Cleo W. Mowers Memorial Fund

Mr. Cleo Walter Mowers was born on the family farm at Sibbald, AB and educated at Highland Park Rural School at Sibbald and as well as Alaska, SK.
He graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 1938 and took postgraduate studies at St.Andrew’s Theological College in Saskatoon, SK.
He stared a career in journalism at the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix in 1939 and was later employed by the Winnipeg Free Press for two years, the Calgary Albertan (as associate editor) for 16 years, and in 1960 Max Bell, having acquired the Lethbridge Herald, appointed Cleo editor and publisher. He held these positions until retirement in 1980.
In 1971, he organized a conference in Lethbridge which led to the formation of the Canada West Foundation.
Cleo received an honorary doctorate from the University of Lethbridge and was the founding president of the Nikka Yuko Centennial Gardens.
He served as president of the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce and he served on the Metric Commission Canada.
Some of his other interests were the Alberta Division of the Federal Liberal Party; Lethbridge Rotary Club; Canadian Water Resources Association; gardening (specializing in gladiolus and delphiniums) and watercolors.
Much of his time for the last 10 years of his life was spent on promoting the establishment of a world-class botanical garden in or near Lethbridge.
He was also awarded a Queen’s Jubilee Medal.