Donalda Jean Banford

A resident of the Heartwood Retirement Centre in Cornwall for the past 4.5 years, Evelyn Whitteker passed away there on Sunday, August 21, 2011.  She was 87.

Evelyn was born in Cornwall on December 27, 1923, to her parents Colin and Agnes MacMillan (nee Dennison). She was the oldest of a family of eight.  On March 30, 1945, this city girl married Ross Emerson Whitteker and settled into country life where she became the “rock”of her family.

Evelyn was an amazing women, who had many talents that she did to perfection.  
She was an accomplished seamstress, who also knitted and crocheted, and kept her family dressed in style. There was nothing she could not fix, alter, or make.  

Her artistic side led her to painting, and ceramics, and her culinary talents were unsurpassable. No one will forget her apple pie, dill pickles, and donuts. Tim Horton’s had nothing over Evelyn’s donuts!

Evelyn was involved in all aspects of farming with Ross, from baling hay and driving machinery to feeding, and milking cows. She loved animals, especially dogs and there were many but Topsy and Brandi were closest to her heart.

There was nothing that Evelyn could not do, and through all of this rural life she never lost her “city girl” touch, as she was always dressed for town, from her lipstick and earrings to her matching purse and shoes. She loved to shop, especially for jewelry and shoes. 

In the community, Evelyn was involved in everything from Women’s Institute, and ladies aid, to quilt making at the church. People from the community describe Evelyn as “beautiful”, both inside and out.

She and Ross loved to love life, this included everything from fishing, boating, dancing, playing music, snowmobiling, bowling,  card playing, reading, puzzles,  to just enjoying family fun around the campfire at the cottage on a warm summers night.

Evelyn will be remembered as a very strong woman. She had such amazing strength, and that strength came through in who she was and all she did.   Intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, socially, and physically…. she was a strong woman. That strength carried her through the long, graceful journey of her life with dignity and pride.

Evelyn is survived by her children Donnie (Susan) of Williamsburg, Gail (Bob) Godbout of Keswick, Karen Wells (Terry Henderson) of Brinston and Robbin (David) Kerr of Mountain and by her siblings Muriel Potvin of Ottawa, Mary Kerr of Ottawa, Donald (June) MacMillan of Clarence Creek and Kenny (Norma) MacMillan of Ottawa.

She will be fondly remembered by grandchildren Greg, Kristine, Cory, Colin, Robert, Jeff, Ashley, Julie-Anne, Holly, and great-grandchildren Jake, Bo, Mack, Elle, Kristin, Rachel and Raine.

She was predeceased by her husband Ross and sisters Gladys Tippins, Betty Pinkham and Helen Allen.  She is also survived by nieces and nephews.    

Friends called at the Marsden and McLaughlin Funeral Home, Williamsburg, on Wednesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.  Funeral service was held at the funeral home on Thursday, August 25th at 11 a.m. with Rev. Norine Gullons officiating.  Interment followed at New Union Cemetery, Williamsburg.  

Pallbearers were grandchildren Ashley Kerr, Julie-Anne Kerr, Holly Kerr, Robert Wells, Cory Godbout and Colin Godbout.  
Donations to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church or Winchester Hospital would be appreciated by the family.

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Betty June Serviss, 75, of Govenor Hunt Road, in Vernon, died Saturday, April 7, 2012, at Cape Coral Hospice House following a period of declining health.

Mrs. Serviss was born in Morrisburg, Ontario, Canada, on July 3, 1936, the daughter of Harold and Pearle (Feeley) Canning. She was raised and educated in Morrisburg and later resided in Gouverneur, New York, before moving to Vernon with her family in 1970.

She had been employed as a claims taker for the Vermont Department of Employment and Training for almost 25 years working in the Brattleboro office. Previously she had worked for H&R Block where, initially, she opened and managed the Brattleboro office. She continued to work for H&R Block on a part-time basis up until 1998.

Mrs. Serviss was a past member of the Dennis Rebekah Lodge in Gouverneur and was a member of Vernon Union Church where for several years she served as Sunday school superintendant. 

She enjoyed crossword puzzles, bowling, dancing and time shared with her family.

On July 14, 1951, in Cardinal, Ontario, Canada, she was married to Francis Serviss, who predeceased her on February 16, 2006.

Survivors include three sons, J. Allen Serviss and Donald G. Serviss, both of Vernon, and Scott L. Serviss of North Fort Myers, Florida; two daughters, Jan L. Whittle of Brattleboro and Debbie J. Savage of Vernon; one brother, Ralph Canning, of New York; a sister, Beverly St Pierre of Ontario, Canada and nine grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Additionally she leaves many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by one brother, Donald Canning.

Funeral services were conducted Friday at 2:00 p.m. at Vernon Union Church with Pastor Steve Dunklee officiating. Burial followed in North Cemetery in Vernon.

Friends were invited to call at the Atamaniuk Funeral Home on Thursday from 6-9 p.m. 

Memorial contributions in Mrs. Serviss’s name may be made to Rescue Inc. P.O. Box 593, Brattleboro, VT,  05302.

To sign an online register book or send messages of e-condolence please visit www.atamaniuk.com.

Atamaniuk Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

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A resident of Iroquois, Henk van Dodewaard passed away peacefully at the Cornwall CareforHospice on Wednesday, December 10th, 2014. He was in his 85th year. 

Henk was the dearly beloved husband of Agnes van  Dodewaard. He was loving father of Arie (Ineke) of RR 3 Williamsburg, Marja (Marcel) Smellink of Iroquois, Henry (Brenda) of Iroquois, John (Janis) of Iroquois, Erik (Donna) of Brockville and Peter (Debra) of Iroquois. 

He was dear brother of Corrie van Dodewaard of Holland, Coby (James) Maida of Malawi and Arie van Dodewaard of Holland. 

Henk was predeceased by two grandsons Michael and Daniel. He will be sadly missed by his 19 grandchildren and five great- grandchildren. Also survived by many nieces and nephews. 

Henk was born in Heteren in the Netherlands, the second oldest of four kids.  He married Agnes in 1957, and they celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary on November 27th, 2014, at the hospice surrounded by their family. 

As a blacksmith, Henk made some beautiful “artwork”. One piece was a rooster which he helped make, and place on the top of a church in Holland. He also made two cradles for his grandchildren. 

Henk had different jobs; he drove an excavator for a couple of years, one of them was built on the back of a truck which he built himself, He was also a tool and die maker and machinist.

Henk and Agnes had five boys and one girl. The last couple of years in Holland, he had his own business, and sometimes he made 36 hour “days” welding buckets, and everything else in steel, like scaffolding and soil testing equipment for Venezuela.

In 1976, Henk decided to take a look in Canada, and when he returned, he just said to his family “We are moving”. So  in July  1977, when Henk was 47, he moved his family to Canada. A time a lot of us are going “We need to slow down”, but not Henk, he kept working. 

In the early 80’s, Henk and his sons started their own business, a welding and repair business that did repairs and made buckets. D and S Manufacturing was born. He worked until he was 75, and even after that he had to check up to see if the boys were doing all right.

He loved making little kids laugh, especially his grand kids and great-grandchildren. He was a kid at heart. 

Pa/opa was a great husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather and great-grandfather, and he will be sadly missed. 

Friends called at the Marsden McLaughlin in Williamsburg, on Friday, December 12, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.  Funeral service was held at Dixon’s Corners Community Christian Reform Church on Saturday, December 13, 2014 at 11 a.m.

Special thanks go to Dr. Saad Abbud and his staff, the staff of J. W. MacIntosh Seniors’ Support Centre-Assisted Living, and the doctors, nurses and other staff at the Cornwall Carefor Hospice.

Donations to Carefor Hospice would be gratefully acknowledged by the family.

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