Helen (nee Nightingale) Telford passed away peacefully at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Comox, Vancouver Island on Feb. 7, 2007, at the age of 96.
Helen came to Alexis Creek in 1935 to visit with Kathleen and George Telford on the KC Ranch.
Here she helped Kathleen with the many ranch chores, caring for the four Telford children and Kathleen’s mother Anna Graham. Helen quickly adapted to the ranch life and was a great help.
She was a very attractive young lady and the cowboys and ranch hands were smitten.
George Telford’s brother Bob who was working on the ranch, won her heart and in 1939 they were married at Helen’s parents home on Hornby Island.
Soon after, Bob was off to fight in the Second World War and Helen stayed on at the ranch with Kathleen.
When Bob returned from the war, they moved down to the Gables, about 10 miles south and started ranching.
They grew their own grain for their stock, and Helen ran a small coffee shop. Pie and coffee was 25 cents. It was a popular stop for all the locals as Helen was an excellent cook.
After a few years, Bob and Helen moved to Williams Lake.
They moved frequently and lived in many towns in the Cariboo and the Okanagan. In the early 1990s they lived in Victoria as Bob was very ill and in the Veteran’s Hospital, where he passed away.
Helen then moved to Courtenay to be close to her relations, and spent her remaining days there. Bob and Helen returned often to the ranch in the Chilcotin that held so many special memories for them.
Helen will be sadly missed by her many friends and relatives.