I had the pleasure of meeting with Molly and Shannon Stephenson on November 9th, 2023 to go through all the items and to learn more about their father Bill Stephenson.
Bill started curling as early as 1949 and won a number of Club Championships at the Orillia Curling Club in 1957 and again in 1961. Bill was known for his takeout game as the 5-rock rule had not yet come into play.
If you check the last picture right across from the men’s washroom you will see the picture of Bill and his team of Ross Sanderson, Jerry Bradd and Don Paul along with Tom Caldwell’s team of Ross Coward, Tre Behan., and Frank Milligan. The two teams were the winners of the Governor General Trophy from 1959.
With winning the championship titles, each member of the team took home beautiful silver trophies which the family has generously donated to the club for our historical trophy collection. You will see in the picture that each team member of the Governor Generals was presented with a green jacket, much like the Masters, however of significant note is that each button on each of the jackets was engraved with the initials of the player. Now that is something. Bill’s jacket has been donated to the club as well.
Other winnings include the Silver Tankard in 1966 and 1969.
Bill would have curled at the Andrew Street sight and then later at the West Street site. Not only did Bill curl but he also joined in the regular bridge games that were held in the upstairs back room at the West Street site. Oh, the memories.
Bill was married to Mary, and along with their children, Baxter, Shannon and Molly they all curled at the Orillia Curling Club for many years. Both Baxter and Molly curled on the high school team at O.D.C.V.I.
When we were going through the items, Molly and Shannon enquired about a Founder’s pin. They recalled their father going to a special event at the curling club in 2000. I was able to provide them with the history of the work that was done to re-establish curling in Orillia after the 11-year hiatus. Each major step along that journey the then shareholders were given the opportunity to redeem their shares or to leave them to help us to meet the goal. All the shareholders who left their money in the corporation were honoured at the ceremony in 2000 and issued a Founder’s pin.
The names of all those shareholders are on the wooden plaque to the right of the stairs as you enter the restaurant.
Molly and Shannon also left a scrapbook with me, and I will include some interesting information from that in a future newsletter. Stay tuned.
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RELATED IMAGES
A patch on the jacket of Bill Stephenson | Photo: Charlene Ley/Orillia Curling Club
