Ruth Casselman

 

A resident of the Dundas Manor Nursing Home in Winchester for the past two years and nine months, Beatrice Banford passed away there on Wednesday, June 5, 2013.  She was 90 years of age. 

Beatrice was born on December 17, 1922.  She was the daughter of Vera and step-father Joe Brazeau.  She married Charlie Weldon Banford on February 7, 1940, and moved to Toronto where they shared a house with Bea’s parent on Eastmount Avenue in the Broadview and Danforth area.  

Charlie had a job at a huge Canadian Tire Store on Young Street where the staff travelled around the store on roller skates.  Bea worked part-time in a dress shop and this gave her the opportunity to always dress to the nines in “fancy dresses” with matching earrings, necklace, bracelet and high heeled shoes.  

While Bea and Charlie lived in Toronto with Bea’s parents, they shared a cottage on Pefferlaw River.  After the passing of Bea’s mother, Charlie and Bea purchased the cottage at Pefferlaw, winterized it and this became their permanent home.

Beatrice and her husband Charlie were well known for their love of cars which included everything from pink Cadillacs to Chevrolet Impalas.

For quite a few years, Bea and Charlie were “Snow Birds” and wintered in Florida.  They stayed in a small community north of Panama City.  Bea enjoyed doing crafts with the neighbour ladies.  She called it “The Stitch and Bitch Place!”

Eventually, Charlie had some health problems, and he found cutting the grass in the big yard and other chores too much. So, in 1994, they sold their home in Pefferlaw and moved to  the Iroma Apartments on Frank Street,  in Iroquois, to be nearer to their families.  

In March of 2003, Charlie became sick and, after spending some time at Winchester District Memorial Hospital, he was transferred to the Ottawa Civic Heart Institute where he passed away on April 5, 2003.  

Bea remained at the apartment, but her health started to fail and on August 13, 2007, she moved into the Hartford Retirement Home where she remained for a few years. Her health continued to deteriorate, and she was hospitalized in Winchester for a few months. On September 15, 2010, Bea was placed in Dundas Manor.  

Beatrice is survived by her sisters-in-law Marie Banford and Marion Banford, both of Smiths Falls, and several nieces and nephews.      

A private family service was held at the Marsden and McLaughlin Funeral Home, Iroquois, on Friday, June 7th at 1 p.m., with Rev. Janet Evans officiating.  Interment followed at Iroquois Point Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Keith Banford, Lynden Banford, Aaron Banford, John Banford, John Geurkink and Trevor Riopelle.  

Donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation would be gratefully acknowledged by the family.  Online condolences may be made at marsdenmclaughlin.com. 

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A lifetime resident of the area, Brian Markell passed away suddenly at home in Morrisburg, on Sunday, December 2, 2012. He was 61. 

Brian was born in Matilda Township on December 30, 1950, to his parents Robert and Della Maude Markell (nee Kelly).   Brian and Elaine Lavallie were married by Pastor Charles Marshall at Rowena Full Gospel Tabernacle on May 20, 1972. 

Brian will always be remembered for his warm heart and helping hand to anyone who was in need of help. 

He enjoyed fishing, day or night, and he always knew where to find the fish biting. When the kids were young, Brian and his daughter picked dew worms late at night, without Elaine knowing. However, Elaine often wondered why Loretta was so tired and did not want to get up for school!!

Brian was well known in the community for making sinkers and his own lures to catch the big ones, which he often did. 

Brian enjoyed collecting junk to tinker with. He always managed to fix whatever it was he was working on just so he could sell it or deal it off for something else that he would fix up again. 

Quite often the kids would come home from school and Brian would have some kind of motor completely torn apart on the table on newspaper. He would tell them not to touch anything and soon after he would have the motor put back together and working!  

Brian was also a huge fan of wrestling, not very often missing a match, with too many heroes to mention.  His family knew when wrestling was on to stay back because they didn’t know when Brian’s hands were going to fly depending on what was happening to his hero during the match. 

Brian worked for many local farmers in Matilda Township when he was young, and then he and his brother Charlie got a job working as tree planters in Limerick forest. They worked there for many years.  

Brian’s fondest memories involved all his family sitting outside on a warm sunny day reminiscing about the good old days or he and his family walking up the road to visit his parents and enjoy the fresh toast his Mom made on the wood stove.  

He also enjoyed getting together with his brothers and sisters and their families to enjoy a good meal.  Brian was somewhat of a prankster and he enjoyed playing a joke on someone when they least expected it.  His family never knew what he was up to. 

Brian is survived by his wife Elaine and his children Loretta (Rob) Margison of Williamsburg and Alex of Morrisburg. 

He will be fondly remembered by his brother Bernie of Morrisburg and his grandchildren Tiffany, Dereck, Terisa and Fernanda. 

He was predeceased by sisters Flossie Royle and Nellie Hitsman and brothers Robert, George, Art, Charlie, Sid and Carl. He was also predeceased by sisters-in-law Marilyn and Sharon Markell by his nephew Kevin Markel,  and by his mother and father-in-law Charles and Mildred Lavallie (Hitsman), Helen Markell. 

He is survived by sisters-in- law Kathy Markell, Cairlyn Chater, Marion Markell, Fay (Roger) Markell, Pat (Cecil) Keeler, by his brother-in-law George Hitsman Sr. and Paul Lavallie. 

He is also survived by nieces and nephews. 

Friends called at the Marsden and McLaughlin Funeral Home, Williamsburg, on Tuesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Funeral service was held at the funeral home on Wednesday, December 5th at 2 p.m., with Pastor Jim Kirkby officiating.  

Interment followed at New Union Cemetery, Williamsburg.  

Pallbearers were Alex Markell, Rob Margison, Dereck Margison, Eldon McCorkell, Sydney Markell, John Hitsman, Garnet Wolfe and Bill Markell.

Donations to the Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre would be gratefully acknowledged by the family.  Online condolences may be made at marsdenmclaughlin.com.

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A resident of Cardinal for the past 23 years, Ian McGillis passed away peacefully at the Brockville General Hospital on Saturday, January 17, 2015, age 53. 

Ian was born in Cornwall, on November 27, 1961, to his parents Doug and Joan McGillis (nee McGuire). He grew up in Morrisburg where he attended Morrisburg Public School and later Seaway District High School.  

Ian was a long-time resident and third generation owner of McGillis Home Hardware in Morrisburg. After selling his Morrisburg business in June of 2011, Ian worked for Home Hardware in Winchester, until February of 2013.

He continued on to work at the Home Hardware Building Centre in Brockville, where he was highly regarded by his co-workers and where he made many friends. He worked at the Building Centre until he became too ill this past summer.

As a kid, Ian enjoyed playing hockey in the winter. In the summer, he couldn’t wait for the Sunday afternoon boat rides with his family, when his dad would put him on his lap and let him drive the boat.  

If they weren’t on their way to Brockville to go camping with the Stevens and Thom families, it was a nice cruise over to “A Bay” for groceries and maybe an ice cream if he got lucky.

As Ian got older, he enjoyed family gatherings. Whether it be a birthday or a holiday, he would always be up to putting on his Sunday best to greet the family at the door. Even if he wasn’t feeling up to it….his mother Joan would make sure he was ready to go for the special day ahead.

Ian was involved in many sporting activities whether it be playing hockey as a young boy or playing softball as a young adult in the Morrisburg Mixed League. 

If Ian wasn’t playing a sport he was watching them and cheering on his favourite teams. If not the Montreal Canadiens at home or at the Bell Centre, it was a trip to the Skydome to watch the Toronto Blue Jays with Nancy and the grandchildren all the way up to the final games this season to share a weekend with her and their two oldest grandchildren Brock and Joshua. 

There were special times watching the Montreal Alouettes, when he and his best friend Craig Harriman shared seasons tickets for six unforgettable seasons. 

Ian was a devoted family man. He spent countless hours taking in his grandchildren’s golf, curling, baseball and 4H shows. He was their biggest fan on the sidelines throughout the years.

Ian’s true passion of course was the game of curling. He made many contributions to the Morrisburg Curling Club where he started curling, was a member for many years and eventually became club president. 

Ian was also a member of the Brockville Golf and Curling Club, where over the years he made many friends. 

When not playing, he and Nancy would take vacations across Canada to many curling events whether it be to The Brier or the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. 

Ian loved the game of curling so much that he volunteered countless hours to the game, to eventually make his way into the Ontario Curling Association (OCA). 

Here he started on the Board of Directors as a rules chairperson. He served as President of the OCA from 2013-2014 and become past president from 2014 until his passing in January 2015. He was presented a lifetime honorary membership by the OCA in December 2014. 

In Ian’s short life, he was highly regarded and respected by his many friends and acquaintances on and off the ice.

Ian is survived by his loving companion Nancy Skakum (nee Bennett); his stepchildren Michelle Skakum (Larry Mastine) of Danville, P.Q., Steacy Skakum (Kevin Laming) of Cardinal and Nicole Goodenough (Gregg Moulton) of Boucks Hill; his grandchildren Brock, Joshua, Michaela, Meghan, Justin, Jessica and Jason; his sister Ann Miller (Jeff) of Kemptville. 

He will be sadly missed by his nieces Laura and Emma and his nephew Norman.  He will be fondly remembered by his aunt Norma McGuire of Etobicoke and his cousins Susan, Elizabeth and Bryan.  

He was predeceased by his parents Doug and Joan McGillis.      

Friends called at the Marsden and McLaughlin Funeral Home, Williamsburg, on Thursday, January 22nd from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Funeral service was held at the funeral home on Friday, January 23rd at 11 a.m., with Rev. Feras Chamas officiating.

Interment of cremated remains will be at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Morrisburg. 

Pallbearers were Craig Harriman, Allan Brunt, Scott Shaw and Gord Gark.  

Donations to the Morrisburg Curling Club or Kingston Cancer Centre would be gratefully acknowledged by the family.  Online condolences may be made at marsdenmclaughlin.com. 

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