Educator.
Born at Dauphin on 29 July 1932, the first-born child of Lottie Mae Campbell (1908-1982) and John Alexander “Jack” McLaren (1905-1976), she excelled at academics. She earned a teaching degree at a young age and began her career at Abbotshall School. She went on to teach young Manitobans at the elementary level, and then worked at Gordon Bell High School. She also taught university courses.
Obtaining a PhD degree in Administrative Studies, she worked for the Manitoba Department of Education and was Director of Co-op Education at Red River Community College before taking retirement. However, she continued in the education field, training and teaching with the business she founded, McLaren Research and Consulting, while studying to become a family counsellor. In 1992, she received a Woman of Distinction Award and was honoured with various other awards throughout her life.
She taught Tarot card reading and gave Tarot readings throughout her life, creating many friends with a similar passion. She loved to dance and often attended Royal Canadian Legion functions and other dances. In her later years, she took up painting as a hobby. With her husband, Arthur Nowak, she had three children.
She died at Winnipeg on 8 December 2009.
Marriage registration [Lottie Mae Campbell, John Alexander McLaren], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 11 December 2009.
Hansard, Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, 23 April 1992.
“Joan Elizabeth McLaren,” Enokson Family Tree, Ancestry.
Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.
This page was prepared by Lois Braun.
Page revised: 12 April 2025
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.
Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:
Custom SearchBrowse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | ZBrowse deaths occurring in:
1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025
Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.caCriteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements
Help us keep
history alive!
