Description Level

Series

Creator

Vern Decoux, Gini Decoux

Physical Description

Close to 100,000 photographic images, predominantly negatives

History Biographical

Vern (Vernon) Decoux was born January 18, 1920 in Blairmore, Alberta. During WWII, he served in the #13 District as a sergeant instructor and was stationed in Camrose and Calgary. He also served with the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry (commando rifles). On December 26, 1942, Vern married Florence (nee Taggart) in Hillcrest, Alberta. Vern and Florence had three children, a son Bruce, and 2 daughters, Gini and Susan. Vern was the Crowsnest Pass correspondent with the Lethbridge Herald from 1950 to 1985. He did news stories, took photographs, dealt with circulation, sold advertising, and looked after all of the region’s newspaper carriers. Throughout the years, he was an active member of a variety of clubs and organizations in the Crowsnest Pass. He was a member of the Elks for 48 years, acting as Exalted Ruler with the club for many years. He was also a member of the Lions Club (and received the Melvin Jones Fellow Award), the Knights of Columbus, and the Blairmore Legion. He was also a member of the Alberta Professional Photographers Association. Vern was also a Roman Catholic.

Custodial History

The vast majority of the images were created by Vernon Decoux, donor’s father, in a professional capacity as a photographer and owner of a photographic studio in Blairmore. After Vern’s death in April 2000, the materials were kept in his wife’s residence. In 2015, when Florence Decoux passed away, the materials came into the possession of their son, Bruce Decoux.

Scope and Content

53 Ship on Water No Date 54 Copied for Gordon Fisher: HMS Befast (C35) with London Bridge in Background/"Queen Elizabeth on War Service, December 7 1945" No Date, Copied ca. 1988 55 RCMP Badge #8864 No Date 56 "Certificat De Bonnes Conduite, Vie et Moeurs et Civisme"/"Rodny List" No Date/Copies 57 Certificate in French: "National Federation of Volunteer Combatants of the Wars 1914-1918 and 1939-1945" for Andre Bohomolec, Captain/"Croix Des Combatants Volontaires"/Letter to PTE Comfort #503456 From King George V, Thanking Him for Services and Endurance While in Captivity/Birth Certificate for Swita, Sharma (b. 1974) No Date 58 Birth Certificates For: Petrini Gemma, Antonia and Pagnucco Lodovico Grazioso/Wedding Certificate for Ludovico Graziso, Pagnucco and Gemma Louside Petrini, July 16, 1945/Record of Service in Canadian Armed Forces for Pagnucco Lodivico Grasizo No Date 59 Copy of Birth Certificate Reissued 1954 in Slovak and Issued in Bratislava/Zita Danco (Daughter of Jan Danco) born April 27, 1992 1922 60 Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Alberta Hillvue Chapter No. 5 1916 61 Elks Charter, Blairmore, Lodge #15/Charter Officers: L.L. Morgan, R. Gray, J. E. Gillis, R.W.H. Pinkey, A.E. Ferguson, W. Bird, W.J. Bartlett, C.J. Tompkins, L.W. Clark November 26 1924 62 Coleman Lion's Charter/Members: Rudy D. Alexander, Alexander Bolloch, Everett J. Bullman, John M. Chalmer, Dr. Herbert G. Glaxton, Bert Colliet, Percy A. Dickieson, Stanley F. Rarl, Harry H. Gardner, Angelo Gentile, Fred W. Guerard, Del. Harding, Franl J. Hastie, Alwyn Haysom, Johm Jackson Jr., Rev. Joseph E. Kirk, Stuart Murdoch, Robert R. Pattison, Garfield Picard, Dr. Crawford Rose, James Sharp, Roy Spillers, Harry Thomas, Archie Wragg, Arthur Ryman 1940 63 "RT. Reverend D. A. Harrington D.P." Asking for Blessing of "Parishoners and Friends of St. Anne's Parish" 1950 64 Birth Certifucate For Henry Gate, Born 1908 1951 65 Certificate Designating Joseph Donal Hayden as Justice of the Peace ca. 1959 66 "Certificate of Competency as Second Class Engineer of a Motorship" for Geoffrey Alan Lewis/"Certificate of Service Under the Admiralty" for Geoffery Alan Lewis/Letter of Employment from Blue Funnel for Lewis, Who Worked From January 1956 to Novemeber 1958 ca. 1964 67 Second Class Engineer's Certificate - Geoffrey Alan Lewis/Reference Letters Lewis ca. 1964 68 General Accounts Association/Frederick Hunter MacLeod Certified General Accountant 1968 69 General Accounts Association/Frederick Hunter MacLeod Certified General Accountant 1968 70 3 Cheques From Blairmore Lions Club, Gini Decoux and Susan DeCoux, All for $15 Mar-79 71 WWII Corvette J314, HMCS Blairmore 1984 72 Audrey Bonne - 3 Rings on Chain No Date 73 Small Pendant of Jesus on Chain No Date (1970s?) 74 Del Hereford - Ring May-91

Accession No.

20151020

Collection

Archive

Less detail