Gwen Settle – Director

Gwen Settle was born in Dartmouth, NS, lived much of her life in various parts of Ontario, back to Nova Scotia, briefly in Calgary, then back to Ontario again until finally moving to British Columbia in Sept 1983.  Abbotsford became her home in August 2000.

Gwen’s background is just as diverse as her moves.  After serving as a Naval Operations WREN in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Cold War in a trade classified as Top Secret, she has worked with a cattle breeding association, a wine & spirits agency, and a couple steel plants – just to name a few - including running her own freelance legal secretarial business for several sole practitioners in Vancouver for more than a decade.  She has done bookkeeping, payroll, proofing, secretarial, human resources and administrative work.

Active in the community, she was the “face” (or rather “The Hat”) of the Abbotsford Farm & Country Market for over 17 years. She is a Director and Treasurer of Matsqui Community Hall, a Director of Agrifair, Treasurer and Past President of Friends of the Abbotsford Libraries, a Director of Abbotsford Bingo Association and a long-time member of the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce (including serving on the Agriculture Committee). She is also an EESS volunteer (Extended Emergency Support Services) in Abbotsford, a member of the Neighbourhood Small Grant Resident Committee, as well as a City volunteer.

Gwen was the Content Coordinator of the Mountain Neighbours magazine here in Abbotsford for almost a year, but stepped down to the role of Community Liaison and freelance writer. She is also the door manager at Suburban Swing on Sunday nights.

She is a past Hospitality Chair for Operation Red Nose and was quite active in the Abbotsford branch of Optimist International. She is a member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Abbotsford Branch #15, and is a registered speaker with The Memory Project (part of Historica Canada), which is a speakers bureau for veterans. She has also done a video for Historica Canada and a Canada-wide Q&A session related to that video for The Memory Project. In August 2022 she was awarded the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medallion for her contribution and service to Canada.

Gwen loves working with the team at Agrifair and hopes to continue being able to apply her skills and passion to make Agrifair even better year after year.

Gwen’s son Michael lives in Vancouver and her daughter and son-in-law (Lee & Rex) live here in Abbotsford, along with her teenage namesake. She has a special bond with her granddaughter and participates in many of Gwen Jr’s activities.  A lover of music and dancing, she gets to Suburban Swing in Abbotsford as often as she can.  Reading, movies, enjoying the company of good friends – all are special pleasures which further enrich her life.