Canada, Commonwealth. A Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal 1952-1977 with Award Document to Donald J. Heyes

(Médaille du jubiléde la Reine Elizabeth II). Instituted in 1977. In silver, designer marked "DW" (David Wynne) on the obverse, designer marked "HUNT" (Dora de Pedery-Hunt) on the reverse, measuring 32 mm (w) x 39.3 mm (h) inclusive of its laterally-pierced ball suspension, bruised, contact marks and spotting evident on both sides, court-mounted, lightly soiled original ribbon, very fine. Accompanied by its Award Document, the ERII Royal monogram at the top and the dates "1952-1977" at the bottom printed in silver ink and embossed, the signature of the twenty-first Governor-General of Canada, Joseph Jules Léger PC CC CMM CD (April 4, 1913 - November 22, 1980; in office: January 14, 1974 - January 22, 1979) to the right of the monogram, the text in black ink, inscribed "RIDEAU HALL OTTAWA", with English text on the left: "On the occasion of the twenty-fifth Anniversary of the accession of HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN to the Throne the accompanying medal is presented to"; and French text on the right: "À l'occasion du vingt-cinquième anniversaire de l'accession de SA MAJESTÉ LA REINE au Trône la médaille ci-jointe est remise à", with the recipient's name "D. J. Heyes" typed below, on a cream-coloured paper stock, under glass in a wooden frame with silver-coloured highlights, the reverse of the frame with a "T. Eaton Co Picture Department" label affixed to the kraft paper backer, a wire strung between two hooks for wall hanging, measuring 360 mm (w) x 310 mm (h), document near extremely fine.

Footnotes:

1. The Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal is a commemorative medal instituted on February 7, 1977, to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession in 1952. The medal is physically identical in all realms where it was awarded, except for Canada, where it contained unique elements, with the medal slightly thicker, the crown on the Queen's effigy more upright on the obverse, the reverse with a distinct design that bears a stylized maple leaf with "CANADA" above and the Royal monogram below, flanked by the dates "1952" and "1977". As an internationally distributed award, the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal holds a different place in each country's order of precedence for honours. In order that the list of those to be honoured would be representative of all the regions of Canada, agencies of government at the federal, provincial, and local levels were invited to propose the names of candidates for the medal. National organizations in every important field of endeavor, including the professions, education and arts, veterans' groups, sports associations, philanthropic and charitable bodies and welfare services were asked to participate in submitting nominations. All members of the Order of Canada, Order of Military Merit and winners of the Canadian Bravery Decorations received the medal. Selection for the Armed Forces was based on merit with length of service and prestige of current appointment as secondary consideration.

2. Donald James Heyes CD was born in 1932 and received the Canadian Forces' Decoration in the rank of Corporal with the Canadian Army. Heyes was a Life Member of the Royal Canadian Legion holding office in the Duke of Kent Memorial Branch 119 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as well as the Manitoba/Northwest Ontario Command for over twenty years and was a recipient of the Royal Canadian Legion Meritorious Service Medal on May 12, 1977. He married Margaret Maxine Heyes (nee Wanless, born June 22, 1937) in 1957. Margaret had grown up in Belmont, Manitoba where she received her education, moving to Winnipeg in 1956 where she went to business school and became a secretary working for several companies over the years. He and his wife lived in Winnipeg and although they had no children of their own, they touched the lives of many children through the Legion Athletic Camp at the Peace Garden where they devoted a lot of their spare time, energy and talents to the Athletic Camp. They travelled Canada extensively through their many activities with the Royal Canadian Legion. In 1991, they bought their retirement home at Winnipeg Beach and would live there until 1999, when Don's illness forced them to return to Winnipeg, where they lived until their deaths. Donald James Heyes passed away at St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg on October 4, 1999, at the age of 66-67. He donated his remains to onocology and cell research, after which his cremated remains were interred in Brookside Cemetery in Winnipeg, with full Legion Service. His wife, Margaret, died on March 10, 2002, her cremated remains buried with her parents in the family plot during a graveside service in Hillside Cemetery, in Belmont on May 18th.