Personne

Greyeyes, Harold E.

Harold Eugene Greyeyes, a Cree man, was born on the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation on May 12, 1929. Harold is the eldest of nine children born to George and Josephine (nee Robinson) Greyeyes. He lived on Muskeg Lake Cree Nation until September 1936 when he was enrolled in the Qu'Appelle Indian Residential School at Lebret, Saskatchewan. While most children from Muskeg Lake Cree Nation were sent to St. Michael's Indian Residential School in Duck Lake, Saskatchewan, Harold and his younger brother Albert went to Qu'Appelle Indian Residential School where their aunt Helen Greyeyes, a Grey Nun, was posted. Harold stayed in Qu'Appelle until he finished grade eight in 1944. In September of 1944 he was transferred to St. Michael's Indian Residential School were he stayed until March of 1946. Harold has had a long career in agriculture beginning in 1946 when he began helping his father with his small farm. On May 16, 1951 Harold married Freda Ahenakew and together they had twelve children (Dolores Carol 1951, Brenda Vivian 1952, Barbara Ruth 1954, Harold Dennis 1955, Judith May 1957, Anita Elaine 1958, Lawrence Edward 1959, Gloria Lynn 1960, Kevin Ray 1962, Spencer Garth 1963, Nancy Cecile 1972 and Josephine Marie in 1975). Throughout most of their marriage Harold and Freda lived on Muskeg Lake Cree Nation and ran their small mixed farm. During the winter months, because of his family's financial needs, Harold would travel to British Columbia to work in the lumber industry. In 1956 Harold moved his family to British Columbia and this is where their fifth child Judith May was born on nineteenth of January 1957. Harold and Freda then moved back to Muskeg Lake Cree Nation. Harold was always an active member of the community and he was a Muskeg Lake Cree Nation Band Councilor from 1960-1962 and from 1964-1972. He has been a member of the Rotary Club of North Battleford since 1975. As a volunteer, Harold has been Director of the North Battleford Union Hospital Foundation, Director of Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the RCMP Citizen's Advisory Committee. Harold worked for Saskatchewan Indian Agriculture in North Battleford, Saskatchewan from 1970 to 1992 as an Assistant Extension Agrologist. During this time he obtained two Farm Management Course Certificates and an A.I. (Artificial Insemenation) Technician Certificate from the University of Saskatchewan. He also took numerous short courses on agriculture relating to soils, crops and animal sciences. Harold has also been a newspaper columnist with The Telegraph, North Battleford and First Nation Free Press. Harold and Freda divorced in 1975 and he married his current wife Estelle in 1980. An avid golfer, Harold won the North American Seniors Golf Championship in 1980, 1981, and 1982. Harold was inducted into the Saskatchewan Agriculture Hall of Fame August 9, 1992. Harold and his wife Estelle are retired and currently reside in North Battleford, Saskatchewan.