A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots. - Marcus Garvey

Sharon (nee Davis) and Winston Partridge have a married daughter, Sonya McEwen, who is living in Parry Sound and married to Phil McEwen. They have a daughter Cameron who will be three in June.
Sharon and Winston believe that grandchildren are a precious gift and they take every possible opportunity to spend time with family, either in Minesing or in Parry Sound. Recently they took their granddaughter for her first snowboarding experience at Snow Valley. Winston and Sharon remember when Snow Valley was built. They skied there, their daughter learned to ski there and worked there as one of her first jobs, and now the next generation has been introduced to an important part of the community.
Molly their chubby feline family member is shy, but never misses an opportunity to let you know exactly what she wants from her human family!
When they were first married they lived in Barrie, but when they had the opportunity to purchase land on what was originally family property they jumped at it. Winston built their home on Vespra Valley Road and they moved in in 1977.
The area has an interesting history. The area that fronts on Highway 26 was originally the site of a Huron Indian Village, with artifacts at the Simcoe County Museum noted as the “Davis Site.” Later, Sharon’s grandfather Otto Davis established the family farm and a gravel pit on the site, which unfortunately probably accounted for the loss of many artifacts, although Winston and Sharon have a few pieces of pottery that they found while walking through the farm fields on top of the hill.
The property from Mayer’s Road north was all part of the Davis property and the site of the family farm. Sharon’s father Harry Davis owned the farm and his sister Irene owned the rest of the property.
About 50 years ago Sharon’s Aunt Irene was able to develop a series of lots along Vespra Valley Road, and houses began to be built. There are now approximately  20 homes in this area.
Winston and  Sharon have known each other all of their lives, although they lived in separate communities. Yes…. there were two communities in Minesing!
Sharon lived on a farm in Minesing Station, which was the area between Vespra Valley Road and Nursery Road. There was as a one-room schoolhouse for the area on Golf Course Road, which is now torn down. The Train tracks are now a hiking trail.
Winston lived on the Knupp farm on Highway 26 just north of Minesing, and then the Partridge family moved to the farm in the village of Minesing next door to the original local store. Minesing was the area from Vespra Valley Road to Edenvale. The two-room schoolhouse he attended is now the Community Centre. The store in Minesing housed the switchboard, which was the hub of the local telephone system. Winston often worked that switchboard helping keep folks connected. The actual switchboard is now an artifact at the Simcoe County Museum.
Their parents went to St Peter’s Anglican Church in Minesing, which is now closed. As children, they sang in the choir. (On Sundays they had to lead the choir procession together which they hated!) They would often see each other at local ballgames or the local skating rink, and maybe even skate together on a Saturday night. As teenagers, they attended Barrie North Collegiate (the Minesing gang were called “Swamp Dwellers” and were proud of it) and hung out with the local Anglican Young People's group which was composed of teenagers from both Minesing and Midhurst. They started dating at the end of high school and married in 1970.
Sharon is now retired. She was a graduate of Women’s College Hospital in Toronto in 1967 and received a BA from York University. She worked as a Registered Nurse and celebrated  50 years in 2017.
Sharon worked in the operating room at Women’s College Hospital and Toronto General Hospital before returning home and working at Royal Victoria Regional Health Care Centre in Barrie. She became a manager of a variety of departments and retired from RVH after  44 years as the Chief Nursing Officer in 2014.
Sharon has been a very active community member, volunteering with the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre Auxiliary Board of Directors, and St Paul’s Anglican Church in Midhurst as a Warden. She has attended  Kings Wharf Theatre in Penetanguishene each summer with a group of ladies. They have been attending local theatre together for at least 30 years
Currently, Sharon is working on a family history for both of their families. Recently, she found a family connection with a colleague from work with the same last name (Partridge). They had no idea they were related!
Additionally, Sharon and Winston are avid readers and are very grateful for the Springwater Library System.
Winston is also enjoying retirement. He graduated from Ryerson University in Business Administration. Winston found his passion for working with wood. He used his creative talent in furniture restoration and refinishing, custom cabinet working, and more recently in creating one of a kind items on his wood lathe. Although retired he still likes to do some woodworking, especially for their granddaughter!
Winston is an avid golfer and is always looking forward to the next golf season.
He is also very interested in the family history of his namesake Uncle Winston Knupp (from Minesing) who was killed in WW2. (He was a navigator on a Lancaster Bomber that was shot down in Belgium.) A highlight for Winston was the opportunity to tour the restored Lancaster bomber at the Hamilton Aviation museum, board the plane and wonder how these brave men fought in such cramped and cold quarters.
Over the years, Sharon and Winston have been involved in many communities activities revolving around Minesing, St Peter’s  Anglican Church, and Minesing Central School. And of course the Minesing Minifest. The Ninth Line gang (Now Vespra Valley Road) had many fun times putting together their float for Minesing Minifest. Their daughter Sonya was Youth of the Year for Minesing in 1997.
Winston and Sharon enjoy travelling and have visited western Canada several times. They have cruised to Alaska, the Caribbean and taken a transatlantic cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Italy. They have spent wonderful family vacations in Muskoka and visit the Parry Sound area on a regular basis.
The Partridges believe they have a beautiful country and world to explore, but there is no place quite like home. Sitting on the deck with a glass of wine looking out at the hills is a perfect way to spend a quiet afternoon.
Neighbourhoods and communities have changed in Winston and Sharon’s time.There was a time that the school, the church and the local store were the hub of the community. They acknowledge that we all live busy lives and are pulled in many different directions. Sharon and Winston hope that folks in each of our communities take the time to meet their neighbours, support and participate in local events and look for ways to keep the community vibrant!