Erland Lee Award-Lorne Luxton

It is with deep feeling of admiration, gratitude and respect that the Knutsford Women’s Institute nominates Lorne Luxton for the Erland Lee Award.

Lorne received his early education in a rural school and completed Grade 10 at the age of twelve years. He later took carpentry and plumbing at Holland College and holds a certificate as an Oil Burner Technician from the Mass Institute of Technology.

Lorne and Marion (Adams) were married in 1952. He then moved to Knutsford

where he began farming the Adams family farm, where he and Marion cared for her elderly parents. Marion was then, and still is today, an active member of the Knutsford Women’s Institute.

Lorne also worked as a self-employed carpenter and plumber. In 1976 he went to work with the P.E.I. Employment Training Corp as a trainer. He encouraged his trainees to go back to school and learn a trade and because of his encouragement and support, many of them have gone on successfully to careers in these trades. In 1979, Lorne went to work with the Unit One School Board as their property supervisor, from where he retired in 1992. Lorne was well respected and looked up to in these positions.

Lorne is a people person. He takes great interest in the community and is always willing to help. He was a member of the Board of Stewards of his church (O’ Leary United) for 15 years and spent 10 years on the Manse Committee, where many hours of his expertise were volunteered. He is still contributing, whether it be providing lighting and props for a church performance or making a giant bumble bee for vacation bible school and the church float, or putting windows in a rural church, it is always “ask Lorne.” He never says no. He volunteers his time to individuals, whether it is the senior with furnace problems or the elderly disabled neighbour who needed help with shopping, transportation, and banking. Or there’s a farmer with a water pump problem in the barn that no one else can fix. No matter what he is doing, he is always there for a friend who just needs to sit and visit or talk for awhile.

Although he is a great benefit to the community, he is first and foremost a family man. He and Marion are the parents of one daughter, and they have five grandchildren whom they love dearly. Lorne is very helpful and supportive to his immediate and extended family.

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