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Elsie Bear (née Hourie) was born on 13 December 1921 in Grand Marais, Manitoba, the daughter of Peter and Mary Hourie. From the age of eighteen Elsie worked in fishing camps cooking. While working in the camps she met a young man, Sam Bear, from Selkirk. Elsie and Sam later married and had four boys. Elsie worked in town cleaning offices for twenty years while raising her family, and also volunteered for the Indian and Metis Friendship Centre and the Manitoba Metis Federation. Christmas was a special time of sharing for Elsie and her family. Elsie and Sam opened their home to feed needy families in the community. In 1972, Elsie and Sam moved the Christmas dinner from their home to the Indian and Metis Friendship Centre in Selkirk to serve over 300 Christmas dinners. Elsie received many honours in her life but the ones she was most proud of were received in 1987. She was designated as Woman of the Year, was also selected to be on the Wall of Honour at the Winnipeg Indian and Metis Friendship Centre and was made Senator of the Manitoba Metis Federation. Elsie Bear died on 5 March 2002 after a lengthy illness; she was 80 years of age. She will be remembered as one of the original pioneers of the Friendship Centre movement. |
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