Cape Breton Deaths October 18, 2008 Saturday Marion Gentile 92, Sydney - Marion Viola Gentile, 92, a resident of Harbourstone Enhanced Care, passed away Friday, Oct. 17, 2008 at Harbourstone. Born in Sydney, she was the daughter of the late Murdock and Annie (Lewis) Campbell. Marion was a member of St. Anthony Daniel parish. She was a caring and compassionate person who always thought of her family first. Surviving are her sons, Barry, Stellarton and Wayne (Mary Joseph), Sydney River; sister, Ivy (Mrs. Duncan Morrison); brothers, Douglas (Lilly) and Cecil, Sydney; daughter-in-law, Mamie, Halifax; grandchildren, Melissa, Mark, Michael and Lindsay; great-grandchildren, Ethan and Melia. Marion was predeceased by her husband, Humbert; sisters, Marguerite Clements and Frances Christie; sister-in-law, Ruby Campbell; brother-in-law, Henry Clements. Visitation will take place at Sydney Memorial Chapel on Sunday, 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. A funeral mass will be held at St. Anthony Daniel Church on Monday at 11 a.m. with Rev. Donald MacGillivray officiating. Interment in Forest Haven Memorial Gardens. The family would like to send a special thank you to the staff of St. Ann's Bay at Harbourstone Enhanced Care, as well as to Doug and Lil. Memorials may be made to a charity of choice. Condolences may be sent to the family at sydneymemorialchapel@ns.sympatico.ca ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Merrill MacKenzie Huntington 1937-2008 - Born in Cape Breton to the late Fred Huntington and Barbara (MacKenzie) Huntington. On Wednesday, Oct.15, 2008, Merrill lost his courageous battle with prostate cancer. Merrill worked outdoors most of his adult life, but it was the Sydney Steel plant he left in 1967 when he moved to Toronto with his wife and baby son to find a better life for his family. He attended the Devry technical institute for two years to obtain his technical certification before taking a job as a line worker for Bell Canada. Merrill loved this job, and remained a line worker until his retirement from Maritime Telegraph and Telephone in 1999. In 1974 Nova Scotia called him home and he returned to Dartmouth with his wife and two children, a daughter having joined his family during his time 'down the road'. Merrill always loved the outdoors, particularly hunting and fishing. Golf was a fond pastime also, especially with his friends and men from the company who were all always ready to have a laugh at each other's expense. Music was a passion for Merrill his entire life, and during his later years he discovered the joy of performing and playing guitar and singing. This brought a number of new and great friends into Merrill's life. Merrill looked forward every year to the summer months when he would spend time on the Mira where he had his cabin looking over the river. Merrill was a friend of Bill for the past 28 years. His friends and family will attest to his sense of humour, specifically his sense of mischief in the presence of authority. If friends and family would talk, many others would well shake their heads in amazement. His sense of fun aside, Merrill always, always put his family, friends (several of whom were family to him), and even strangers before himself. He was an active participant in the special needs support groups, spending his weekends at the bowling alley with the people who enjoyed this so much. Merrill is survived by Viola Huntington (Olie MacKinnon), his beloved wife and partner in life of 45 years; his daughter, Laurel Ann; his son, Clifford and wife Julie; his two granddaughters, Tahlia and Riley; and his best friend Earl Hodgson and wife Jane. Merrill is also survived by brothers and sisters, Lorna Stuckless, Lowell and wife Helen, Lyndon and partner Catherine; sister in-law, Sharon; and too many nieces and nephews to count here. Merrill was predeceased by his brother, Terrence. Merrill will be missed terribly by all of us, but we will always be thankful for the time he shared with us. His family would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the kind people who gave such good care to Merrill during his illness. To the staff and the Palliative care unit in 7a at the VG hospital, the people at the Red Cross, the people at the VON, and his personal physician and oncologist. Thank you so much for your compassion and your efforts to give Merrill's last days as much dignity and comfort as was humanly possible. Merrill's children wish to also say thank you to the family and friends who provided so much support for Merrill and Viola during this terribly difficult time. We invite you to join us in celebrating Merrill's life on Saturday, Oct. 25 at the Centennial Branch Legion Branch 160, 703 Main St., Dartmouth from 2-6 p.m. We would ask that Merrill's musical friends please bring their instruments and singing voices. No flowers by the family's request. If you so wish please consider either donations Support Services Group (SSG), 10 Dundas St., Dartmouth, 466 0230, or your local food bank. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Marjorie 'Elaine' (Cook) Burke Burlington, Ont. - Passed away after a lengthy illness at Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital, Burlington, Ont. on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008. Beloved wife of Fraser Burke and daughter of the late Ernest and Abigale Cook of New Waterford, Nova Scotia. Interment for Elaine to take place at Forest Haven Memorial Gardens, Sydney, Nova Scotia at a later date. www.smithsfh.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Esther Gaum Boston - Esther Gaum passed away peacefully at her home in Boston on October 9, 2008. She was the cherished daughter of the late Dora and Israel Hamburg. She is survived by brothers, Elie and Daniel; sisters-in-law, Beverley and Ellen Hamburg, Ettie Chernin and Bella Davidson. Predeceased by brothers-in-law, Abraham, David and the Honourable Percy Gaum; sisters-in-law, Bella Gaum and Libby Brenner. She is survived by 15 nieces and nephews and 27 great-nieces and nephews. The funeral took place in Sydney, Nova Scotia on October 13, 2008. She was born in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia on January 15,1928 and lived there with her parents Israel and Dora Hamburg until she continued her education at McGill University where she graduated with a bachelors degree in commerce. She returned to Nova Scotia and later married Dr. Cyril Gaum. They lived in Sydney, and in 1959 they moved to Boston where her husband furthered his education doing graduate training in the dental specialty of endodontics. She continued with a career at H & R Block for many years and was respected by her peers for her business acumen and accounting expertise. The arts of knitting, crocheting and needlepoint were her focus of creative interest and her beautiful pieces are still enjoyed by loving friends and family members. She was one of the elected leaders of her needle artworks local and national societies. Donations in her honour can be made to The Gaum Endodontic Clinic Fund at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (617-636-2783) or to a charity of your choice. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Elizabeth Theresa (Betty) Warren Orillia, Ont. - Peacefully, after a brief illness and with her family by her side, at Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008, in her 81st amazing year. Loving mother of Terry (Nita) Warren of Bolton, Joan (Blair) MacDonald of Orillia, Linda Warren of Long Sault and Brenda Westington of Orillia. Retired personnel manager of K-Mart, Orillia. Best friend, fishing companion and kindred spirit of 31 years of Ralph Arcuri, devoted wife of the late Ernest Warren. Proud and most cherished grandmother of Sarah and Jessica MacDonald, Katie, Andrea and Lindsay McCullough, and Sam, Jamie and Emma Westington. Dear sister to Viola Fraser of Sydney, N.S. and sister-in-law to Marion Warren of Glencoe and Mary Grant of Sydney, N.S. Greatly missed by many nieces and nephews. Loving remembered by extended family, Rachel Arcuri of Oakville, Carol Arcuri and Valerie Dunn of Cochrane and Debbie Smith, Dorothy Holenski and John McCullough of Orillia and Pam (Don) Bonnett of Port Dover, Greg (Catherine) Grimshaw of Newmarket, six great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Friends and relatives may call at the Mundell Funeral Home, 70 West Street N., Orillia from 6-9 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20, 2008 and on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008 from 12 noon until time of service in the chapel at 1 p.m.. Interment at St. Andrew's-St. James' Cemetery, Orillia. Donations in memory of Elizabeth can be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or Sleeping Children Around the World and would be greatly appreciated by the family. Messages of condolence are welcomed at www.mundellfuneralhome.com "She has 'gone fishing'!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Paula Marie Gabriel 43, Sydney - Paula Marie Gabriel, 43, of Sydney, passed away Friday, Oct. 17, 2008, at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Sydney. She was the daughter of Jeanette Lundrigan and the late Bill Lundrigan. She was a loving wife of Raymond 'Bubba' Gabriel and loving mother to Melissa. She is also survived by a brother, Mark Lundrigan, Sydney. She will be sadly missed by all her family and friends. There will be no visitation. Funeral service will take place Monday, 2 p.m. at St. Albans Anglican Church with Rev. Brenda Drake officiating. Memorials may be made to a charity of choice. Condolences may be made to the family at sydneymemorialchapel@ns.sympatico.ca. ******************************************************************************* Cape Breton Deaths courtesy of CBGHA http://www.cbgha.org