Cape Breton Deaths September 27, 2008 Saturday Johnnie (Sandy) MacDonald Gabarus Lake - Johnnie MacDonald, 88, Gabarus Lake, was sadly taken from us on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008, at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Sydney. He was the son of the late Sandy and Sarah (Matheson) MacDonald, the last surviving member of his immediate family. Johnnie lived all his life at Gabarus Lake until recently when he became a resident at Windsor Elms and then at the McGillivray Guest Home. He was employed in forestry and was one of the founding members of MacDonald Christmas Tree Farm, along with his son and brother. He enjoyed gardening, music, and on many occasions, could be found entertaining with his accordion, mouth organ and speaking Gaelic. Johnnie will be greatly missed by his son, Sandy (Bev), Marion Bridge; daughters, Marie (Dougie) Jaarsma and Jean (Norman Alex) MacLeod, both of Gabarus Lake; grandchildren, Jason, Sarah, Jo-Ann, Eileen and one great-granddaughter, Rory-Grace. He was predeceased by his loving wife, Sadie in 2004, sisters, Margaret Ann and Mary Ann and brothers, Donald, Neil and Stewart. Visitation will be held at Sydney Memorial Chapel, Sunday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. A funeral service will be held in the chapel at 2 p.m., Monday, Sept. 29. Interment to follow at Gabarus Lake Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gabarus Lake Cemetery Fund or Zion Wesley Building Fund, Gabarus Lake. Condolences may be sent to the family at sydneymemorialchapel@ns.sympatico.ca. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wm. Ralph Lewis 87 - Wm. Ralph Lewis, 87, recently of Vancouver, passed away suddenly at home in Dartmouth, on Sept. 24. Ralph is survived by his loved wife, Lucy Durnford Lewis; his brother, Harvey Lewis, Louisbourg; his children, David (Jacqui), Oakville, Ont., Ginny (Don Clark), Halifax, Tom (Pamela), Lachine, Que., and Mary (Don Kennedy), Dartmouth; and grandchildren, Katie, Susie, Laura, James, Colin, Geoffrey, David, Elizabeth and Bill. He was predeceased by his first wife, Myrtle (Sanford), parents, George and Eva and brother, Donald. He was born Nov. 14, 1920, in Sydney, Cape Breton, the second son of George Dickson Defender Lewis and Eva Mary (McLeod) Lewis of Louisbourg, Cape Breton. Above all, Ralph was a gentle man who truly loved his family and was extremely proud of each individual member. As the family Patriarch, he was the one who would regularly keep in touch with his extended family and his worldwide collection of friends. He was very much a staunch Anglican and the church influenced his life in many ways, particularly in his love of music - especially the Vancouver Symphony and the Vancouver Opera. Classical, opera, or choir music was always playing in his house from the time he got up to the time he went to bed. He served as warden of Christ Church in Sydney, N.S., and of St. George's in Montreal, Que. He graduated from Dalhousie University in Halifax, N.S., with a B.Sc. and a diploma in engineering in May 1941. He and a small group of others were at once assigned to the National Research Commission on Secret Naval Research and charged with developing the means and equipment to protect from threat of magnetic mines being sown in Canada's coastal waters by German submarines against Allied Naval ships and merchant ships going in convoys to Europe. He enlisted in the Navy in 1942 and was eventually posted to Vancouver, B.C. He left the war with the rank of lieutenant in January 1945. In 1942, while in Halifax, he met Myrtle Virginia Sanford of Summerville, N.S.; they were married in Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver on March 13, 1944. Following war's end, he enrolled at University of Toronto in electrical engineering and graduated in 1947 at the top of his class and was duly registered as a professional engineer and admitted to the Engineering Institute of Canada. He joined and was with Ontario Hydro until 1950 when he resigned and moved to Kentville, N.S., where he had been hired to run the Electric Power System for the town. In 1956, the family moved to Sydney, N.S., where Ralph took up the job of assistant chief electrical engineer at the Steel Plant where he became division superintendent - rolling mills in 1954; he left the company in 1969 and subsequently joined the Montreal-based firm of Surveyer Nenninger & Chenevert (now SNC) in 1970 as a senior engineer. Following the death of his beloved Myrt in 1975, he married his dear Lucy (Durnford) of Montreal in 1979 and they moved with SNC to Vancouver in 1982. SNC became his career home for the rest of his working days until 1988 when he retired as an executive vice president of SNC Group. Ralph came late to the fraternity of Freemasonry. His grandfather, father and both brothers were all involved in the many aspects of the gentle craft. It was therefore an emotional evening when his son, David, as Worshipful Master of Mt. Hermon No. 7 Lodge in Vancouver, personally raised him to the Sublime degree of a Master Mason. Ralph's brother, RW Bro Harvey Lewis had come from Louisbourg, C.B. to be in attendance. There was not a dry eye in the Lodge. In retirement, Ralph and Lucy made a yearly trip to the resort at Napili Kai on Maui - from 1987 to this year and similar trips to their cottage at Catalone Lake in Cape Breton. He and Lucy regularly attended and supported the many facets of the arts in Vancouver. In the summer of 2008, they decided to sell their home in Shaughnessy Place in Vancouver and move to Dartmouth, N.S., to be closer to family. They moved in on Sept. 9 and he died Sept. 24. Special thanks go to Elena Delmo who has been with them for over 13 years and who was Lucy and Ralph's full-time caregiver for the past year. There will be visitations at Dartmouth Funeral Home (29 Queen St., Dartmouth) at 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27. In addition, at St. Bartholomew's Anglican Church in Louisbourg, there will be a visitation 10 a.m.-12 noon, Monday, Sept. 29 followed by a 2 p.m. burial service with interment in the Anglican cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to your charity of choice. Condolences may be made online through Dartmouth Funeral Home at plevandier@ns.aliantzinc.ca. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Claudine Maud Bennett 60, Whycocomagh - Claudine Maud Bennett, 60, of Whycocomagh, died peacefully at home on Friday, Sept. 26, 2008. Born in Sydney, she was a daughter of Frank Reginald Janes, Glace Bay, and the late Marguerite Martin. Claudine was known for her culinary skills and had worked at the Village Inn, the Bell-Bouy and Norma's Diner. She was also a former employee of Lucky Dollar and Woolco. She was a volunteer in the community and a former member of the Lioness Club. She is survived by her loving husband, David; daughters, Alexis (John) Gillis, Jamesville, and their children, Caitlin, Ailig and Logan; son, Todd (Laura), Burton, N.B., and their children, Katherine, Emily and Kyle; sisters, Lorraine (Larry) Slykhuis, Sask.; Gertrude Boudreau, Frances Janes, Roxanne (Terry) Wilson, all of Glace Bay; brothers, Andrew, Halifax; Eddie (Monica), Charles (Lorraine), Fred, all of Glace Bay; numerous nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews to whom she was known as 'Auntie Honey'. She was predeceased by brothers, John and Frank. Visitation will be 2-4 and 7-9 p.m., Sunday in Dennis Haverstock Funeral Home, Whycocomagh. Funeral service will be held 2 p.m., Monday in Stewart United Church, Whycocomagh, Rev. Donna Tourneur officiating. Burial in Stewartdale Cemetery at a later date. Family flowers only please. Memorial donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia, Canadian Diabetes Association or L'Arche Cape Breton. Words of comfort may be forwarded to the family at: www.haverstocks.com. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Neil Fraser Patterson 91, Boularderie/Sydney Mines - Neil F. Patterson, 91, passed away peacefully on Sept. 26, 2008, at the Harbourview Veterans Unit. Born at Boularderie East on May 19, 1917, he was the son of Charles and Lena (Murray) Patterson. Neil served with the RCAF from 1941-45. He operated a farm in Millville for over 20 years, worked with Martell's Construction for several years, then worked with the Department of Transportation until his retirement. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Adrienne (MacLellan); his children, Maude (Lloyd) Bailey, Kuwait, MaryLou (Harold) MacDonald, Boularderie, Fraser (Valerie), Ross Ferry, and Tom (Kim), Barrie, Ont. He is also survived by step-children, Barbara Fraser, Rosslin Frasser, Sydney Mines and Allan Fraser, Ross Ferry. Also surviving are his grandchildren, Michele, Suzanne, Amy, Neil, Ashley, and Andrew as well as step-grandchildren, Ross, Mark, Craig, Ronda, Matthew and Andrew; several great-grandchildren; and sisters, Sadie MacLean, Baddeck, and Florence MacLeod, North Sydney. He was predeceased by his first wife, Lena MacAulay in 1965, his sister, Isabelle and brothers, Murray and Angus. Neil was a member and elder of Knox Church, a member of Royal Oak Masonic Lodge (50-year Jewel) and a member of Eastern Star. In his early years, he was a member of the Cape Breton Farmers Association, a trustee of Millville School and served as a secretary of the Cape Breton County Farmers Exhibition. Visitation for Neil will take place at Fillmore and Whitman Funeral Home, Sydney Mines, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008. Funeral service will be held at St. James Presbyterian Church, Big Bras d'Or at 2 p.m., Monday, Sept. 29. Interment in St. James Cemetery. Family flowers only. Memorial donation may be made to Knox or St. James Church, or charity of one's choice. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Joan Marie McGillivray 58, Sydney - Joan McGillivray, 58, of Military Lane, Sydney passed away suddenly on Friday, Sept.26, 2008, at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Sydney. A native of South Bar, she was the daughter of the late Louis and Kathleen (McIntosh) McGillivray. In her early years she attended South Bar school and subsequently the Nova Scotia Training school in Truro. For many years she lived with her parents in Sydney. Following the death of her parents, she lived in smaller option group homes operated by Resicare Cape Breton. For many years she attended the Horizon Achievement Centre on Prince Street. For the past number of years, Joan lived happily and enjoyed the companionship and support of many friends including co-residents and co-workers as well as the exceptional care provided by the Resicare staff members. Joan was a very special person who was gifted in many ways, particularly with a unique sense of humour. She is survived by a brother, Fr. Paul McGillivray, currently pastor of St. Margaret's Grand Mira South and Sacred Heart, Marion Bridge. She is also survived by many relatives and friends. Visitation for the late Ms. McGillivray will be Sunday, Sept. 28 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at T.W. Curry Parkview Chapel. Funeral mass will be celebrated Monday, Sept. 29 at 11 a.m. at Holy Redeemer Church. Interment to follow in Resurrection Cemetery. Donations in her memory may be made to Resicare Cape Breton or charity of choice. Online condolences can be sent to twcurryparkviewchapel@ns.sympatico.ca. ******************************************************************************* Cape Breton Deaths courtesy of CBGHA http://www.cbgha.org