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Margaret Krueger Barkovsky born 1926 in Orloff, Molotschna |
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I was born in the Orloff Hospital in 1926. My parents were both born in the Molotschna Colony in 1895: David D. Krueger in Blumstein, and Susan Warkentin, in Orloff. Our family left Blumstein in fall of 1929 and came to Canada over Moscow in 1930. My parents and I first lived on concession 7 and Watson Sideroad near Wheatley. In February we moved to Jacob Riediger's farm. Here we lived in a house on the corner; Jake Froese's and Harry and Margaret Driedger lived there later. My dad built a swing in the little Kruschtje (miniature pear) tree on our yard for me. Next we moved to Erie Street North across from the Wheatley High School (now used as a community centre). The house, which had a sunken living room, was rented from Mrs. Dales and is no longer standing. Dad worked at the Walker fruit farm on concession 12. He travelled to and from work on his bicycle. During the winter months he got work repairing and rebuilding homes and farm buildings. He was inventive and made his own planes and other tools. Our family's next move took us into the town of Wheatley where we purchased our own home for back taxes on Erie Street South. When I started Wheatley Public School at seven years of age I couldn't speak a word of English. Mrs. Van Sickle was my teacher and Mr. Cunningham was school principal and grades 7 and 8 teacher. The public school building burned down one year after I graduated. I attended Wheatley High School one year. At age 16 I did housework for different families every day: Nelson, Jackson and Ferrell among them. When my brother Victor was born in 1938, I stayed home to help Mother. Victor had various allergies and needed to spend eight weeks in Leamington's Hopewell Hospital for tests. Dr. Lyon sent my parents a bill for $45. Dad built homes for Leonard and Duane Omstead, as well as the Messenger family. The Messenger's lived in the Mennonite Home many years later. Bruno Konrad and his family live in the Messenger home in 2008.
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I first worked at a variety of places. In 1949 I applied for work as dental assistant. Mrs. Alexander Fischer had recommended me for a position at Doctors Pritchard and Bradley in Leamington. From 1950 until 1957 I worked in their office which was first located upstairs at the corner of Erie North and Talbot East. After several years we moved to 15 John Street, above Dr. Abram Froese's office. In 1957, I moved to Kitchener where I worked for a dentist in the medical arts building on King Street for three years. These dentists, Doctors Lorne Hemerich and Roy Hemerich, said they were unrelated. In 1960 Dr. Lyon offered me a job at the Medical Centre at 106 Talbot Street West where he practiced with Doctors Setterington, McGirr and Koval. I trained as a radiological technician in the Medical Arts building in Windsor, wrote and passed my exams at the University of Toronto in 1965. I worked as x-ray technician at the Medical Centre for 26 years. Eventually there were 14 doctors practicing in the Centre and five radiologists came from Windsor daily. The Medical Centre had five apartments upstairs; Dr. McGirr and his family lived in one. I enjoyed my work. When young patients appeared afraid, I'd offer them a piece of the yellow wrapping the x-ray films came in. In 1970 Jacob Barkovsky, a LUMC pastor, and I were married by Rev. J.C. Neufeld at Leamington United Mennonite Church. Jake had retired from the Heinz Company the previous year. We lived first at 19 Churchill Street, then moved to Lutsch Street for 18 years. In 1994, we moved to Pickwick Drive. We had been married 29 years when Jake died in 1999. In my retirement years, I taught Sunday School, volunteered at the Mennonite Home and the Et Cetera Shoppe. Today I keep busy knitting, crocheting, and other handwork. AK/08
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