going to let me in, they were all going to die, working for K-Mart in the positions that they had. Seeing that there was no advancement, I moved on. I did get a job with a toy company, called Dominion Playworld. (out of business, now). We had both of our children while I worked for this company. I have also worked, at what eventually became known as Smithbooks, for 12 years. After the Big Box store, Chapters entered the scene, I was let go. (downsizing)

Seeing this as an opportunity to upgrade myself, I went back to school('98 - '99) I enrolled in a Business Information Technology course at Nova Scotia Community College. I missed the honor roll by one bad mark(this is just in case any of the teachers are still about). The course had a requirement of four weeks, "on the job training" of which I did at the Province of Nova Scotia Department of Education, head office.

Well, I have not looked back, everything has been a forward move since the 'release' from Smithbooks. I now have a permanent position at the Department of Education, in the Finance division.

My husband, Ray is the Territory Manager for Atlantic Canada for the company called Georgia - Pacific. Some may recognize the company better as Dixie Foodservice. His territory covers all of the Atlantic provinces.

Our two children are, I guess you could say "grown up". Our son, Jeff, is 22 now. He has just this May, graduated from the Culinary Institute of Canada, located in Prince Edward Island. He is hoping to find a fine resort out west to work at. He is presently working at a golf resort in PEI. (Rodd Brudenell Golf Resort).

Our daughter, Lindsay, is 19 now. She has just this June, graduated from the same Community College that I did. She enrolled in the Office Information Technology program. She just this week started her first full time job with a company that is affiliated with Irving. It is called (AQTS) Atlantic Quality and Technical Services. It specializes in shipbuilding. It is too early to tell if this will be the right fit for her. In the mean time she is doing quite well working part time at the local Reitman's store at Mic Mac Mall. (Employee discount is helping to outfit her "new working wardrobe")

Brother, David is living in Kitchener, Ont. He is married (25 years) and has two children. David is working at Toyota. Brother, John is living in Sydney, B.C. He is single and is doing much better.Three years ago, this November, he will be a survivor of a Kidney transplant. His health was pretty bad, but he is doing much better now. Diabetes has taken it's toll.

Brother, Jim is living in Kitimat, B.C. He is married with three children.He is working at Alcan as a mechanic. Our mother passed away in February of '96 and our Dad lives in Kingston, Ontario. He celebrated his 81st birthday this year.

Sorry, I will not be able to make it to the reunion. Life does not always provide us with enough time to visit family and do reunions on the same trip. Hope to hear from some of the other grads, after the reunion.

Janet Edgeworth Gill
[email protected]
Thanks, Have Fun.