Linda Ann Dyck Wiebe

Canadian Armed Forces

Primary Air Reserve

Linda, born 29 January 1954, is the daughter of John and Agatha (Peters) Dyck. She was raised in their home on First Street in Morden along with two younger siblings, Ron and Sharon. She went to school in Morden and worked at the Esso Restaurant while going to High School. After High School Linda went to Regina and worked there for a time before coming back to Morden in 1973. Ken, already in the Forces, happened to be home on leave that summer and they connected. On 29 August of 1974 Ken and Linda were married. They went to Bagotville, Quebec a few days after the wedding, Ken’s home base. When married only a week, Ken left on deployment to New Brunswick. This was the beginning of Ken’s departures for the next 22 years, lasting from days to months at a time. They lived in many places throughout Canada. Their son was born in Bagotville and three weeks prior to being transferred to Europe, Linda had a baby girl. New posting, foreign country, a son who is 17 months, a baby of 20 days old and a husband who left first thing in the morning to report for duty. Pretty routine for a military wife.

While Ken was stationed in Cold Lake, Alberta the Forces were looking for Reservists to fill short staffed positions. Linda took the opportunity and in the fall of 1981 enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces. She did her basic training followed immediately by some Dental Technician training. As there was suddenly a greater need for Administrative Clerks she was transferred, took the Administrative course and completed it in December, 1982. Linda filled the Administrative position until June 1984 when Ken was transferred to Goose Bay, Labrador. Linda was promoted to Corporal just prior to her departure from Cold Lake. Shortly after arriving in Goose Bay she was taken on strength in the Base Administrative Section and served until June 1985. Linda also worked at a variety of civilian jobs as she followed Ken around the country.

On their second time in Edmonton (1991) Linda went to work for Kitchen Kraft and when Ken was transferred to Winnipeg the company offered Linda a position as the Shipping Clerk at their main plant in Winnipeg. She worked there until 2003 when they moved to Morden. During that summer Linda decided to go back to school and took the Red River College Health Care Aide course, graduating with Honours in March 2004. She worked in this field for a number of years as well as with her husband until retirement in 2010.

Linda has been a member of the Morden Legion for more than 25 years and also served on the Executive. Linda and Ken have been married since 1974 and have two children, Trevor and Makenzie as well as two grandchildren.