More Big Hill Country 2009 pg 817
Pat moved to Cochrane in 1944 with her parents May and Sam Blood and her brother Wayne. Her father was employed by J.R. McConachie of the Just Home Ranch. She started Grade 7 in the Cochrane School and completed her school years there, graduating in 1949. In 1951 she married Lawrence Woods from Lacombe, Alberta, who was employed by Mannix Construction. In 1952 he was employed by the seismograph division of Shell Oil Company, which involved working in various areas of the province. They lived in a mobile home and moved periodically until 1958 when Lawrence was transferred to the Jumping Pound Gas Plant in the Cochrane area. They’ve lived in Cochrane ever since. Pat and Lorne purchased the W. Camden house (built 1903) in 1962 and lived there for 40 years.
Lorne and Pat had three children: Gail, Guy, and Craig. They all reside in Cochrane. They also have two grandsons.
As most families, they became involved in several community activities while their children were small. Pat served on the executive of the Home and School Association, and the Brownies and Guides Association. She was a cub leader for five years. Lorne was on the District Executive of Boy Scouts of Canada for five years, and in 1960 started coaching organized minor hockey for the next thirteen years. In 1967 he received a certificate from the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association for Outstanding Service to Minor Hockey.
As a family, they all had a love of the outdoors and fortunately the Cochrane area was handy for fishing, skiing, motorcycling, hunting, camping, and swimming. Many summer days were spent swimming in the Jumping Pound Creek (thanks to the H. Wearmouth Family) and what was known as the river backwater at Griffin’s Island.
All three children spent their school years in Cochrane and they, as well as Pat and Lorne, are fortunate to have many schoolmates still living in the area.
