Procyk, Jean Haddow Morrison

Born deaf, probably because of prematurity, at Hardisty, AB. Manitoba School for the Deaf 1935-1941, then transferred to and graduated the Mackay Institute for Protestant Deaf-Mutes in 1945. Worked in Edmonton, AB cafes for 3 years, then as kitchen staff at the Alberta School for the Deaf for 16 years until retirement. Just before she was married at age 22 to Joseph Procyk, also deaf, she was sterilized by the Alberta provincial government, under eugenics laws and at her hearing brother's request, because he did not want her to have deaf children. Neither she nor Joseph understood the purpose of the surgery at the time and were heartbroken when they learned why they were unable to start a family.