John Montgomery Rundle was born on 10 Nov 1935.
He was a Sampler, Lab Crusherman, Underground Mechanic, Euclid Mechanic, Shift
Chemist June 1956-October 1979 in Steep Rock. my life from 22 years old an on
have been spent in Atikokan and the surrounding area.
I married my beautiful wife Jean in 1961. Had 3 lovely daughters who are still
here in Atikokan. I am enjoying the close relationship of our beautiful grand
children of my older daughter Tammy and her husband Ken Faykes.
All the years worked were at Steep Rock Iron Mines except 3 years with ColdStream
Copper Mines down highway 60 miles East and at Great Lake of the Woods diversion
Camp 515 for three years both places as a mechanic.
When I first came to Atikokan we followed a real goat trail, the highway, in
the process of being built which had no road bed to travel on, just a trail from
one construction place to another. I really wondered what I was getting into-stayed
with my sister and her husband Tedd and Cliff on Hematite. Wen to SRIM employment
office the next morning which was in the basement of the Hydro building, Bill
Davis was personell manager. I was hired that day and reported to work as a sampler
at the look out by the main office area. Worked for three weeks and got layed
off. Found work for the winter at Lands and Forest-French Lake.
Started at Steep Rock again in the spring as a sampler and then as an underground
mechanic under Hector Jensen at B-1 Mine addition. Worked along side of old Vic
Parks. My first job underground as I was handy with welding was on the 900' level
in the seam drift, 2 were went in the to weld a chain conveyor pan. I still remember
the big smile on Vic's face as i took the torch laser and crawled into the seram
drift. Places in there where there was very little room to crawl, being caved
in and all from the ore bodies relantless pressures. As long as I worked I was
okay, my mind was occupied but when I stopped for a smoke, under complete silence,
I realized what was around me. The old sets were creaking and cracking, the
loose ore was dribbling all around, the only light I had was my head lamp. You
guessed it, my mind took over, panic set in and I scrambled out of that drift.
Vic Parks was there with that grin and asked me," how was your trip?"
One you got used to the situations and conditions underground, it got to be a
normal place to work.
Atikokan and its tranquil way of life... very friendly people, hunting, fishing
is just relaxing. A place for raising your family without the heavy worries of
drugs, etc. Lets face it, since 1956 I'm still here, my whole family is here
and raising their family-the area has been good to us, we're content.
He was also known as Monty.He was married to Jean in 1961.
John Montgomery Rundle and Jean had the following children:
 Tammy
Lynn (Married to Ken Faykes) Children: Jeanna, Kendra, Brennan Faykes
Christine
Rae.
Kim Allison
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