Holbrook, George

(submitted by Gladys Holbrook)

George Holbrook, son of Hanson and Marie Holbrook, was raised on the east half of Lot 6, Con. 1 NER (Egremont Rd.). He married Gladys Wright of Sarnia Twp. in 1951 and settled on the west half of Lot 6, Con. 1 NER on the farm purchased in 1950 from Lou Fenner. George and Gladys bought the east quarter of Lot 5 from John Bullock in 1954 and his father’s remaining 50 acres (north quarter of lot 7, Con. 1 NER) in 1976.

Gladys and George raised eight children: Anne (1952–), Lloyd (1954–), Norman (1956–), Carmen (1958–), Jane (1960–), Helen (1961–), Lyle (1962–) and Gwen (1965–). Gladys taught at Kerch School in Plympton Twp., then at the Elarton School, and then she taught primary grades in Wyoming until 1986 when she retired.

Holbrook family, 2001, Back: Lloyd, Norman, Lyle, Carman. Front: Helen, Gwen, Gladys, George, Jane, Anne. courtesy D Holbrook.

George was active in organizations such as the Pork Producers and Federation of Agriculture. He served on Warwick Township Council serving as Deputy Reeve in 1973 and Reeve until 1976. He also was on County Council. George recalled that one of the major issues while he was on Township Council was that of zoning bylaws. Warwick did not have any at the time, and farmers were severing small lots so that people from the city could buy country property. There was a fear that if too many bought country lots they would soon be asking for services such as sewers. The County Planning Committee encouraged the passing of bylaws. The landfill, which became a major issue in the 1980s, was started on Zion Line before any zoning bylaws were in place.

Both Gladys and George were active members of the Warwick United Church, as Sunday School officials and elders. Gladys served many years as Canadian Girls in Training (CGIT) leader. George started the Men’s Breakfast Club.

Their daughter Anne became a Doctor of Pharmacy and a medical doctor. She is a consultant at the McMaster-St. Joseph Complex in Hamilton. Anne married Dr. Peter Ford, also from Warwick Twp., in 1985. They live in Ancaster with their three children: Daniel, and twins Angela and Wesley.

Holbrook
The second youngest of eight children raised by George and Gladys Holbrook, the “Voice of the Snowbirds,” Lyle
Holbrook grew up on the Egremont Road in Warwick Twp., yet was always fascinated by the air strips of the Flying Farmers in the area. In 1990 Lyle joined the Canadian Forces through the Reserve Officer Pilot Training Program. He received his wings in 1992. He flew Kiowa helicopters, logging more than 1,000 flight hours with both 400 and 411 Squadrons at the Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Downsview, Toronto. In 1996 Lyle followed 400 Squadron to CFB Borden where he flew a Griffon helicopter until being selected for the Snowbirds. Other features of his impressive flying resume include piloting a search and rescue helicopter, a civilian corporate jet and flying the helicopter air ambulance “Bandage One,” out of Toronto. Captain Holbrook brought more than 3,900 hours of flying experience to the legendary Snowbird team and was the first reserve pilot to fly with them. While he flew the tenth Snowbird jet from show to show, he didn’t take part in performances, because each pilot was specifically trained for his position. Lyle served as team coordinator, his duties including the scheduling and coordinating of air shows and announcing the maneuvers as they were performed before spellbound crowds. SOURCES: Gord Whitehead, The Standard, Forest, c. 2002 Neil Bowen, The Observer, Sarnia, c. 2002

Lloyd Holbrook married Simro Johal, a primary school teacher from British Columbia in 1986 and moved to a farm in Paisley, Ontario. Their children are Julia and Bryan.

Norman Holbrook received a diploma in agriculture from the University of Guelph to prepare for missionary work in Nepal. He married Maija Koski, a Finnish nurse, in 1985. They have two children, Peter and Matti.

Carman Holbrook married Nancy Douglas, a travel agent from Plympton Twp., in 1982. He works for Nova Corporation. They have two children: Kristin and Kyle.

Jane Holbrook is a Guelph University graduate and a Family Studies Teacher. She married Clive Nickerson from New Brunswick in 1983. Jane teaches in Trenton High School and Clive runs the Rural Roots website. They have two sons, Brigham and Caleb.

Helen Holbrook is a public health nurse who married Peter Risteen from Belleville in 1987. Peter is a chartered accountant working for Bruce Nuclear near Kincardine. They have two children, Brady and Taylor.

Lyle attended Centralia Agricultural College. He joined the reserves and spent three years with the Snowbirds as the team coordinator. Captain Holbrook continued as pilot and air force reservist and married Lisa Summers, a human rights lawyer, in 2007. They live in Orangeville.

Gwen attended George Brown College in Toronto and is now kitchen manager at Sarnia Collegiate Institute and Technical School in Sarnia.

Chapter 24 of 25 - Holbrook, George

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