A living piece of Cochrane’s history celebrated a grand milestone, as Mary Picken (nee Nagy) turned 100 years old on Mar. 15th.
To commemorate the event, Mary’s family hosted a special celebration on Mar. 17, at St. Mary’s Catholic Parish.
Mary was born on Mar. 15, 1924, in McDowell, Saskatchewan. She was the sixth of 10 children from Suzanna and Andrew Nagy.
In the following years, the family of 12 would move to Lethbridge, Cochrane Lakes, before finally settling in Cochrane in 1927. Rosemary Gailey, one of Mary’s Children, said her mother spent her entire youth and childhood in Cochrane.
“Because they lived so close to the big Cochrane Hill, after school, her, her friends, and her siblings would go to the hill and chase the cows home for the neighbours that didn’t have any kids,” she said. “She loved to go up on the hill and pick crocuses for her mom.”
Gailey added that the Picken Family was very involved in St. Mary’s Catholic Parish, and her mother was a very devout woman of faith.
Another one of Mary’s seven children, Dan Picken, said that in 1941 she would meet his father, Douglas Picken, at Senator Lougheed’s former mansion which served as school to train young women at the time.
“My dad met her on a blind date in 1941,” Dan said. “So, they dated for quite a while, and then of course World War II got in the way. My dad asked whether or not she would wait for him, and she quickly responded – yes.”
Soon after Douglas would be shipped off to England, where he served in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Upon returning to Canada, the couple would have to wait a bit longer as Douglas signed up to serve in the RCMP, the same day he was discharged from the RCAF.
“In May of 1947, my mother travelled from Cochrane to Melville, Saskatchewan, and they got married at a church ceremony on Sunday, May 24, 1947,” Dan said. “They had pancakes for lunch, then my dad went for a 16-hour shift with the RCMP and mom went to hotel room, but as a very happily married lady.”
Later that year, Dan said the newlyweds would move to Calgary later that year and would go on to start their family, where they would go on to raise seven children.
“Cochrane was always mom’s home,” he said. “She always considered herself a Cochrane girl, if you ask her where she’s from, she’ll say Cochrane, even though she spent most of her life in Calgary.”
Dan said many of Mary’s relatives are still around town, including Don Begg, of Cochrane’s Studio West Foundry, who immortalized their family legacy through the “Chicken Lady Statue” on First St.
“The statue in the middle of town was done by Don Begg, and it really depicts the Nagy women,” he said. “So, my mom, my grandmother, and of course his mom, Amy Begg.”
In addition, he recalls that his mother’s home, which used to be located at the bottom of the Cochrane hill when entering town, was even sold to the government in 1984.
On March 30, 1984, the Cochrane Fire Department used the house as a training exercise and burned it to the ground, and would later be part of Highway 1A.
As the proud mother to seven children, 14 grandchildren, 19 great-great grandchildren, and two great-great-great grandchildren, Dan said her family roots extend beyond Cochrane, to around the globe.
When asked about her age, Mary said she doesn’t feel a day over 100.
“I don’t feel old because I keep busy all the time,” Mary said.
With a deep connection and very fond memories of Cochrane, she said the town has changed from what she remembers.
“I grew up in Cochrane, and it’s really grown since the 30’s,” Mary said with a laugh. “It’s still good ol’ Cochrane, its just grown a little too much.”
