Community activist.
Born at St. James on 17 September 1922, son of Annie and Samuel Rafter, he attended Daniel McIntyre Collegiate then worked for Scott-Bathgate Limited and federal Manpower and Immigration until retirement. He was a long-time Governor of Commissionaires Manitoba. During the Second World War, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and served as a wireless air gunner with the 422 Squadron. Upon formation of the Air Reserve in 1951, he joined 3052 Technical Training Unit at 17 Wing Headquarters in Winnipeg and later was appointed Honourary Colonel of Air Navigation School. He helped to organize several Commonwealth Air Crew reunions in Winnipeg.
In 1963 he was appointed Aide-de-Camp to the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba and served 32 years in this voluntary position under seven successive Lieutenants Governor: E. F. Willis, R. S. Bowles, W. J. McKeag, F. L. Jobin, P. K. McGonigal, G. Johnson, and Y. Dumont. In recognition of his exemplary community service, he was recognized with the Order of Canada (1981), Order of the Buffalo Hunt (1994), and the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002).
He died on 23 April 2012.
G. Charles Rafter, Order of Canada Citation.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 26 April 2012.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 9 March 2017
Memorable Manitobans
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