My father Frank Gabriel Dragon (Francois Dragon) was born on the trap line in Big Point, Alberta (Fort Chipewyan, Alberta) on August 4, 1933.

His parents were David and Philomene (nee' Powder) DRAGON.

His Grandparents were Mary Rose (nee’ Cardinal) and Jonas POWDER and Joseph-Damase and Exilia (nee' Pivin) ETHIER DIT DRAGON (DRAGON).

His Great Grandparents were Harry and Pelagie? (nee Cardinal) POWDER and Joseph and Eliza (nee' Desjarlais) CARDINAL also known as "CARDINAL DIT LABATOCHE", David-Damase and Elmire (nee' Beauchemin) ETHIER DIT DRAGON, also Olivier and Angelique (nee Gagne) PIVIN.

His Great Great Grandparents were Euphrosine (nee Auger) and Francois DESJARLAIS, also Gabriel and Marie (nee Bruneau) CARDINAL DIT LABATOCHE, also Francois and Celeste (nee Dupuis) ETHIER DIT DRAGON, also Charles and Lucie (nee Brunelle) PETIT DIT BEAUCHEMIN

His Great Great Great Grandparents were Louis and Archange (nee Bourdon) ETHIER DIT DRAGON, Charles and Josette (nee Montminy) DUPUIS, also Antoine and Marie Madeline (nee Kline or Klyne) AUGER, Joseph and Josephte (nee Cardinal) DESJARLAIS, also Jean Baptiste and Emmy (nee Moignon or Moigan) CARDINAL DIT LABATOCHE, also Jean Baptiste and Marie (nee Kool Salteaux) Bruneau

There are still members of my Dad’s family that continue to live in and around Plamondon and Lac La Biche. My dad married Mary Duncan, daughter of George and Margaret (nee' Cardinal/Firth) Duncan. My mother's grandparents were Louis and Catherine (Firth) Cardinal. Great grandparents were John and Margaret (nee' Stewart) Firth, and Murray and Therese (nee' Gladue?) Cardinal.

My father and mother lived in Uranium from 1959 till 1964 where my dad like everyone else worked at the mine Eldorado. His brothers George, Ronald (Lucien), and James (Dick) l believe worked there as well. In 1964, an opportunity to work for and be trained by the City of Edmonton as a Firefighter came up, they moved back to Edmonton. That lasted as long as when my mother's sisters husband, my Uncle Tom Watts, l think he as well worked up in Uranium, came and told my Dad of the opportunity to work in B.C. on Texada Island, at the mine in Gillies Bay. So off he went, got the job and we moved to Texada Island 12 mile on the water off Powell River, B.C. Friends from Uranium and still to this day that were also on the Island were Jim and Olga Rozak. They had two boys at the time, Leonard and Dwayne, and a third upon leaving Darren. My Godparents also lived in Uranium, and they were Janet and George Tralnberg. Janet passed this past year and l still miss the once a week phone call my wife and l would get from her, the birthday and Christmas cards.

My sister Dianna and myself Frank (Jr) were born in Uranium, Dianna in 1960, and myself in 1961. George was born in 1964 and was 2 weeks old when we all made the trek to B.C., Sept/Oct 1964. My sister Bernice was to follow in Jan 1968. I am the past President of the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Center Society, past interim Executive Director, and currently the Program Manager for the Friendship Center. The Mayor of Vancouver has recently asked me to be on a committee for the City and have accepted that as well. I sit on a number of Boards of Directors (5) My dad was active with the sports and coached little league baseball, and soccer. My father was very family oriented, and we were a close family. In the spring of 1977, the mine on Texada closed, which is the norm in mining, and my dad got a job at Western Mines in Campbell River, B.C. My sister and l graduated from high school in Campbell River. My dad saw my sister graduate in 1978, but unfortunately for me Dad never saw me graduate. On Jan 23rd, 1979, my dad was killed at Western Mine’s in Campbell River, which in turn set us on a new journey. On January 29, 1979 we laid my dad to rest in the family plot in Plamondon/Lac La Biche. The funeral was quite large as my dad left a wife Mary, Daughter Dianna 18 yrs, son Frank 17 yrs, Son George14 yrs, and daughter Bernice 11 yrs. He was predeceased by his Mother Philomene in 1945(?), his brothers George, and Keith, his sister Maxine. Survived by his Dad, my Pa Pere David, his Grandmother Mary Rose Powder, Brothers, Ron, Dick, Eddie; sisters Margaret, Rita, Terry, Audrey, Donna, and Margie. Also survived by his Dad's and Mothers many uncles and aunts and relatives. Since than my great grandmother Mary Rose has passed on and also his father David. Pa Pere passed almost to the exact date 1 year later. I still remember those words my pa pere said to me at the cemetery, minus 65 with the wind chill factor, 79 years of age, as he wept, " it's a sin son, for a father to outlive his children. My children should outlive me not the other way around.

Its been 25 years, l was 17 at the time and it is just as if yesterday when we lost Dad. When we visit him at the Cemetery, l am still that 17 yr old boy who lost his dad, time will never change that. Time can’t bring back what we as a family have never got to share with him. Dianna and l are married to the same persons, for her (Francis) 23 years, myself (Lisa) 14 years, George’s partner Michelle and him have been together for 4 years and Bernice and Dave have been married for 20 years. Dianna has three girls, I have 2 boys and 2 girls, like mom and dad, George has no children, and Bernice has 1 girl. The missed marriages, births of grandchildren, missing his humor, kisses and hugs are all the experiences that my children will miss in not knowing their Pa Pere. I can’t tell you how much the tears have flowed today as l wrote this memorial to him. My family has lost some one special to us that he really was our hero. My mother has never dated or re-married and lives not to far from us in Coquitlam. She is 67 years old and if Dad were alive he'd be 71 this year. She is feeling her age these days as old age catches up and many have gone now, the most recent for her was Frank Camsell. Mary Camsell is unwell and in a home in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan as well. Thanks for allowing this, as it was healing but very emotional. These words from Mariah Carey's song is dedicated to my dad "FRANK GABRIEL DRAGON - August 4th, 1933 to January 23rd, 1979"

Good night dad-l love you xoxo-Frankie