Memorable Manitobans: Virgil Elroy Holmes (1927-1986)

Educator, administrator.

Born at Brownlee, Saskatchewan on 29 August 1927, the youngest son of Edgar Holmes and Margaret Holmes, he attended Cartwright School and graduated with a BA degree from United College (1950). He worked for MacDonald Brothers Aircraft until 1956 then returned to university to take a BEd degree (1957). In 1954, he married Lillian June Murdoch (1925-1980) and they resided at Winnipeg before moving to Pilot Mound, where he was Principal of Pilot Mound School (1959-1965). He was later Principal of Arthur Meighen High School (1966-1969), after which he was Assistant Superintendent (1969-1973) and Superintendent (1973-1986) of the Portage la Prairie School Division. He served a term as President of the Manitoba Association of School Superintendents (1980-1981). He died at Portage la Prairie on 25 March 1986 and was buried in the Evergreen Memorial Gardens.

Sources:

Annual Reports of the Manitoba Department of Education, Manitoba Legislative Library.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 27 March 1986, page 47.

Obituary [Lillian June Holmes], Winnipeg Free Press, 1 December 1980, page 49.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 18 November 2022

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.

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