Norman Willmore
{{short description|Canadian politician}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image =
| imagesize = |
| name = Norman Willmore
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1909|2|13}}
| birth_place = Fessenden, North Dakota, US
| death_date = {{death date and age|1965|2|2|1909|2|13}}
| death_place=near Evansburg, Alberta, Canada
| office = Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
| constituency = Edson
| term_start = August 8, 1944
| term_end = February 2, 1965
| predecessor = Angus Morrison
| successor =William Switzer
| office1 = Minister of Industries and Labour
| term_start1 = November 10, 1953
| term_end1 = August 2, 1955
| premier1 = Ernest Manning
| successor1 = Raymond Reierson
| predecessor1 = John Robinson
| office2 = Minister of Lands and Forests
| premier2 = Ernest Manning
| term_start2 = August 2, 1955
| term_end2 = February 3, 1965
| successor2 = Henry Ruste
| predecessor2 = Ivan Casey
| party = Social Credit
| religion =
| occupation =Clothing and shoe merchant
| residence=Edson, Alberta
| spouse=Dorothy
| children=1
}}
Norman Alfred Willmore (February 13, 1909 – February 2, 1965) was a politician from Alberta, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1944 until his death in 1965 as a member of the Social Credit caucus in government. He served as a cabinet minister in the government of Ernest Manning from 1953 until his death.
Personal life
Born in Fessenden, North Dakota, Willmore moved to Canada in 1915 with his parents and was raised in Edmonton, Alberta. He was married to Dorothy and had one son.{{cite news|title=Willmore|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99063690/edmonton-journal/|newspaper=Edmonton Journal|page=2|date=February 4, 1965|accessdate=April 4, 2022}}
Political career
Willmore first ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature for the first time in the 1944 general election. He stood as the Social Credit candidate in the electoral district of Edson and won a solid majority over two other candidates to pick up the seat for Social Credit.{{cite web|url=http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/administration/maps_choice.php?Year=1944&Constit=Edson| title=Edson results 1944| publisher=Alberta Heritage Community Foundation | accessdate=June 9, 2010}}
In the 1948 general election Willmore defeated former MLA Christopher Pattinson,{{cite web|url=http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/administration/maps_choice.php?Year=1948&Constit=Edson| title=Edson results 1948| publisher=Alberta Heritage Community Foundation | accessdate=June 9, 2010}} and In the 1952 election Willmore defeated Liberal candidate William Switzer by 400 votes.{{cite web|url=http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/administration/maps_choice.php?Year=1952&Constit=Edson| title=Edson results 1952| publisher=Alberta Heritage Community Foundation | accessdate=June 9, 2010}}
On November 10, 1953, Premier Ernest Manning appointed Willmore the Minister of Industries and Labour. In the 1955 Alberta general election Willmore faced Switzer again and defeated him a second time.{{cite web|url=http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/administration/maps_choice.php?Year=1955&Constit=Edson| title=Edson results 1955| publisher=Alberta Heritage Community Foundation | accessdate=June 9, 2010}} Shortly thereafter, Premier Manning moved Willmore to the Lands and Forests portfolio. In the 1959 general election Willmore defeated two other candidates with a landslide majority.{{cite web|url=http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/administration/maps_choice.php?Year=1959&Constit=Edson| title=Edson results 1959| publisher=Alberta Heritage Community Foundation | accessdate=June 9, 2010}}
In the 1963 general election Willmore easily won a three-way race.{{cite web|url=http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/administration/maps_choice.php?Year=1963&Constit=Edson| title=Edson results 1963| publisher=Alberta Heritage Community Foundation | accessdate=June 9, 2010}}
Willmore died in a traffic accident on February 2, 1965, on Alberta Highway 16 near Evansburg, Alberta. He was driving westbound to attend a meeting at Robb, Alberta when a semi tractor-trailer driving eastbound lost its rear wheels, causing a head-on collision.{{cite news|title=Lands Minister Killed In Crash|date=February 4, 1965|page=1|newspaper=Edmonton Journal|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99063256/edmonton-journal/|accessdate=April 4, 2022}} {{free access}}{{cite web |url=http://www.archivescanada.ca/english/search/ItemDisplay.asp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&lvl=1&v=0&coll=1&itm=254043&rt=1&bill=1 |title=ARCHIVES CANADA |website=www.archivescanada.ca |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323050217/http://www.archivescanada.ca/english/search/ItemDisplay.asp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&lvl=1&v=0&coll=1&itm=254043&rt=1&bill=1 |archive-date=2012-03-23}} Willmore Wilderness Park was named in his honour on April 12, 1965.{{cite news|title=Park Named After Minister|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99064610/edmonton-journal/|date=April 13, 1965|newspaper=Edmonton Journal|accessdate=April 4, 2022}} {{Free access}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930024650/http://www.assembly.ab.ca/legislaturecentennial/pdf/membersBooklet.pdf Legislative Assembly of Alberta Members Listing]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Willmore, Norman}}
Category:Alberta Social Credit Party MLAs
Category:Members of the Executive Council of Alberta
Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta