School where Shirley (Coleman) Backstrom went to
school as a child in Edmonton (late 1930’s, early 1940’s) before moving back to
Amber Valley
Shirley’s parents - Velma Adams and Isaiah Coleman
courting in Amber Valley; both were former students of Toles School; met growing
up in Amber Valley. Note: The dress Velma is wearing is made from a flour sack
(Robin Hood sold printed sacks)
Soldier – Shirley’s great grandfather - Columbus
‘Lummie’ Bowen (Member of #2 Construction Battalion - Canadian Expeditionary
Force – 1914-1919 - WWI)
Group of children – Shirley’s grandmother Ethel
Bowen Adams, her brother Columbus Bowen (back row); Shirley’s Mother Velma and
brother Chris with a friend - not identified (front row)
Ethel Bowen Adams – Shirley’s grandmother
Ethel Bowen’s Teaching Certificate (Oklahoma, USA,
July, 1910) – Shirley’s grandmother
Ethel Bowen Adams – ca. late nineteenth century –
Shirley’s grandmother
Isaiah Coleman with guitar – Shirley’s father
Velma Adams on her wedding day (1932) – Shirley’s
mother
Shirley as a baby (1934) – Amber Valley
From left to right – Coleman sisters - Shirley,
Jeanette, Carene (ca. late 1930’s)
Discharge Certificate – Columbus ‘Lummie’ Bowen
(February 18, 1919) Member of #2 Construction Battalion - Canadian Expeditionary
Force – 1914-1919 - WWI)
From left to right – Shirley’s uncle and mother –
Chris and Velma Adams – with unidentified toddler - Toles School, Amber Valley
(ca. 1920)
From left to right – Shirley’s mother Velma with
outstretched arms to Shirley sitting on older sister Carene’s lap – in front of
their home in Amber Valley, 1934
From left to right – sisters Carene and Shirley –
in front of their home in Edmonton, 1936
Velma and Isaiah Coleman on their 50th Wedding
Anniversary (1982)
Family photo of Velma and Isaiah Coleman and their
children. Back row: Shirley, Mom Velma and Dad Isaiah, older sister Carene.
Front row: younger sister Jeanette, baby sister Carol, and younger brothers
Radney and Ronald
Shirley Backstroms children. Back row: Nadine.
Front row: Randolph, Leon, Terry