Roger Watson

Roger Watson was born and educated in Trail and received a BASc degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of British Columbia in 1964.

He joined Cominco Ltd. in Kimberley, BC immediately after graduation and was transferred to Trail in 1971.

In 1977, when Cominco started its Trail Modernization & Expansion Program, Mr. Watson was appointed Assistant Manager.

From 1980 to 1985, Roger was Manager of this Multi-project Lead, Zinc and Fertilizer Construction Program representing an investment of $700,000,000.

In 1985, he was appointed General Manager, Zinc Operations and in 1989 became Operating Vice President, Trail.

On January 1, 1995, Mr. Watson was appointed Vice President, Smelting and Refining for Cominco Ltd. In that position, he was responsible for Cominco's global zinc and lead smelting activities which included operations in Trail, the Cajamarquilla Zinc Refinery in Lima, Peru and Cominco's Corporate Research Activity Center in Trail.

Mr. Watson passed away in 2000.

Ron Beattie

Ron was born on May 4, 1911 in Forget, Saskatchewan. The family moved to BC in 1920 and eventually settled in Nelson, where he became active in many sports, including tennis, field lacrosse and Canadian rules football. He married Geraldine Denison in 1935 and they moved to Trail a year later when Ron took an accounting position at the CM&S. It was in Trail that he became actively involved in figure skating and the Trail Figure Skating Club.

Ron was an active member of the Club for 40 years, serving as Secretary Treasurer for 32 years, and as President for one year. Over the years, he helped build the Club to a membership high of 420 skaters.

In addition to his administrative duties, Ron was active as a skating competitor and instructor. He partnered with Anne Gavrilik and won the Western Canadian Senior Dance Championships in 1949 and the duo competed in the Canadian Figure Skating Championships. Ron and Anne went on to win Silver medals in dance skating competitions in both Canada and the US.

Ron's knowledge of the sport led him to being selected as a judge and referee by the Canadian Figure Skating Association, working as western Canadian and national competitions.

Ron and his wife were devoted to the sport of figure skating and the Trail Figure Skating Club. Ron made a significant contribution to the advancement of figure skating locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. The City of Trail has recently nominated Ron for induction into the Canadian Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

Ron Sandnes

Bowling

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Ronald Soligo

Ronald is another Trail native who has succeded internationally. Ron was born in 1936 and received his Bachelor of Arts degree at UBC in 1958 and a PhD at Yale Univeristy in 1964. He is currently a Professor of Economics at Rice University in Houston, Texas.

Ron's expertise is in the field of Economic Development. He has written numerous papers concerning world economics and the problems of economic development internationally. In particular, he has focused his research on the countries of Pakistan and Colombia. He also has written on mirgration, the network affiliate relationships in television broadcasting and the transition in Russia. He is currently working on issues of energy security, as well as the relationship between level and composition of energy demand in economic development.

Ron continues to teach Economics at Rice University and to further his analysis of world economic development issues.

Rose Kumorek

Rose was born January 18, 1922 in Nordegg, Alberta and moved to Fernie at age 2. Daughter of Frank and Assunta Marasco, oldest of nine children.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY: St. John Ambulance:
Mrs. Kumorek has been involved in many aspects of the community. She is most known for her extensive involvement with St. John Ambulance as a leader, instructor and coach for junior first aid teams in the Trail area. She became interested in first aid at the age of 14 and began taking St. John Ambulance courses in 1938.

1938: Began taking St. John Ambulance courses. At age 20 worked in hospital in Fernie as a War Aid.
1943: Married Frank Kumorek (from Femie) in Edmonton.
1947: Moved to Trail - Frank employed at Cominco.
1949: First child born - Frances.  
1951: Second girl born - Marian Barbara
1962-72: Bookkeeper/owner 'Inland Electric'
1974-91: Employed at West Kootenay Wholesale as bookkeeper

In recognition of voluntary service and commitment to training and teaching, she received the following:

- A 50 year service certificate with St. John Ambulance in 1988.
May 11, 1966 Serving Sister; May 22, 1974 Officer Sister; February 14, 1979 Commander Sister; February 6, 1991 KNIGHTED DAME OF GRACE
This was a true honour for Mrs. Kumorek as well as the community of Trail. An article was written in the Trail Times featuring Mrs. Kumorek with the Lieutenant Governor of Canada as she was knighted.
First Aider - other areas of service:
Sports:
- Smoke Eaters attendant for games - 22 years.
- Minor Hockey - covering tournaments - 20 years.                             - Track Meets - 20 years.
Training Students at J. L. Crowe High School for 25 years and instructor at many other local schools.
Local Events: Terry Fox Run, Moonwalk for Zellers, Little League, Festival of Arts, Silver City Days, Babe Ruth Baseball, Senior Citizen's First Aid Attendant, Performances in Arena.

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Rose Kumorek - page 2

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Special Events:
- 1976 Montreal Olympics; assisted in Poly Clinic
- 1978 British Commonwealth Games in Edmonton
- 1983 World University Games in Edmonton

Catholic Church - Our Lady of Perpetual Help:
Active member and assists in all aspects of the church's activities and became a Eucharistic Minister.
Visits the hospital (sick and extended care) every Saturday.

Scouting - East Trail/Warfield Division:
First Aid Leader and attended the following jamborees volunteering her services: - 1979 BC and Yukon, Douglas Lake, BC
- 1981 Canadian National, Kananaskis Country (Alberta)
- 1983 BC and Yukon, Sooke, BC - 1987 BC and Yukon, Sooke, BC

Red Cross:
Joined the Red Cross when she was 18 years old and is still an active member. Helped with disaster - Trail Flood in 1948.
Assisted in food handling - Trail Creek Flood.
As a result of this, Mrs. Kumorek was sent to Arnprior College in Hull, Quebec to take civil defense training in disasters. Taught home nursing for homemakers.
Recognition for Long Standing and Generous Contributions to the Community:
Trail Citizen of the Year - 1975.
Home of Champions - Builder of First Aid - 1981.
Commemorative Medal - 125th Anniversary of Canadian Confederation - 1992. Minor Hockey - plaque for long-time service.

Rossland Redmen

Lacrosse

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Roy Stone

Roy Stone was elected to the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in March 1974.

He is an Honorary member of the BC Curling Association and was inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame in 1984 as an Athlete/Builder in Curling.

Roy has also won 7 BC Curling Championship titles as a member of his brother's (Reg Stone) curling rinks.

1978-79 B.C. Senior-Seniors Champions
Roy Stone, Reg Stone, John Cameron, John Jarret

1980 B.C. Senior-Seniors Champions
Roy Stone, Reg Stone, John Cameron, Art Defoe

1981 B.C. Senior-Seniors Champions
Roy Stone, Reg Stone, John Cameron, Bob Salmond

Roy is also an active golf player and golf course designer.

Ryan Huska

Ryan Huska was born in Cranbrook in 1975 and attended elementary and secondary schools in Trail.  He excelled in minor hockey and played for the Kamloops Blazers in the Western Junior Hockey League from 1991 to 1995, winning three Memorial Cups.  He was drafted by the Chicago Black Hawks and played five seasons in the American Hockey League.

He was the Assistant Coach of the Kelowna Rockets from 2002 to 2007 and Head Coach from 2008 to 2014.  He was an Assistant Coach with Team Canada’s World Junior Hockey team in 2011 and 2012.  In 2014, he became the Head Coach of the Adirondack Flames of the American Hockey League, a farm team of the Calgary Flames.

Selwyn G. Blaylock

Selwyn G. Blaylock began work with the Canadian Smelting Works as an assayer at Trail in 1898 and worked his way to becoming the President and Managing Director of the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada Limited.

His many accomplishments have been recognized by the mining and metallurgical professions.

In 1924, he received the McCharles Award for outstanding work in Canadian metallurgy from the University of Toronto.

In 1928, he received the James Douglas Medal for metallurgy given by the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgy for distinguished achievement in non-ferrous metallurgy.

In 1935, he received the International Nickel Company's Platinum Medal for outstanding work in Mining and Smelting.

In 1940, he received the Gold Medal of the Institute of Mining and Metallurgy of Great Britain, one of the highest awards in the mining world.

In 1944, he was granted an honorary membership in the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, one of the highest honors it is within the Institute to bestow, in recognition of his eminent standing as a metallurgist, engineer, and administrator of a mining and metallurgical enterprise.

Selwyn died in 1945.

Seth Martin

Seth Martin was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame on May 25th, 1988.

Born in Rossland, BC, Seth played his minor hockey in his home town and then went to tend net for the Lethbridge Native Sons for three years in the early 1950's. Seth then returned to the Kootenays where he starred from 1954-1963 with the Trail Smoke Eaters.

He was playing coach for the Rossland Warriors from 1964-1966.

The 1967-68 season saw Seth playing for the St. Louis Blues, sharing the goal-tending duties with Glenn Hall.

Some of Seth's highlights are as follows:

1952: Played in the Western Canada Junior finals with Lethbridge Native Sons

1960: Went to the Allen Cup finals with the Trail Smoke Eaters only to lose to the Chatham Maroons.

1961: Performed well in leading the Smoke Eaters to the World Hockey Championships in Geneva, Switzerland and a member of the 1962 Allan Cup champion Smoke Eaters as they defeated the Montreal Olympics.

1963: Was a member of the Trail Smoke Eaters who finished fourth in the World Championship.

1964: played for the Father Bauer's National team which finished fourth in the World Championships.

1965: Went with the Nelson Maple Leafs (coached by Bobby Kromm) to the Allen Cup final, losing out to Sherbrooke, Quebec.

1966-67: played in the World Championships both years as a member of Father Bauer's Canadian Championship team.

1967-68: member of the St. Louis Blues (NHL), coached by Scotty Bowman. The Blues made it to the Stanley Cup final, losing out to the Montreal Canadiens.

1969-70: Helped Spokane Jets win the Allan Cup with a series win over the Orillia Terriers.

Seth finished out his career in the years of 1968-71 playing goal with the Smoke Eaters and Spokane Jets.

Seth Martin's goaltending exploits are legendary in amateur hockey circles, having toured Europe playing exhibition and regular games. He was known as "Mr. Goalie" for his stellar style of goaltending.

Speed Moynes

DOUGALD SINCLAIR “SPEED” MOYNES
“Speed” Moynes was born in Ontario in 1892.

Speed gained his nickname as being considered one of the fastest men on the ice back in the days when the hockey arena still had square corners. He led the Melville Millionaires Hockey Club to victory for the Allen Cup in 1915, which at that time was a challenge trophy. In 1979, the Saskatchewan Hall of Fame inducted the Melville Club and Speed, at 87 years of age, accepted the honour.

From there, he caught the eye of Lester and Frank Patrick and was called to the Pacific League to play for the Vancouver Millionaires. The Patrick connection and friendship lasted for their lifetimes. Speed played 2 years for Vancouver and they narrowly missed winning the Stanley Cup while playing in Chicago.

Speed’s hockey career came to a halt when he went overseas in World War I, returning late in 1919. He then played in the semi-pro Prairie League. In 1924, he moved to Trail and played with the Trail Smoke Eaters until 1931. Speed was very proud that he was instrumental in getting the Trail Club to instigate injury health coverage and wage compensation for time lost. Up to this time, if a player was injured, he received no assistance.

Speed coached many minor hockey teams in the midget and juvenile levels. His auto firm sponsored the midget team known as the Moynes Pontiacs. Speed was the honourary Manager of this team, which played for many years. Speed was well known to the Smoke Eater players, as he would donate a ton of coal for every hat trick and for the player getting the winning goal in the playoffs.

Hockey was a major part of Speed’s life and he contributed significantly to the sport in Trail.
Speed passed away in 1984.

Stanley Angus

Stanley Angus was born in Vancouver on May 13, 1903. Stan was a Champion even before he moved to Trail. He played with Ex King George Team when they won the Provincial Rugby title, and with the Ex King George Hockey Team when they won the Vancouver Championships in 1923/24, and also when they won the Provincial title in 1924/25. Stan?s international championship was in sculling, when he was one of the most-medal winning oarsmen on the Pacific Coast, winning 11 titles as a member of the Vancouver Rowing Club.  Stan moved to Trail in 1926.

For many years, Stan was associated with the Trail Figure Skating Club where he was on the Executive, was a certified Judge of the Canadian Figure Skating Association and worked on many carnival committees from the early 1940s. In 1949, Stan, with a partner, Connie Shutek, won the waltz and tango in the Silver Dance Event at the Western Canadian Champsionships.

In 1951, Stan, and his daughter Paddy, competed in the Silver Dance Competition at the Canadian Championships held in Vancouver. They were the first father/daughter team to compete in the Canadians, then or since.

In the fall of 1954, Stan was shot in the calf of his right leg in a hunting accident near Grand Forks, BC. He was told that he would walk with canes for the rest of his life, so to help with the rehab, Stan took up golf, using clubs as canes. In 1958, Stan was runnerup in the BC Senior?s Golf and in 1959, he was the BC Senior's Champion.

Stan passed away in 1986.

Steve McCarthy

Steve is also one of our gifted hockey players currently in the NHL. Steve was born and raised in Trail, playing Minor Hockey here before becoming a member of the Trail Junior Smoke Eaters of the BC Hockey League in 1996. Following Trail, he joined the Edmonton Ice, now the Kootenay Ice. While with Edmonton, Steve participated in the 1997 World Under 17 Tournament, as well as becoming a Gold Medalist with Canada's Under 18 Team at the 1998 Foreign Nation Under 18 Tournament and is a two-time member of Canada's World Junior Team in 2000 and 2001.

Steve was drafted 23rd overall by the Chicago Balckhawks in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He began his NHL career with the Blackhawks in the 2001/02 season, but saw limited duty in 2003/04 due to injury.

In September, Steve was traded to his beloved Canucks, where he has started the season as the team's fifth defenceman.

Steven Tambellini

After a brilliant minor hockey career in Trail, Steve Tambellini graduated to major junior ranks with Lethbridge in the Western Hockey League, where he tallied 97 points in 1975-76 en route to being named the WHL's Rookie of the Year.

In 1978, he was drafted in the first round by the New York Islanders of the NHL. He played three years for the Islanders before he moved to the Colorado Rockies, which then became the New Jersey Devils.

Then he joined the Calgary Flames and was signed by the Vancouver Canucks as a free agent in 1985.

In 553 NHL games, Tambellini scored 160 goals and 210 points.

In 1981, Steve was a member of the Canadian National Team.

Steve held the title of Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations with the Vancouver Canucks from 1997.  In 1998, he became Vice President of Player Personnel with the team.  He became the Assistant General Manager in 2008.

In 2004, Steve was inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame.

He currently holds the position of General Manager for the Edmonton Oilers.

Terry Bublitz

Terry has been coaching curling for approximately 25 years at the local, provincial and national level and has competed at the provincial level for many years. He was a member of the 1971 Selkirk College Provincial Champions and began his coaching success with the 1982 and 1987 BC High School Provincial Champions and coached Team BC at the 1987 Canada Games.

Still with Youth Curling, he coached the 2004 Girls High School Curling Champions from J.L. Crowe Secondary School and was coach of the 2003 BC Provincial junior Ladies Curling Champions of the Trail Curling Club.

With the men, he has coached Team BC at the 2003 Brier in Halifax and returned to the Brier in 2005 with the Dean Horning Rink of the Trail Curling Club.

In 2002, he was selected as Trail's Sportsman of the Year.

Terry Hughes

Terry is recognized on the Home of Champions Monument for his dedication to, the fostering of, and his personal achievements, in Little League Baseball.

Terry started his volunteer baseball career in 1961 when the eldest of his four sons joined his first Little League team. He began as an Executive member for the Trail Little League, and in 1969 was appointed District No. 8 Administrator, a position he held until his retirement in the fall of 2001.

Over the years, Trail has hosted numerous local, district, provincial and national Little League tournaments, and Terry always worked tirelessly to organize, promote and support these events. His dedication, expertise, leadership skills and quiet mentoring, helped build the volunteer program that has seen Little League Baseball flourish in the Trail area, and throughout the Kootenays. Those men and women who volunteer their time and effort to the Little League Program throughout the last 40 years have learned from the best. His input at the Provincial, National and International Baseball Conferences will be sorely missed, as Terry Hughes is held in the highest regard by his fellow volunteers.

Terry was a modest man and sought no recognition for his service to Little League over the years. However, it was certainly given to him, as he was elected to the Canadian Board of Directors for Little League Canada, but had to give up his seat due to ill health. Just prior to his passing, he was awarded the Meritorious Award for Volunteer Service to support and perpetuate the ideas of Little League Baseball during the International Little League Congress in Ottawa in April 2001. Terry was the longest servicing Little League Baseball Administrator in Canada.

Terry Jones

Terry has spent nearly three decades building the Beaver Valley Nitehawks into one of the most successful Junior B hockey teams in all of Western Canada.  His track record speaks for itself with the number of teams he has built into championship caliber clubs.  The team has experienced consistent success since Terry joined the organization in 1996.

His positions of Assistant Coach, Head Coach and General Manager had a strong influence over all aspects of the team.  Under Terry's direction, the Nitehawks have won eight KIJHL chamionships, four Cyclone Taylor Cups and have medaled three times at the Keystone Cup Championships.  In November 2018, Terry celebrated his 1000th win with the Nitehawks.

Besides promoting the sport of hockey with the Nitehawks, Terry has tirelessly given his time to younger hockey players wishing to improve their skills.  He has led several summer hockey camps in both the Beaver Valley and Trail.  He also acts as General Manager of the local Major Midget hockey team.

Terry was inducted in 2019.

Terry Yuris

Terry's career as a fighter began in the early seventies, boxing for the Trail Boxing Club under trainers Bill Watson Sr., Joe Haywood, and Val Cirotto.  He went on to win bronze and silver gloves in his amateur career and finished as first runner up in Golden Gloves championship held in Nelson.  This was only the beginning for Terry.

He went on to earn black belt in shukokai karate, Chinese karate and a green belt in jiu jitsu, training uner the watchful eye of Karate pioneer, Tom Smiley.  Terry won many semi-contact karate tournaments across Caanda and the United States.  Full contact karate would come later, taking Terry all across the Pacific Northwest and eventually leading him back to kickboxing which presented international opportunities to showcase his skills and represented Canada in several Canada vs. USA tournaments held in Alberta during this time.

Terry competed in the WKA (World Karate Association) championship tournaments across North America, leading to a middleweight 12 man showdown that saw him victorious over world ranked Mike McGuire and vaulted Terry to number one in North America.  He was consistently ranked in the top ten fighters in the world for the remainder of his career and was the top ranked Canadian fighter in the world for almost a decade, reaching the rank of #1 in the world for a period of time.  Fighting in Europe and Japan, Terry traveled the world.  During this time, Terry also ran a karate school and fitness centre in Vancouver.

An unfortuante knee injury cut his career short at the age of 24, but he continued on to support the sport he loved by teaching karate, refereeing and instructing self-defense.  At one point, he even trained some of our local hockey heroes, as well.  Since then, Terry has called Trail his home and raised his family here giving back to the city that has given so much to him.

Thea Culley

Thea Culley began her field hockey career as a member of the Rossland Secondary School Field Hockey Team.  Following her graduation, she attended the University of Victoria and continued her career there.  From 2004 to 2006, she was a CIS tournament all-star and a member of the Junior National Field Hockey Team.  She joined Canada's National Team in 2006.

As a member of the National Team, Thea has represented the country in the Pan-American Games and FIH Championships, as well as other numerous international field hockey series.  She has competed in many National Championships, as well as the CIS National Championships.

Thea has excelled in her sport at every level of competition and is one of Canada's premier field hockey players.