People
A Century of Motherhood
GURDIAL KAUR OPPAL
Sikh-Canadian Sardarni Gurdial Kaur Oppal arrived in Canada from Punjab in 1934. For 28 years, she lived in Duncan, British Columbia, Canada, before moving to New Westminster, B.C., where she’s lived since 1999. She turned 100 years old last November.
I’ve experienced many hardships in the years I’ve been here.
When one has a husband, those hardships are less difficult to deal with.
I was married in 1932, before I was 20 years old, and widowed in 1948. My oldest son was 10 years old when my husband died, my youngest son was seven.
I didn’t have a cent when my husband died but I never bothered the government for money. I didn’t take welfare and there was no such thing as a widow’s pension.
I couldn’t read or write. I took a job as a house-keeper for the people who owned the mill where my husband had worked. I learned quickly and I worked hard. I made 50 cents an hour for three hours of work a day.
I bought cows and people bought milk from me. Life was hard but I always remained happy. My sons and I all worked hard. We lived on very little money.
My oldest son, Wally*, who became a Supreme Court judge, bought his first suit when he received his BA. He didn’t buy a car until he passed law school. All those years he took the bus to school.
I moved from Vancouver Island to live with my oldest son in 1978. For a year and a half now I’ve been living on my own in an apartment.
My sons visit me often and I am happy.
* * * * *
*Sardarni Gurdial Kaur’s eldest son, Wally Singh Oppal, Q.C. (born 1940 in Vancouver, British Columbia) is a Canadian lawyer, former Judge and provincial politician, who is currently serving as the Chancellor of the Thompson Rivers University.
He became a Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in 1985. In 2003, he was appointed to the British Columbia Court of Appeal where he served until he resigned to seek election to the provincial legislature. He served as, inter alia, the Attorney General of British Columbia during the years 2005-09.
[Courtesy: Mehfil. Edited for sikhchic.com]
May 8, 2015
Conversation about this article
1: Kulvinder Jit Kaur (Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada), May 08, 2015, 8:33 PM.
Exemplary life of a hard working mother who raised a successful family on her own. There is pride in such a life. Early Sikh immigrants had a lot of pride and did not believe in hand-outs. Something that recent immigrants can learn from. When the whole country was on welfare during the Depression, Sikh immigrants like Sardarni Gurdial Kaur refused to go on Welfare and stuck it out through the tough times.
2: Harminder Singh (Jalandhar, Punjab), May 08, 2015, 9:58 PM.
My head bows to this brave mother who raised her son against all odds in life. We should follow her example.
3: Jaswinder Singh (Brier, Washington State, USA), May 10, 2015, 10:43 AM.
Very inspirational and educational!