Fonds PR0119 - A. Russell Patrick fonds

Allen Russell Patrick was born on September 15, 1910 in Stettler, Alberta. After graduation, he moved to Calgary to work in stock market, but he lost his job after the stock market crash of 1929 and returned home to find work. In 1930 he was accepted to the Camrose Normal School teacher training program. Upon completion of his studies in 1931, he got a job teaching grades 1 through 9 in a rural school. A year later he accepted a position as principal to a school in town. During his many years as a principal, he spent summers improving his education by taking courses at the University of Alberta. On December 22, 1934, A. Russell Patrick married Florence Lyon (1913-2009) of Stettler. Together they had three children: Lynn, Terry and Granton.

He was first elected as a Social Credit MLA in 1952 for the Lacombe electoral district. He served as Minister of Economic Affairs (1955-1959), Minister of Industry and Development (1959-1968), Provincial Secretary (1959-1962) and Minister of Mines and Minerals (1961-1971), and as Chairman of the Research Council. Twice he represented Western Canada at Parliamentary Conferences in Britain and the Bahamas, led several trade missions to countries such as Japan, Australia and Germany, and coordinated all Royal Visits while he was in office. He retired from provincial politics at the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly in 1971.

In retirement, he served on the boards of several local community organizations and corporations as well as the Glenbow Foundation. He died in Edmonton in 1995.