Memorable Manitobans: John Robert Walkof (1888-1965)

Farmer, educator.

Born in Manitoba on 3 December 1888, shortly after the arrival of his parents, Russian immigrants Simon Walkof and Mary Edinger. He started teaching at Winkler at the age of 17.

He taught at Haskett School (1906) and was Principal of Winkler School (1916-1940). During this time he established the High School program, arranged summer courses enabling teachers to raise their academic standing, organized school choirs, a brass band, and a Literary Society. He and his wife Justina also operated a farm near Winkler. She would bring him to Winkler school on Monday and return to pick him up on Friday, while she ran the farm in his absence. He retired from teaching in 1953. He also was Reeve of the Rural Municipality of Stanley for six years, served on the Blumstein School Board for 20 years, and was a candidate for the Morden and Rhineland constituency in the 1945 provincial general election.

He died at his home near Winkler on 31 July 1965 and was buried in the Winkler Cemetery. He is commemorated by J. R. Walkof School in Winkler.

Sources:

1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 2 August 1965.

We thank Cora Hoeppner and Nathan Kramer for providing information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 24 April 2022

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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