The Crosby family is well-known and respected in the Banff-Lake Louise area. Louis Sidney Crosby and Gertrude Elizabeth (Seaton) Crosby made their home in Banff from the time of their marriage in 1911. Lou worked at the Brewster Company for 57 years, ultimately becoming President, and Lou and Gertrude built the Deer Lodge in Lake Louise which remained a family venture for 61 years.
The Crosby's completed their family home in Banff in 1913. The house was called Abegweit, which means cradled in the waves to recall Lou Crosby's home province of PEI. Fredrick was born in 1913 and was followed by four more children – Douglas, Marion, Marjorie and Robert. As a family they were very involved in athletic pursuits such as skating, skiing, and golf. Fred left Abegweit to the Whyte Foundation on his death in 1982, on behalf of the Crosby family.
Born and raised in Coleman, Charlie Reid attended high school in Medicine Hat. He came to Banff in 1922 to work as an apprentice at Gourlay's Pharmacy before attending the University of Alberta where he graduated as a pharmacist. He opened his own Banff Pharmacy in 1936. Charlie was active in the community as a Kinsmen, a volunteer fire fighter, a member of the Banff Advisory Council, and was a charter member of the Banff Springs Golf Club, winning the club championship on numerous occasions.
Charlie married Edmee Brewster Moore in 1942. They lived in the historic home Tarry-a-while, built for Mary Schäffer Warren. After Edmee passed away in 1971, Charlie married Gwladys McQueen of Vancouver. They lived in the home until Charlie passed away in February 1984, followed by Gwladys two years later. The home contained many historical artifacts, photography, and art that were donated to the Whyte Museum and the Charles Reid Estate made a significant contribution to the Museum's expansion in 1993.
Lillian Jones was a cousin to Peter Whyte. Lillian received a Bachelor of Arts from University of Alberta in Edmonton, then attended the University of Washington State in Seattle, graduating in 1952 with a degree in Library Science. Back in Calgary, she was hired as Head Librarian for Cal Standard Oil Company. She was a member of the University Women's Club in Calgary and enjoyed many friendships around the world. Lillian spent most of her years in Calgary, but would often make the trip to Banff, as she was a close friend of Catharine Whyte's. She established an endowment in her estate to be administered by the Whyte Museum for a scholarship at the University of Calgary, awarded annually to a graduate student studying Western Canadian History.
Born in Banff in 1913, Vera's father Reggie Holmes was one of the pioneer mountain guides and packers in the area. He arrived from England in 1903 and built a log home on Beaver Street that Vera lived in most of her life. Her mother Nellie McGregor Fyfe came from Banffshire, Scotland in 1908. Raised in Banff, Vera married George Pain in 1933, and moved to Calgary for 15 years. She returned to Banff in 1948. Vera married Les McGinn in 1971, and together they operated Unwin's Lumber and Hardware, which Vera's stepfather Arthur Unwin had founded in 1926.
Vera was a prominent member of the Canadian Red Cross Society, the Mineral Springs Hospital Auxiliary, the Banff-Lake Louise Chamber of Commerce, Soroptimist International, and the Save the Cave and Basin Swimming Committee. Vera was the first woman to be awarded membership into the Honourary Platoon of the Banff Cadet Camp for her ongoing support of the Camp. She bequeathed her home on Beaver Street to the Whyte Foundation.
Dorothy Boyce studied pharmacy at the University of Alberta and was the only woman in her 1922 graduating class. After graduation, she came to Banff to work at the Brett Drug Store. When property opened for sale on St. Julien Road, she paid the lease for two lots and had a small home built in 1926. Dorothy completed a Master's Degree at the University of Toronto, which led to a fifteen year career in the dispensary at the General Hospital in Calgary.
When World War II began, Dorothy volunteered her services in Quebec and Toronto, where she met oilman Tronson Draper. They married in 1943. Draper passed away at a young age, and Dorothy moved back to Banff after his death. She purchased a small company, Traveler's Digest, a booking service for local accommodations and built it into a thriving business. She married Jim Boyce, a well known outfitter, in 1957, and they lived in the home that Dorothy had built as a young woman. She bequeathed her home on St. Julien Road to the Whyte Foundation.
Hubert was born in Lethbridge and spent his childhood in Manitoba. In 1937, he moved to Banff to live close to his parents. His father was a well-known naturalist and as a warden, carried out some of the first wildlife research in the Park. Hubert worked for Brewster's Garage until he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II. After the war, Hubert and Harry Riva opened the Standish Service station on the corner of Banff Avenue and Wolf Street. Hubert was known for his wonderful memory and knowledge of Banff.
Recognizing the importance of his father's work, he donated all his writings and research reports to the Whyte Museum archives. The Whyte Foundation was a beneficiary of Hubert's estate.
