P.E. "Eddie" and Wassy Trudeau (née Zdan) were married on June 26th 1948, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Throughout their marriage Eddie worked as a Bridge and Buildings Foreman for the Canadian National Railway (CNR.) Due to the nature of his work, the couple moved throughout the Port Arthur Division of the CNR until they settled in Atikokan. Before her marriage, Wassy worked as a school teacher. In Atikokan she performed office work at the General Motors and Ford dealerships. A biography written about the couple by an unknown source described Eddie as a man who "loved his career and was a committed God fearing man and a loving husband..."[1] Eddie and Wassy were married for forty-two years. Wassy had a creative spirit. She enjoyed crocheting, knitting, embroidery, sewing and tailoring and crafts. Eddie "enjoyed being a critic of Wassy's knitting and crochet work" and encouraged her to showcase her work at local fairs.[2] It should be noted that one of her afghans was valued at $1000 at an exhibition in 1986. She also made her wedding dress and veil seen in the photographs above. The couple was stylish, as demonstrated by the hats above. Can you picture them going out for a night on the town? Eddie traveled throughout Northwestern Ontario for his work. The envelopes addressed to "Mrs. P.E. Trudeau" seen above were stamped in Winnipeg and Sioux Lookout. Eddie never missed giving Wassy an anniversary, birthday or Valentine's Day card, even while away from home. When reading Eddie's cards it seems he was a man of little words. However, the card's messages and artwork were filled with beautiful sentiments. The cards shown in this online exhibit make up only a small fraction of the cards that Eddie sent his wife; preserved by the Atikokan Museum. There are many ways to analyze the sentiments of commercialized cards. To offer an example, scholar Emily West explains that the ready-made statements suggest that people's emotions are universal, and that "the industry can meet the nation's social expression needs by customizing these core insights."[3] But for many, the meaning of greeting cards comes more from the time spent picking them out, rather than what they say. West states that "much of [the card's] communicative power comes from how they index the time and effort, both emotional and physical, of the sender who must leave their home, enter the marketplace, select the 'right' card, fill it out and mail it."[4] The sentiments that Eddie chose to express to his wife through greeting cards were very heartfelt. Giving cards to Wassy was something that appeared to be very important to him, so he most likely spent time trying to find the 'right' one to capture how he felt. Wassy kept all of the cards given to her throughout the years, showing her sentimental nature. Of the cards that make up this collection, only a select few were from Wassy to her husband. This could be either because she did not send him as many cards, or for whatever reason those cards were not kept. The card below sent from Wassy showcases her sense of humour. Eddie gave his wife many cards throughout their marriage. The last one in the collection is from 1989, a year before his passing. These artifacts represent a beautiful Atikokan love story, now captured in time for future generations to enjoy. Happy Valentine's Day from the Atikokan Centennial Museum. Ps. don't forget to spend time picking out beautiful cards for your partner, as they might end up in the museum one day! [1] Biography of Wassy and Eddie Trudeau, Ed Brasseur Collection 2016.30.40.6, Atikokan Centennial Museum
[2] Ibid. [3] West, Emily. "Mass Producing the Personal: The Greeting Card Industry's Approach to Commercial Sentiment." Popular Communication. 2008, Vol. 6 Issue 4, 231-247., 231. [4] West, Emily. "Expressing the Self through Greeting Card Sentiment." International Journal of Cultural Studies. 2010, Vol. 13 Issue 5, 451-469, 453.
5 Comments
Carol skukowski
2/13/2017 05:46:42 pm
Wonderful exhibit! Enjoyed looking at the beautiful greeting. I too have a gorgeous affable that my Aunt made for me years ago and I will cherish it always along with all the treasured memories I have of my Aunt and Uncle.
Reply
Stephanie Bellissimo
2/14/2017 09:28:13 am
Hi Carol, I am very glad that you enjoyed the exhibit! I have been working on digitizing this collection over the last few weeks and thought that it would be wonderful to showcase their love story. It was a pleasure to put together.
Reply
Marilyn Amey-Wilson
2/24/2017 05:24:52 pm
What beautiful memories. This is very well done. I had the pleasure to meet and visit with Mrs. Trudeau on two occasions. What a gem she was, I would have liked to spend more time with her.
Reply
Dwight Wilson
2/24/2017 05:35:11 pm
Having lived in Atikokan in the 1980's I had the priveledge of knowing Eddie and Wassy. This display is a fitting tribute to their character and love. Enjoyed it immensely. Thank you to the people for their time and energy in putting this display together.
Reply
Stephanie Bellissimo
2/27/2017 01:12:41 pm
Hi Marilyn and Dwight, thank you both for your kind words. I am very glad that you enjoyed looking at some of the objects that tell the couple's love story. I found it very touching to read the sentiments they expressed to each other. I wish I could have met them myself.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Help support this blog!
Archives
June 2021
Categories
All
|