Minnie Bell Givens was born 13 May 1886 in Pakenham, Ontario, Canada. Min was the fifth of seven daughters born to John Wesley & Margaretta Ann Givens.

Min and each of her sisters were all good looking girls. On 9 February 1910, at age 24, Min married William John Scott Cardiff in Pakenham. The couple had a good marriage but were not able to have children.

Rosemary Cooke said the following of Aunt Min:

“I used to go to her place for lunch if there was a storm or heavy rain, or I did not feel well enough to walk home because it was that much further, We walked it 4 times a day. There were no buses in those days.

Aunt Min was very kind and very fond of Marg & I. She & Uncle Bill never had any children and so treated Marg & me just like we were her own. She worked hard as she had no modern conveniences in her home. I used to spend a lot of time with them. When I was young she would take me for a tin roof at Moscos Restaurant on a Saturday afternoon. I would be maybe 10.

Uncle Bill came home for lunch every day. Aunt Min was a great cook. She always had enough when we stopped in though she never knew when we were coming.

Aunt Min was very kind, generous, lots of fun, and very understanding. Min loved to read. She was a member of the “Eastern Star” Women’s Group. Aunt Min loved to gossip.

Aunt Min & Uncle Bill used to attend the United Church every week.

Aunt Min & Uncle Bill begged me to come and live with them but they only had a 2 bedroom home. They wanted me to live with them after Uncle Bill had his legs off. I was taking the course to be a court reporter. They even offered me their house if I came to look after them. They ended up giving their house to Marg and she took Aunt Min out west after Uncle Bill died. Uncle Bill died a week after Granny Rene. Aunt Min died out west. I never saw Aunt Min after she went west with Marg.

Aunt Min died November 1972 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Aunt Min was age 86.

Uncle Bill was kind and a very “big tease”. Uncle Bill’s employment was freight accounting for the Canadian Pacific Railroad (CPR) station. He worked hard. There was a lot of lifting in that job. Uncle Bill was a Past Master of the Madawaska Masonic Lodge (1927-1928). Uncle Bill lost both of his legs and was confined to a wheel chair for the latter years of his life. He struggled some with bitterness. Uncle Bill died in August 1970 – one week after Granny Rene. He was age 85.”