My Local History
I am proud to say I have a long family history in Kneehill County and the Three Hills area. I was born on July 4th, 1968 at the “old” Three Hills Hospital. (Fun fact-my husband & I share the same birthday!) My Dad, Gord Machell, (known as Gordie) was born in Calgary and moved to Sunnyslope at an early age with his parents, Stanley and Norah Machell. He attended school in Sunnyslope and finished up in Torrington. He was an avid sportsman, playing ball and hockey in the area for many years, later racing stock cars and ski-doos. In his teen years, he worked for many local farmers, later working for Dirk Klassen of Linden, which resulted in their partnership for many years in the service centers in Linden, Torrington and Three Hills.
My paternal Great-Grandparents, John and Margaret Atkinson, moved to a farm one half mile northwest of the Carbon townsite, named Carbon View Farm in 1916. John was always interested in farming, good cattle and natural resources, especially coal, oil and gas. In 1929 he participated, along with others, in the shallow gas well drilled east of Carbon on the “Pope Lease.” He was also a partner in drilling several core holes north of Kneehill Creek in search of the coal beds which were mined on the south side. John brought the first Polled Shorthorn cattle into Alberta. Both of my Great-Grandparents are buried at the Carbon cemetery.
My Mom, Carol Cheshire, was born in St. Asaph, North Wales, coming to Canada with her mother, Betty Cheshire (Joe Cheshire) and brother Lloyd Cheshire, on the first ship of war brides and families after World War II. My Mom grew up in Elnora and moved on to complete her licensed practical nurse training in Calgary; working at St. Mary’s Hospital in Trochu and both of the Three Hills Hospital locations. My parents met when my Dad was my Mom’s patient at St. Mary’s Hospital, after breaking his leg, playing hockey of course!
My Mom and Dad moved to Three Hills in 1968 and purchased the Merlyn Kirk acreage a half-mile west and half-mile north of town. The day I was born, my Dad opened his new business, the Husky service station across from the Three Hills Hotel. In 1975 my Dad started selling real estate and was known for his friendly disposition and honesty. In later years he was a hockey scout for the Calgary Wranglers and Head Alberta Scout for the Regina Pats of the WHL. (There is where my love of hockey began!)
In 1975 my parents purchased the Chappie Pryor home quarter two miles west of Three Hills and in 1989 moved into Three Hills. My Dad passed away in 1994 of a brain aneurysm, just before his 50th birthday. My Mom continued to live in Three Hills, working at the Three Hills Health Care Centre. In 1999 she married Al Robertson and still resides in Three Hills, an active volunteer with the Hospital Auxiliary, New to You and the flower gardens in Andersen Park and Three Hills Health Centre.
Growing up in Kneehill County was a wonderful time in my life. I was active in the Figure Skating Club, both as a student then later as an instructor. I spent many hours at the outdoor pool and was lucky enough to work there as a teenager, along with four great summers working at the Trochu Swimming Pool. I was one of the first lifeguards to be hired at the Three Hills indoor aquatic centre, such an amazing local facility. Some of my fondest memories growing up were playing ball with my friends and enjoying an ice cream after at the Dairy King!
After graduating from Three Hills School in 1986, I moved to Calgary to complete my Diploma in Social Work at Mount Royal College. I was leaving this small-town life and never looking back, until I realized that the city was not for me and I missed my rural life! Fate would have it I met Ken Cunningham from Trochu, AB while working at the Trochu Pool and we were married in 1991& will be celebrating our 34th Anniversary on July 13th, 2025! We lived west of Trochu for the first 10 years of married life, grain farming with Ken's Dad Vern and brother Tom. We were blessed with three children and moved to Three Hills area after we built our business, Bigfoot and Co, which will celebrate 24 years in Three Hills this fall! I am now so lucky to be called “Ma” to our two grandchildren, Sawyer and Jameson, it’s the best!
I feel so blessed to live in Kneehill County and reside within ¼ mile and 1.5 miles of the two acreages I grew up in; I LOVE WHERE WE LIVE!!
