Sphinx Temple No. 116
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History of Sphinx Temple No. 116

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Our History
On May 19th, 1956 Past Queen Dorothy Davies, Supreme Deputy Organizer for Canada, called together members of various Temples to constitute Sphinx Temple No. 116, Daughters of the Nile. Our Charter Members of fifty-eight ladies, were initiated into Sphinx Temple No. 116. An Open Installation of our first officers was held. Queen Sarah Dack addressed the Ladies of the Household, telling them that "As Charter Members of Sphinx Temple, they were trail-blazers, not to build castles in the sky, but each must be sure the path they made ran straight and true for those who would follow after.”

These Charter Members enable us now to celebrate this milestone of our Temple. Our first initiation was held in November of 1956. One member was initiated - Princess Audrey Peabody. Our first official visit was on December 29th, 1956 by Supreme Queen Ruth Deaton, Sat-Ra Temple No. 59, Omaha, NE.

We are most fortunate to have one Charter Members still with us - Princess Sheila Blackie.

Our first Supreme Appointment was Junior Past Queen Sarah Dack as Supreme Escort to the Canadian Flag in 1957-1958. Since then many of our Past Queens have been honoured to serve Sphinx Temple as a Supreme Appointed Officer or a Supreme Appointee. Our first Supreme Queen, Nancelyn Ross, was installed at our first Supreme Session held here in Winnipeg at the Winnipeg Convention Centre in 2002.

In September 1994, the Winnipeg Convention Centre introduced the Ambassador Plaque Program. Sphinx Temple was honoured with the presentation of an Ambassador Plaque in recognition of the successful 86th Supreme Session held June 7 - 13, 2002. This Plaque is permanently on display in the Winnipeg Convention Centre.

Past Supreme Queen Nancelyn Ross (2002)
(1940 - 2018)
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Eighteen ladies travelled to Vancouver, BC for our first journey to a Supreme Session in 1958. Our first Unit, the Patrol, traveled to their first Supreme Session in 1961 in Denver.

As the years have passed, our Temple has grew to over 280 members and with five Units (Ilderim's Harem Dance & Pageantry, Sphinx Temple Patrol, Sphinx Temple Choir, Sphinx Temple Tambourines and the Klassie Klowns). However, with declining membership, we now only have four active Units (Ilderim's Harem, Patrol, Choir and the Klassie Klowns).
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Our most notable location for Sessions for more than 35 years was at 529 Wellington Crescent. In 1989 we relocated to the new Shrine Centre on Wilkes Avenue and then in 2023 to the Masonic Memorial Centre on Corydon.

Among our membership are Ladies of the Household who have been presented with their Life Memberships. Twenty-Nine Charter Members who were with us at our 25th Anniversary received their Life Memberships in 1981. Over the years, four other Ladies of the Household have been presented with their Life Memberships -- Pr. Sophie Schumacher, Past Queen Ruth Hitesman, Pr. June Hall, who was our Recorder for 22 years and Past Supreme Queen Nancelyn Ross.

​Through the years Sphinx Temple has been fortunate to receive bequests from our members which have assisted in beautifying our Temple paraphernalia. A portion of the bequest from Past Queen Hazel Mark greatly assisted in our 50th Anniversary Celebration held in 2006.

​We are very proud of our annual contributions to the Convalescent Relief Fund and the Convalescent Endowment Fund as a result of the hard work and fundraising of our members. Our committees are many and varied, and work hard to achieve success. Our newest committee is the Hospital Requests Committee for the Montreal Shrine Hospital, which has created an enthusiasm in our members and an awareness of the challenges and needs of the special Shrine children.


How absolutely incredible it is to know we can help children on THEIR journey to recovery!

For more information about the general history of Daughters of The Nile and The Supreme Temple, visit www.daughtersofthenile.org.
Past Queens of Sphinx Temple No. 116
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1956 Sarah Dack *
1957 Annie Purton *
1958 Margaret Schade *
1959 Margherita (Rita) Dodds *
1960 Fiona Mathews *
1961 Freda Wirth *
1962 Isabella Hinds *
1963 Irene MacDonald *
1964 Ruth Hitesman *
1965 Nellie Murdock *
1966 Marie Kellas *
1967 M.C. (Chris) Merrihew *
1968 Marguerite (Peggy) Lentle *
1969 Hazel Tinsley *
1970 Elizabeth (Betty) Sampson *
1971 Dorothy Rolls *
1972 Elizabeth (Bette) Mackay *
1973 Maxine Keena *
1974 Hazel Mark *
1975 Ina Carlson *
1976 Helen Rogers *
1977 Dorothy Vezina *
1978 Alida Antosko *
1979 Effie Swan *
1980 Bernice Martindale *
1981 Laura Robinson *
1982 Anne M. Simpson *
1983 Mary J. Wirth *
1984 Lorraine Thompson *
1985 Linda Martens
1986 Peg Burkett *
1987 Darlene Brooks *
1988 Eileen Warren *
1989 Nancelyn Ross *


1990 Audrey Hill
1991 Ruth L. McCorrie
1992 Sherrie Edwards
1993 Pamela Pollock
1994 Cathy Iwanicki
1995 June Krochenski
1996 Janet Lewis Anderson
1997 Doreen L. McGuff *
1998 Judy Bosko McCarthy
1999 Joan Miller *
2000 Darryl Gill
2001 Lorrie Martindale
2002 Marilynn Kowaluk
2003 Pat Vialoux
2004 Elfrieda McLean
2005 Linda Fraser
2006 Joy Derhak
2007 Marcy Saunders
2008 Marcy Saunders
2009 Lindsey Lorteau
2010 Debbie Clairmont
2011 Darlene Brooks *
2012 Patti Hillier
2013 Lori Scott
2014 Barbara Green
2015 Laura Furnival
2016 Lindsey Lorteau
2017 Valerie Webster
2018 Dana Besser
2019 Georgette Holberg
2020 Alma Acheson
2021 Jean Hutchison
2022 Lori Scott
​2023 Laurie Hall
​2024 Valerie Webster

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Note:  * Deceased member
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Email: [email protected]

Sphinx Temple No. 116 DON
c/o Masonic Memorial Centre
420 Corydon Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R3L 0N8
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  • Home
  • Executive
  • History
  • Units & Clubs
  • Membership
  • Events Schedule
  • Charitable Giving/Hospital Requests
  • Links of Interest