Accession UAA-1989-039 - UAA-1989-039

Lois Argue was Clerk/Secretary, Office of the Registrar, 1947-1960 and Secretary, Office of the Superintendent of Buildings, 1960-1964.

Lois Winnifred Argue was born to Winnifred and Robert Albert Argue in Regina, Saskatchewan on December 12, 1920. She attended schools at Rouleau, Corning and Regina, Saskatchewan and later in Edmonton, Alberta.

Lois Argue joined the Royal Canadian Airforce Women’s Division in 1941 as a medical clerk and was posted to Number 2 Air Observers School based at Blatchford Field, North-West Staging Route, R.C.A.F. Station and Western Air Command at the Municipal Airport, Kingsway Avenue, Edmonton. Argue was the first woman assigned to the base, where she served as a medical assistant. During her time there she looked after the medical needs of thousands of men who were training for the war as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. She was one of the first fifty to join 700 Wing, R.C.A.F. Association and was a member of the Army, Navy, and Airforce Association.

Argue worked for the University of Alberta as a secretary in the Office of the Registrar from 1947 to 1960 and then as a secretary in the Office of the Superintendent of Buildings from 1960 to 1964. She was the newsletter editor for the Edmonton Treasure Hunters Association. She was also employed with University Hospital, Schlumberger of Canada, W.W.Cross Cancer Clinic, and Provincial Public Works until she retired in 1985.

Argue loved the outdoors, she was a member of the Alberta Fish & Game Association for twenty-five years. Argue was also a collector of history and a photographer. Over the years she both wrote and spoke about preserving the Municipal Airport and its history. She also spoke at the Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society and documented various historic events and buildings throughout the city. She has written for various media and for many old Edmonton families and compiled historical scrapbooks regarding articles of the past, present, and future, especially on women.

During her lifetime she was a member of the Alberta Writers Federation, Edmonton Author's Association, National and Canadian Wildlife, Ducks Unlimited, Civil Service Association and A.R.P.E.S., Alberta motor Association, the first woman to join the Edmonton Rifle & Revolver Club, and was instrumental in building and operating the first University Rifle and revolver Club. She was a member of the Edmonton Gun Club, Group Against Smoker's Pollution, People Against Impaired Driving, Edmonton Metal Detectors Association, Northern Alberta Pioneers, Wild Rose Antique Association, Calder Drop-In-Centre and the Edmonton Heritage Registry.

Argue died on December 11, 2017 at the age of 96. Her memorial service was held at the Alberta Aviation Museum on January 10, 2018.