Ralph Ernest Larrabee

The Lethbridge Harold
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Thursday, March 28, 1946
p. 6

Veteran Telegraph Official Retiring After Long Service

A career of 50 years in the telegraph service, the last 21 as inspector of communications for the Lethbridge division of the Canadian Pacific Railway will end on Saturday afternoon for R.E. Larrabee of Calgary when he retires on pension.

Eligible for retirement last year, Mr. Larrabee remained in harness until more of the telegraph company's employees returned to civilian life from the armed forces.

During the years he has been inspector on this division, Mr. Larrabee has been visiting Lethbridge and other points in southern Alberta, spending more time on the division than in his headquarters in Calgary month after month and in those years he established a host of friends throughout southern Alberta.

When he went into the telegraph service half a century ago messages were handled only over plain physical wires, which offered but a fraction of the reliability assured by modern complicated equipment.

Born in Maine

Mr. Larrabee was born in Princeton, Maine, on August 12, 1880, and it was in that state that he received his education and embarked on his career, starting as a messenger boy for Postal Telegraphs in Houlton in 1896. Four years later, he joined the C.P.R. as a telegraph operator at Woodstock, N.B., working later at Fredericton and St. John, N.B., and Montreal.

In July 1906, Mr. Larrabee was transferred to Calgary as an operator and has made his home there ever since. He plans to continue making his home there with his wife.

One promotion after another came to Mr. Larrabee in Calgary and in 1925 he left the chief operator's post to become an inspector, succeeding C.W. MacDonald.

In 1909, Mr. Larrabee married Miss Perle Jury of Charlottetown, P.E.I., in Calgary, and they have two sons, both working for the C.P.R.

*****
The Lethbridge Harold
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Monday, October 31, 1949

"Larry" Larrabee, Retired C.P.C. Inspector, Passes

CALGARY, Oct. 31 -- Ralph Ernest Larrabee, 69, well known C.P.R. [sic?] official, died Sunday at his home.

Mr. Larrabee had been chief inspector of the Calgary division, Canadian Pacific Communications, for several years, until his retirement in 1946.

He was born in Princeton, Maine, and began his career as messenger for Postal Telegraphs in Houston, Maine in 1896. He joined the C.P.R. in 1900 as telegraph operator at Woodstock, N.B. He was moved to Fredericton, then to St. John, N.B. and also to Montreal, before coming to Calgary in 1906.

He was a member of the Calgary Lodge 23 A.F. and A.M. and a life member of the Canadian Pacific Association.

He is survived by his wife, Pearle; two sons, George and Russell, and one granddaughter, all in Calgary; a brother, Frederick, Kansas City, Mo. and a sister, Mrs. Harold W. Hall, Santa Monica, Calif.

"Larry" Larrabee was well-known in South Alberta as his territory embraced that portion from Calgary south to the border.

  Events

• He appeared on the census in 1900 in Houlton, Aroostook County, Maine. He lived in the household of his mother.

• He immigrated in 1906 to Canada. Ralph was naturalized in 1915.

• He appeared on the census in 1911 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He was head of household.

• He appeared on the census in 1916 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He was head of household and property owner.

• He appeared on the census in 1921 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He was head of household and property owner.

• He worked as a telegrapher for the railway.

• He had a residence in Calgary, British Columbia, Canada.

Ralph married Mary Perle Jury, daughter of George G. Jury and Rebecca Anna [--?--], in 1909.¹⁰⁴⁵⁸ (Mary Perle Jury was born 8 June 1884 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada ¹⁰⁴⁶³, baptized in September 1884 in Canada,¹⁰⁴⁶³ died before 4 April 1977 ¹⁰⁴⁶⁴ and was buried 4 April 1977 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada at Union Cemetery ¹⁰⁴⁶⁴.)