Lois Casselman

A lifetime resident of the Iroquois area, Clare Brown passed away at the Kingston General Hospital on Tuesday, November 12, 2013, following a brief illness. He was in his 75th year.

As a young boy growing up in Iroquois, Clare attended the local public and high schools, and enjoyed all school activities, particularly football, basketball and cadets.  

It was during a high school Sadie Hawkins dance that a certain girl asked him to go with her, and that started a lifelong love story.  He and Cay Locke married in 1959, and were blessed with their two daughters, Laurie and Terry.  

Clare went to work at Canada Starch in shipping and moved quickly into distribution. He enjoyed the relationships developed with the drivers. 

Later he moved to buying corn, and the creation of his office team of girls that were jokingly referred to as Charlie’s angels, Ann, Lisa and Deb. 

His final position in commodities allowed him to do what he loved best, taking off in the afternoon behind the wheel of a car, driving those country roads he loved and kibitzing with the farmers about the latest corn prices and futures.

Clare and Cay enjoyed their early married life with endless activities with their friends, Friday night card games, snowmobiling, dancing at the Haddo school house and Legion and just plain old house parties that ended when the sun came up. 

Their girls were raised in a way that made them feel that their family did not end at their doorstep but rather was always open to include extended family, friends and neighbours at all times of day and night.  

Their friends were always welcome and the games continued for the next generation along with the endless cookie jar.  And, the car was always ready to go to friends Junior B hockey games, ball games or latest teen event.  

Clare had a wide variety of interests and community commitments.  He was a 52 year member of Friendly Brother Masonic Lodge and 30 year member of the Order of the Eastern Star and he served in many positions within each fraternity.  

He served as chairman of the Winchester District Memorial Hospital board and served three terms on the Iroquois town council. He worked on numerous Legion fastball tournaments, served on the Canadian Industrial traffic league and was a valued member of the Iroquois United Church Board. Lately he served on the Iroquois Marina Association.   

Clare was the kind of dad that never said no to his kids or grandkids when they asked for help.  He enjoyed boating, fishing and particularly his hunting group in Cardinal.

In later years, he and Cay enjoyed travelling taking in an Alaskan cruise, Banff, Arizona, Florida, Mexico, Barbados and Myrtle Beach.

After retiring, Clare and Kay purchased a camper and joined the Masonic Camping Group, which they enjoyed so very much, making many new friends and travelling through Ontario and New York State for rallies. 

Last March, they sold their Iroquois home and moved to the Marriners Building in Prescott.  From the vantage point of their new waterfront condominium, Clare enjoyed watching the boaters, divers, swimmers and the concerts in the park.  New friends and neighbours were made and the old friends in Iroquois cherished. 

Clare was a devoted son to Ambert and Nelda of Morrisburg, who are left to mourn him, along with his brother Ron and his wife Connie of Iroquois, a sister-in-law Isabelle Locke of Prescott and many dear nieces and nephews. 

Clare is survived and sadly missed by his wife Cay (Locke), his daughters Laurie (John) Kolff of Denver, North Carolina and Terry (Jim) Grimes of Brockville. He will be sadly missed by his grandchildren Lyndsey, Andrew, Jaime, Aaron and Ryan. 

A Masonic Memorial Service was held at the Iroquois United Church on Saturday, November 16th at 2 p.m., followed by a Celebration of Life, which was conducted by Rev. Valerie Vande Wiele, assisted by Rev. Doug Carnegie.  Music was provided by the Masonic Men’s Choir, of which Clare was a member. They were accompanied by Margaret Whisselle. 

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

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George Baker, a longtime resident of Morrisburg, passed away peacefully at Dundas Manor, Winchester on Wednesday, May 23, 2012. He was in his 96th year.  

George was born on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory outside Belleville and shared early life with a sister Mary and a brother Jack. On the death of their mother, they were adopted by separate families and were reunited later in life. 

George was adopted by William Samuel Baker and Ethel Mae (nee Browe) Baker in the Aultsville area.  

It was there he met and married Violet Shaver on April 8, 1948, in Williamsburg.  George and Violet loved each other dearly and spent little time apart.  They were very supportive parents to sons Ken and Garth and his family. 

Although tough times in the 30’s made it impossible for George to continue in school, he had the personal drive to become a self educated man.  He did well under the tutoring of Violet, first to get his license and later to take the examination to become a TV repairman.  George worked at RCA in Prescott and with hydro during the construction of the Seaway.  Even in retirement he pumped gas at the garage.  

George was an agile athletic person who loved to tell stories of how he played hockey with Sears catalogues for knee pads.  He enjoyed fishing, playing darts and bowling.  His trophy case was filled with recognition of these achievements.  

Remaining active in later years, he and Violet played shuffleboard and organized the competition for the Ontario Senior Games when they were held in Morrisburg.  

George was a member of Lakeshore Drive United Church.  Those who knew George would remark about his sense of humour, his light heartedness and that twinkle and wave.  He cared deeply for his family, worked hard and enjoyed the simple, most precious aspects of life.

George was predeceased by his wife Violet (Shaver) Baker (2010). He leaves to mourn his sons Ken of Cornwall and Garth (Faye) of Morrisburg, his grandchild Jennifer (Mark Elson) Baker of Pickering and his great-grandchild Benjamin Collins of Pickering.  He was predeceased by his sister Mary Wood and brother Jack Flewell. 

Friends were received at the Parker Funeral Home, in Morrisburg on Friday May 25, 2012. The funeral service was held in the chapel. 

Pallbearers were Wayne Hutt, Dale Hutt, Mark Elson, Ricky Shaver, Randy Shaver and Brad Shaver.  Interment was at Fairview Cemetery, Mariatown.  Memorial donations to Winchester Hospital would be gratefully acknowledged.  Condolences and donations may be made at www.parkerofmorrisburg.com

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A lifetime resident of the area, Verl Levere (nee Byrd) of Morrisburg, passed away at the Hartford Retirement Home in Morrisburg on Friday, January 4, 2013.  She was 91.

Verl was born on the family farm in Mountain Township, on December 9, 1921, to her parents Alfred and Nettie (Baker) Byrd.  She attended public school at the North Mountain Consolidated School at Hallville.

Prior to getting married, Verl worked at the Golden Glove Works in Prescott.

On April 24, 1943, she married Clarence Levere at her family home in Van Camp, in Mountain Township. 

Following their marriage Clarence and Verl took up residence at R.R. # 1, Brinston where they owned and operated both a dairy and a beef farm.  

In January 1965, they established “Levere’s Meat Market and Slaughter House” where they worked alongside each other, until they retired and moved to Morrisburg in 1987.  

Since moving to Morrisburg, Verl participated in the SSS Christian Women’s Group and Meals on Wheels. She enjoyed bowling, shuffle board and participating in the local Euchre Marathon.  

Verl was a member of Hanesville United Church until its closing in 1976, after which she became a member of Brinston United Church. 

Upon moving to Morrisburg, she was a member of Lakeshore Drive United Church.

Verl was a great cook, loved to write poems, was a self-taught artist and an accomplished seamstress.  She loved to sing and to step dance, played the piano by ear and loved to entertain the residents with her harmonica.   

Verl is survived by daughters: Carole Warren and Joan (Lawrence) Larocque of Morrisburg, and by sons Doug (Bev) of Ottawa and Roger (Tom) of Toronto.  

Verl will be fondly remembered by grandchildren Cindy (Jim) Bennis, Leisa (Ernie) Beckstead, Todd (Tracey) Larocque, Melanie Warren (Patrick Burke), Jo-Anne (Wayne) Minish, Sara Warren, Dustin Levere and great-grandchildren Quinn, Lucas and Jonah Bennis, Marc and Cole Beckstead, Alek, Kamryn and Callam Larocque, Hannah Warren, Harrison Burke, Drew and Colin Minish.  

She is survived by sisters-in-law Cora Byrd of Kemptville, Verna Levere of Cornwall and Edna Levere of Morrisburg and by numerous nieces and nephews.  

She was predeceased by her husband Clarence (1998), her infant son Reginald (1958), her grandson Devin Levere (November 2012), her sisters Gertie Christie, Elva Merkley, Grace Perry and her brothers Lloyd, John, Clayton and Sanford Byrd.  

Friends called at the Marsden and McLaughlin Funeral Home, Williamsburg, on Monday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Funeral service was held at the funeral home on Tuesday, January 8th at 11 a.m., with Rev. Arlyce Schiebout officiating.  

Verl was honoured by having all of her grandchildren participate in her funeral service. 

Jo-Anne Minish played piano for the service. Todd Larocque sang a solo of Grandma’s favorite hymn “Where We’ll Never Grow Old”.  Jo-Anne followed with a verse of this same hymn played on Verl’s harmonica.  

Melanie Warren joined Todd and Jo-Anne to sing “Blessed Assurance” and “How Great Thou Art”. 

Cindy Bennis and Leisa Beckstead each read one of her favorite poems “If I Had Known” and “A Bend in the Road”. Sara Warren placed a heart pin on grandma’s blouse. 

Grandsons Dustin Levere, Todd Larocque, Jim Bennis, Ernie Beckstead, Wayne Minish and Patrick Burke were pallbearers.

Donations to Lakeshore Drive United Church or C.H.E.O. would be gratefully acknowledged by the family.  

Spring interment will be at South Gower Cemetery.  

Online condolences may be made at marsdenmclaughlin.com.

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