Municipal official, community activist.
Born at Ormstown, Quebec in January 1901, daughter of James and Margaret Travers, she attended school at Killarney and later attended the Brandon Normal School where she taught until her marriage, on 6 August 1924, to Ernest Eskil Hallonquist. They had two sons: Murray E. Hallonquist and William Andrew Hallonquist. She taught Sunday School, helped organize the Central Volunteer Bureau, and was active in the work of the Red Cross and Community Chest. During the Second World War, she organized the Winnipeg Block Plan which became the model used later by the United Way, Red Cross, and other organizations.
She helped to run her husband’s printing and publishing business as of 1946 and took it over completely when he became ill. The Returning Officer for the Winnipeg Centre constituency in the 1953 provincial general election, she served on the Winnipeg city council from 1953 to 1971. Known for her forthrightness, she once said a woman did not have to be “sweet and sugary” to be a successful politician. In 1962, she became Winnipeg’s first female acting mayor, filling in for Steve Juba. She was a member of the Canadian Women’s Club, Manitoba Liberal Association (Secretary and Vice-President), and Manitoba Branch of the National Federation of Liberal Women (Vice-President).
She died at Winnipeg on 15 June 1985 and was buried in the Brookside Cemetery.
See also:
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Winnipeg Central Dump / Saskatchewan Avenue Dump / “Garbage Hill” / Westview Park (1 Midland Street, Winnipeg)
1911 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.
Marriage registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Mrs. Lillian Hallonquist,” Winnipeg Free Press, 8 October 1952, page 3.
“Former city councillor dies,” Winnipeg Free Press, 16 June 1985, page 3.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 17 June 1985, page 34.
We thank Nathan Kramer for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 29 September 2023
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