A Century of Strength: The Life and Legacy of Edna Quock – Tahltan.org

As Edna Quock turns 100 years old, she stands as a living bridge between generations. Born in 1925 in Tahltan Territory, the eldest of twelve children, her life reflects the strength and resilience of her people. She delivered babies as a midwife, sewed dresses by lamplight, worked through a TB outbreak at Miller Bay, and raised seven children—alongside more than sixty grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. Through war, residential school, loss, and great change, Edna has remained rooted in hard work, humility, and love. Her story is a celebration not only of a life well lived, but of a culture and community carried forward through her hands and heart.

Childhood in Tahltan Territory

Edna Quock was born in 1925 in Tahltan Village, the eldest of twelve children born to Mary Brown and Belfrey Etzerza. As the firstborn, she carried a natural sense of responsibility from a young age—one that would define much of her life.

Her siblings were Ralph, Peggy, Irma, Carl, Alice, Ira, Bill, Joyce, Belfrey, Albert, and Rose. Among them, only Peggy, Ralph, and Edna herself were spared from being sent to Indian Residential School.