This page is dedicated to a women who was a GREAT Lady.
Madge started her life in a little town in Winnipeg Canada. She was the oldest of 5 children in a war torn time.
Leaving school to support her family, at a young age, Madge was determined to help at all cost. She grew up very poor for her father John, was Irish & was a Deacon in a small parish, for the Presbyterian faith. Her mother Sarah Dunne was a strong Irish Catholic woman, who when she was just a young woman came to Canada to become the bride of John Adair. Madge lost her father at a young age and it was very hard on her & kept her close to her brothers & sister. By this time Madge was a young women, who worked in a potato factory. Still supporting her family in anyway she could. Madge met Francis Russell Baker in a time of her life, where she wanted more out of her life. He was linked with a noble titled family from England. Russ is related to the Dukes of Bedford in Bedfordshire, his grandmother being Lady Russell. He was handsome and very much a man's man. Russ left all he knew to marry Madge, made for him society wife, money, position, and was sort of disowned by his father for doing what his dreams were FLYING. Russ came from back east Canada to the pacific coast. He worked for the post office delivering mail to the out posts in the north, just him and his plane. Meeting Madge he fell in love and married the poor girl.But that poor girl became the unique woman behind the man. Madge moved up to the north & settled herself in at YellowKnife. Together they forged a closeness with the people of the north, many of them bush pilots, traders, trappers & native northern people. Never did Madge turn away a hungry person, or a cold one. All this time Russ was still flying, for Canadian Pacific. He was a great bush pilot, & to this day is still remembered as the last of the great bush pilots. Madge decided that her husband should start his own company. So out of her household money, she saved 25 dollars, alot in those days, & started Central B.C. Airlines. For the first couple of years they flew by the seat of their pants with no 2 way radio! They lived in an old trappers log cabin, with no running water or heat, and little food, only what they hunted for. Finally they bought a 2 way radio that Madge ran to keep all the bush pilots safe and she could keep in touch with the bush pilots and the people living in the remote areas around them. Russ took on passengers, mail and food supplies for the trappers and families in the north. At this time Madge had two beautiful daughters Noni andJoy. Both were a delight to their parents. Madge looked after her family and all the other families who depended on her by radio.They decided to move to Fort Saint James,they lived on the cliffs that over looked the Lake, and the time came where they decided to move to Kamloops and expand the company. Russ was a hard business man who knew what he wanted but it took the drive and friendship of Magde to get it done. They lived in Kamloops for some years, the girls growing up with a wonderful play area of horses, pet dogs and lots of good friends. Deciding to bring their family to Vancouver they moved to West Vancouver. Madge and Russ decided to buy and merge, Queen Charlotte Airlines, they joined the two to make, Pacific Western Airlines. The company grew and Russ and Madge were well liked and in a time of large unions, P.W.A. never had one because the employees loved Russ and Madge. Russ was a fair boss who payed his employees very well and gave them lots of extras. But most of all he was a friend, a father, and a great man to all his employees at P.W.A. Madge was right beside him all the way! Making him that great MAN. During this time both Noni & Joy were in the catholic school Sacred Hearts in Vancouver.Where they were very lucky to have a fullness of activities, like horse racing, parties, travel and many other good things. They owned horses for track racing and spent alot of time at the races.They travelled alot to Hawaii every year, which became their second home. Madge was delighted with her life and very much in love with her husband & children. Madge was very honored to have in her party HRH Princess Margaret (the sister to the queen of England) one year when she came to visit. P.W.A. was the Princess's airline and she was quite taken with Russ! Some even say they had a love!! Those were the days for that and Madge just turned a blind eye! Russ was honored to receive a medal from "Harry Truman" President of the United States ofAmerica for his bravery in saving the stranded GI's airmen in the north(Million Dollar Valley) who would have died if he had not gone into get them, and nearly died himself. Madge carried on her dedication to the company & her family. Their dream was to make P.W.A. go across Canada. At this time it was just in the west & north of Canada. They were great friends with the likes of Gordon Ballentyne, Punch Dickins, Wylly Post, Grant McKonachie,
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