Let us start by saying that Lawrence was born in 1931 to father Wasyl and mother Annie (nee Morozoff) Verigin. At that time the Verigin homestead was five (5) miles straight North of Veregin, Saskatchewan. The Wasyl Verigin clan started out living together and farmed communally with Uncles John and Sam with families. Uncles George and Alex remained single all their lives.
There are stories about cousins (in order of age) Mildred, Michael, Lawrence Russel, Peter and Sam, all laying on their backs in the Living Room, with makeshift nipples on whatever bottles may have been available. “SEESYA”, the cry went out and the young mothers rushed to the rescue. Yes the cousins got to know each other well.
The Wasyl, John and Sam families soon separated from the homestead and started their individual farming operations.
I remember Lawrence as the serious oldest brother who was comfortable directing his brother Russel. I heard that they were given the responsibility to care for sister Mary in her baby carriage in Canora. There was a slope to the large pond located near there and it seemed like a great sport to launch the carriage down the hill to the waiting other brother at the pond. The neighbor, Negrieffs, would call Mom, in hysteria as all she could see is a carriage racing down the hill with a baby in it, on its own and out of control.
Lawrence understood about life and creation. Russel was asking his older brother as they walked from Phoenix School “how did our brother Elmer come to be?” just after the day that I was born. Lawrence rose to the challenge and pointed to our father cleaning the well with his neighbor, “see they pulled him out of that well!”
I guess that is why Russel kept reminding me later that “I was wet behind the ears”.
Lawrence learned farming by operating the implements with teams of four (4) and two (2) horses depending on the application. He learned the rudiments of steel-wheeled tractors as well as operating threshing machines.
He also experienced mixed farming with milking cows, chickens, swine, sheep, geese, turkeys and ducks. That meant shearing sheep, castrating male animals which was the farmer’s method of birth control.
Being a blacksmith, mechanic and being able to fix everything was just another day’s work to a Farmer. Lawrence was able to pick all this well in his stride.
Farming meant building the house to live in, barn, granary, sheds, coops, fence and anything else that was necessary. He adapted to carpentry at an early age.
I recall that Lawrence was also a good cook and was able to bake fantastic lemon pies and perfected an Angel Food Cake which was a wonder with a wood stove. Oh yes, Borsch, stews and just about any food preparation, was well within his scope.
(Picture of three brothers in Veregin here)
Our mother taught us how to prepare wool and spin it into yarn. Lawrence was able to knit stocking and sweaters. Mother would chide him with “you never know that you might marry some girl that will not be so capable so you need to know!”
The small farm community was under pressure to expand and although the farm of 1950 was usually 320 to 480 acres, whereas farms now are a minimum of 8,000 acres. This forced young men to leave the farmsteads. Lawrence caught a ride with friends going to British Columbia in 1951 and that started the rest of his life.
Lawrence was a hard worker and capable in many ways. One of his first employment opportunities was being a Saw Filer on the Emerald Mine in Salmo, B.C. When they asked “can you sharpen saws?” the answer was “yes”.
The Trail Hospital was about to start construction and was hiring Carpenters as well as all Trades, but so was the Waneta Dam. The rumour was that there would be many overtime hours on the Dam and so his buddy Phil Zaitsoff and him headed for the Waneta Dam Offices. Both were able to convince the Superintendent of their capability and knowledge. The Carpenter’s Union was just in its infancy and so they were hired on the spot.
This steady employment was a dream come true for Lawrence. There was now enough money to buy a car and a 1953 Pontiac was his pride and joy. This also made attracting girls much easier, especially when you are tall dark and handsome. Apparently, with Bill Novakshonoff (Satch), they became the terror in the Kootenays that made many mothers become concerned for their daughters.
One girl named Mable Soloveoff could not resist the temptation and soon they became a couple. Mother did not need to worry as Mable was an adept Seamstress, Rug-Maker, Weaver and talented Artisan and they started a long life together.
Lawrence was always an independent person that started with a farming background.With his friend Phil Zaitsoff, they formed a partnership to build houses after the Waneta Dam Project was over. This was short lived as both men were strong-willed and strong-minded which caused them to separate and begin individual contracting firms. Lawrence incorporated L.W. Verigin Construction Ltd in the mid 1950’s with bother Russel and Book-keeper Mable they started their future self-employment building construction enterprise.
Contracts were undertaken for building construction of Custom Homes and Additions. Russel became the field superintendent and Lawrence immediately drifted into Millwork and Custom Kitchen Designs and construction. It was something to witness, watching Lawrence “carve” a kitchen in someone’s house while they lived there. He became so popular with the female part of the client family because every kitchen was a unique design with many portions of the cabinet fitting perfectly into each kitchen. It was amazing how in the end everyone were still remained friends.
The clientele increased by “word of mouth” advertising until it was necessary to hire employees starting with Phillip Sherstobitoff who remained a loyal Craftsman and friend throughout the years. Others followed but the crews stayed under six (6) until well into the mid 60s.
Lawrence made sure that there was a job for brother Elmer who would come from the farm during school Summer Holidays starting in Grade 10 right through University.
It was in 1961 that the three (3) brothers agreed to form a Construction Company that could grow. Brother Elmer would complete his Engineering courses and join the firm as a shareholder. This had to wait until Elmer served two (2) years working with practicing Engineers at a Pulp Mill in Prince Rupert from 1963 through to 1965.
It came about that Lawrence welcomed his two brothers into a new company that was incorporated as Verigin Industries Ltd (ViL) in 1967 just after Obal Sash and Door Company was purchased. Windows, Doors and Cabinets could now be manufactured under a roof at Bear Creek, on the outskirts of Trail, B.C. Lawrence used his skills as Master Craftsman to supervise the manufacturing and Millwork was added to the products that ViL could supply to the industry.
Business improved and the Plant was expanded from the original 6,000 square feet to 12,000 square feet. Lawrence continued to supervise the Plant and Russel supervised the construction division. Elmer was able to bring some design projects and soon design / build contracts became a reality
Lawrence handled this inclusion of his brothers into his original company and the three (3) brothers respected their individual territories of responsibility. It all worked well.
In 1972 a development opportunity presented itself at Elkford, B.C. to build a hotel and shopping center. It is necessary to note how Lawrence was to make the most significant contribution and perhaps influenced my life as well as the family business.
Financing is always a challenge in projects of this nature and so the Financier was that of “last resort”, the Federal Business Development Bank (FDDB). Elkford is at elevation 4,200 feet and so the project was estimated at $1,000,000 and to start in May. It was mid August that we got the call from FBDB to see them in Cranbrook.
There was “good news” and “and news” and I was informed that the loan was approved with Fording Coal Ltd guarantee of $50,000 but the funds available would be $750,000 far short of the million required. I did not know what to do but left for Elkford to sort all this out. An office trailer had been set up in anticipation of a construction start.
“How to do this with the funding available?” I started mulling this in my mind as I drove the pickup. I got to Jaffray and decided to phone brother Lawrence in the Trail Offices as I knew he was waiting for the news. I relayed the offer to Lawrence and offered my opinion that “we should scrap the project, as there is just not enough funds”.
There was hesitation on the other end of the phone until I asked “are you there?”
“Yes,” was the answer. “So we have $750,000 which we never had before. So what is the problem?” he added.
“Lawrence, we are $250,000 short!” I frantically retorted. “Where do we get the rest?”
“Let us start and I am sure you will figger it out.” he responded.
Lawrence just then presented the biggest challenge to his “kid brother” and literally pushed me forward. I am not sure if Lawrence really knew what we were about to move onto but that was what really launched ViL to the next plateau.
The project was successfully completed by May of 1973. The raw entrepreneurs found that success in building construction was possible but operating a facility like this 275 miles from home base was an entirely new dimension, especially with absentee management but that is another story and we will get back to Lawrence.
Lawrence built his own house in Montrose for his family of daughter Patricia and son Mark. This construction was organized as after hours and weekends project which tests an individual who is also moving an enterprising organization. Nonetheless a construction achievement of translating a forward design by his brother-in-law Harry Soloveoff grew on the hillside.
Lawrence had started a tradition of sponsoring yearly Shishliki parties for his crews, families and clients. This event meant that he would marinate the Lamb and paid special attention to the way it was barb-b-qued. He would not allow anyone else to do this function. So it came to pass that Mable complained to Russel and I that she wanted Lawrence to enjoy the guests instead of “working all the time”.
Russel and I did our best but Lawrence just could not stay away and kept up with critical comments to point of when Russel said “just do it!” The result was a confrontation with Mable and we sent her to her husband. Whatever exchanged between them was evident by the way Mable raised her hands in disgust as Lawrence carried on with a beer in his hand and a smile on his face.
The trust and work ethic that Lawrence set initially was continued by the company and many projects were contracted by a handshake. And so it came to be that the Rempel Bros in Abbotsford, invited us to join them in a partnership to tender projects at Expo ’86 in Vancouver. This was at time when “Open Shop” construction was competing against the “closed” policy of the Union Trades organizations that were threatening the Expo project unless it was all to be built “Union”.
Lawrence was all in favour of this new challenge of tendering major projects on the Lower Mainland and encouraged me to do just that.
The short story is that we were successful in receiving contracts to construct all 29 International Pavilions and 10 Restaurants.
Our Partnership of Rempel and Verigin families was Marbella Pacific Construction Ltd. The resulting multi-million agreement was a handshake demonstrating an historic trustworthy relationship of Doukhobors and Mennonites that started in the Ukraine in the 1800’s and continued into Canada.
Lawrence was proud to be part of a group that was able to overcome the negative prediction of the Expo ’86 Project Manager that was “these house-builders from Trail will be the embarrassment to British Columbia and then to the World”. Jim Pattison called me to ask “can you do it?” My answer “of course!”
Yes, it was stressful, especially when that same Project Manager attempted to interfere in the award of a roofing contract to a certified union subtrade. The result was that the famed Project Manger was released by the Expo organization and the “house builder” completed the project successfully and made money.
Lawrence took countless photos of the project and proudly strutted around when the exposition opened to the public.
After Expo ’86, our General Manager suggested we tender Canada wide. This resulted in a one acre sized school for the First Nations in Nelson House. Everything went well except that a Mechanical / Electrical subtrade experienced financial difficulty. Although the sequence of events are difficult to explain in the context of this blog entry, it is better to say that the large margin achieved at Expo was invested in the semi-permafrost of Manitoba.
It was difficult to bring this news to our partners the Rempels who accepted this as “part of doing business”. Lawrence listened to my report attentively and then came back with “are we going to have a shishlik this year?”
You have to love this brother!
I can recall one disagreement which was over the brand of coffee at the Plant and Office of Verigin Industries Ltd. Lawrence preferred MJB but a special was out on Nabob which our Office Manager purchased. I noticed that Lawrence suddenly stopped drinking coffee.
Some research later, I instructed the Office Manager to buy a can of MJB and leave it on the counter to see what would happen. The peaceful protest stopped and Lawrence drank coffee again.
From a personal perspective, I need to explain that I had offers:
- Masters scholarship in Environmental Engineering at the Univertsity of Saskatchewan along with teaching
- Join a Design / Build group to develop Pulp Mills
- Various firms
But I opted to work with my brothers Russel and Lawrence. There is no comparison of financial rewards to family love. We were inseparable! I am the last brother on this Earth and I can attest to the fact that “we loved each other!”
Mark and Patricia decided that a Celebration of Life would be held on May 13, 2017 near their father’s birthday May 09. Lawrence was not a formally practicing Doukhobor and so they are offering a Shishliki Party at their cousin Rick and Lori Woodhouse residence in Genelle, B.C. We fully expect that the unattended skewers will be mysteriously turning and we will all know who will be doing that.
“……..Here is the Event link. Password is Lawrence.
Your event, Lawrence Verigin Celebration of Life, is up and running and ready for action. Go ahead and check it out.
Lawrence Verigin Celebration of Life
Love Patti ……”
The link you can forward or post: https://www.myalternatives.ca/trail/obituaries/2017-verigin-lawrence-william
Blog development:
- This blog is under construction as of 1430 hours, Tuesday February 14, 2017
- Next contribution 1835 hours, Tuesday, February 14, 2017.
- Next contribution and edit February 16, 2017 at 1700 hours
- Next contribution February 17, 2017 at 0920 hours
- Continuing contributions from time to time to follow
Elmer Verigin
Elmer Verigin 