Memorable Manitobans: Norman Martin Rusaw (1912-1979)

Norman M. Rusaw Click to enlarge

Educator, administrator.

Born in Percy Township, Ontario on 26 January 1912, son of Norman W. Rusaw and Laura Brown, during the Second World War he served with the Royal Canadian Air Force. In August 1945, he became Principal of the Birtle Indian Residential School, with his wife Edith Kathleen Mitchell serving as Matron and Choir Director, and he continued in the position until 1970. He was later administrator of the Birtle Municipal Hospital. He died at Creston, British Columbia on 22 April 1979.

Sources:

A View of the Birdtail: A History of the Municipality of Birtle, 1878-1974 by Marion Abra, Birtle, 1974, page 189.

Death registration, British Columbia Vital Statistics.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 25 April 1979, page 87.

A Brief Administrative History of the Residential Schools and The Presbyterian Church in Canada’s Healing and Reconciliation Efforts, The Presbyterian Church in Canada, page 8.

We thank Nathan Hasselstrom and Brenda Samchuk (Birdtail Country Museum) for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 25 March 2016

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 Search Browse 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 | Z Browse deaths occurring in: 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 Send corrections and additions to this page to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements Help us keep history alive!