WILLIAMSBURG -- Bernie Lafontaine, 61, of RR 2, Williamsburg, died suddenly November 5, 2002 at the Winchester Hospital.
He was born February 26, 1941 in Ottawa to Rene Lafontaine and the former Helena Monaghan.
He worked as a stationary engineer with the RCMP until he retired in 1995. He lived in Ottawa until 1987 when he moved to the Morrisburg area.
Mr. Lafontaine was a member of the South Dundas Trappers Association and was an avid outdoorsman who had a keen interest in hunting, trapping, fishing and wildlife.
He is survived by his companion Muriel McLean; his son John and wife Donna of Ottawa; his daughters, Shannon Lafontaine and Sarah Lafontaine, both of Ottawa; brothers Rene and wife Marge of Johnstown, George of Montreal, Ed and wife Debbie of RR 1, Morrisburg, Rich and wife Mado of RR 3, Prescott, Phil and wife Sonya of Prescott; sisters Gloria Levere of Cardinal, Audrey Strong and husband Eldon of Nova Scotia, Vera Smith of Ottawa and Joan Pollex and husband Gerry of Ottawa.
He is also survived by grandchildren Scott, Todd and Anick Lafontaine as well as many nieces and nephews.
Mr. Lafontaine was predeceased by both of his parents.
The funeral was held at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Morrisburg on November 9, with Father Arikat officiating.
Pallbearers were Larry Roe, Phil Lafontaine, Steve Pollex, Nelson McCooeye, Darren Montgomery and George Lafontaine.
Donations to the Winchester Hospital or the Heart and Stroke Foundation will be acknowledged by the family.
Betty Blackman, 79
ELGIN -- Betty Blackman, 79, died of cancer October 15, 2002 at Kingston General Hospital after an illness lasting one month.
She was born December 9, 1922, in Seeleys Bay, the daughter of Harry Blackman and the former Nellie Gray. She was raised in Philipsville and attended Delta public school and Athens High School.
She graduated as a registered nurse from Kingston General Hospital School of Nursing in 1944. During her nursing career she lived with the Coates family of Kingston and nursed at Kingston General Hospital. She retired 23 years ago and moved to Elgin to live with her sister Marjorie Jackson.
A member of St. Paul's Anglican Church in Elgin and of the Kingston General Hospital Nurses Alumnae, she was the recipient in 1977 of the Queen's Jubilee Medal, in appreciation of her service and as a measure of the esteem in which she was held by her associates at KGH.
She was nicknamed Blackie and enjoyed knitting, playing bridge, bird watching and looking for deer and other animals in the wild.
She is survived by her brother Wallace Blackman of Perth, sisters Marjorie Jackson and Marilyn Bond, both of Elgin, sister-in-law Viola Blackman of Smiths Falls, several cousins and many devoted nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her brother Elmer Blackman and sisters Irene Stevens and Jean Stoness.
Friends called at the Scotland Funeral Home, Elgin, where on October 17 the funeral was held, with Rev. James Clark officiating and Donald Horning assisting. Eulogies were given by her sister, Marilyn Bond, Dr. J.W. Kerr and William Gravely. Burial followed at the Halladay Cemetery, Elgin.
The pallbearers were William Stevens, Bruce Blackman, Darrell Bond, Mark Bond, Jeff Bond and David Bond. The honorary pallbearers were Dr. J.W. Kerr, Beryl Kerr, Hilda Lake, June Coates, Wendy Delauriers and William Gravely Jr.
Memorial donations were directed to St. Paul's Anglican Church or charities of the donors' choice.
Eula McFarlane, 85
KINGSTON -- Eula G. McFarlane, 85, a longtime resident of Kingston, died in Brockville General Hospital on September 22, 2002.
She was born in Brandon, Manitoba, on June 10, 1917, the eldest of four children of Anne and William Chamberlain.
She married Robert Roy McFarlane in 1941, moving to Kingston in 1947. She came to live with her daughter in Brockville in 1997.
Mrs. McFarlane was a housewife and mother who also worked outside the home, at the Dominion Store and Cunningham Bakery. She was a member of the Kingston Gospel Temple and later the Evangel Pentecostal Church, where she was a Sunday school teacher, worked with the women's group of the church and sang in the choir.
She is survived by her son Dale McFarlane and wife Joanne of Kingston, daughter Joy Wake and husband Richard of Brockville, and three grandchildren, Kimberly McFarlane of Kingston, Melissa Williams and husband Scott of Brockville and Brandon Wake of Alberta.
Also surviving are her brother Jim Chamberlain and wife Vie of Lyn and many nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her husband Roy, brother Blair Chamberlain, sister Lorna Marks and brother-in-law Eldon Marks.
A celebration of her life was held at the James Reid Funeral Home-Cataraqui Chapel in Kingston on September 25, with Rev. Vernon Marples and Pastor David Downing officiating. A eulogy was given by Vie Chamberlain; granddaughter Kimberly read a poem, "Nan."
The pallbearers were nieces and nephews Keri O'Neil, Lorne Marks, Kevin Marks, Roger Chamberlain, Darrel Chamberlain and Holly Chamberlain.
She was buried next to her husband at Glenhaven Memorial Gardens, Glenburnie, Ont.
Phyllis Connell, 74
ELGIN -- Phyllis Jean Connell, 74, a former councillor of South Crosby Township, died October 28, 2002 at Kingston General Hospital. She suffered a massive heart attack after five years of declining health.
She was born on November 6, 1927 in Bolingbroke, Ont., one of six children of Stanley Wing and the former Cora Doudall. She was raised in Westport and attended school there.
After graduating from the Brockville Business College she became a secretary and stenographer for Kingston Locomotive. She also worked at Shaw Linton in Kingston; Ferguson Construction on Bath Road, Kingston; Russell's Syrup Plant in Delta; and Zellers in Brockville. She had been retired from Zellers for 20 years.
On October 10, 1959 she married Edgar Connell in Crosby United Church. They raised two children.
Following her retirement, Mrs. Connell was persuaded to run for South Crosby Township council. She was re-elected and served nine years in all on the council, enjoying the friends she made and the responsibilities of office.
Some 34 years ago, she and her husband were instrumental in forming the Rideau branch of the Canadian Cancer Society. She enjoyed working as chairman of the branch's education committee, going into schools with "Smoking Sam" to show school children the harmful effects of smoking. She also served as a director for the eastern district of the Cancer Society.
Mrs. Connell belonged to the Delta Baptist Church and a Bible study group. She was also active in the Philipsville Women's Institute. She was a volunteer driver for the Victorian Order of Nurses and assisted in volunteer policing in Elgin by manning the police office on Saturday mornings.
She enjoyed playing cards, dancing, flower arranging, cooking and doing crafts.
Mrs. Connell was predeceased by her parents, brothers Gerald and Jim, and sister Lorna Henderson.
She is survived by her husband Edgar; son Timothy of Lyndhurst; daughter Abigail Hudson and husband David of RR 2, Elgin; sister Sybil Smith and husband Elmer of RR 1, Portland; sister-in-law Roma Wing of Westport and brothers George Wing and wife Marjorie of Crosby and Gordon Wing and wife Gay of Delta. Also surviving are three grandchildren and 20 nieces and nephews.
Friends called at the Scotland Funeral Home, Elgin. Her funeral was held Oct. 31 at Delta Baptist Church, with Pastor Nelson Trafford and Rev. Harry Seeley (retired) officiating. Burial followed at the Crosby United Church Cemetery.
Pallbearers included nephews David Wing, Bryan Wing, Paul Henderson, Darryl Wing, Dewey Smith and Jason Wing.
Memorial donations were directed to the Delta Baptist Church Memorial Fund.
John Feenstra, 92
ATHENS -- John Feenstra, 92, who served in the Dutch underground during the Second World War, died October 12, 2002 at Brockville General Hospital. He had been in declining health for two months.
Born Jelle John Feenstra on October 22, 1909 in Parraga, Friesland, Netherlands, he was the son of Johanes Feenstra and the former Wybrigje Boersma. He was raised and educated in Friesland and developed a healthy work ethic at an early age.
A year later, the Second World War broke out and in 1940 he became actively involved in the Resistance movement, hiding Dutch Jews from the Germans. Many times he was in great danger, but he and his wife felt what they did was their Christian duty. For his service he received a silver cross, and in 1985 he received a medal and a tree was planted in his name in Jerusalem.
The Feenstras moved to Canada with their seven children, traveling on the merchant ship Tabinta. Upon arrival they settled their family in the vicinity of Athens, where their eighth child was born.
Mr. Feenstra helped establish the Christian Reformed Church in Brockville and later the Christian Reformed Church in Athens.
Although he worked at a number of jobs over the years, including work as a logger and at the Smart foundry in Brockville, he was primarily a farmer. In 1961 the family moved to Kemptville where Mr. Feenstra began chicken farming with the help of his wife and older children.
In 1968 the Feenstras moved to Navan, where they had purchased a horse farm. He retired in 1974, a year after his wife Jessie died of cancer.
Mr. Feenstra met Jelske "Jessie" Swart Smid and they were married June 22, 1974 in Athens Christian Reformed Church.
They spent their summers at Charleston Lake and winters in Orlando, Florida. Eventually they moved to Athens, where he was residing at the time of his death.
Mr. Feenstra is survived by his second wife and by eight children: John Feenstra and wife Lorreta of Oxford Mills, Jack Feenstra and wife Anke of Kemptville, Evelena Joldersma and husband Larry of Orleans, Wilma Vasilapoulis of Ottawa, George Feenstra and wife Patricia of Ottawa, Hans Feenstra and wife Marie of Clarence Creek, Clara Reitsma and husband Sisco of Ottawa and Ronald Feenstra and wife Patsy of North Augusta.
Also surviving are his stepchildren, Alice Schreiber and husband Peter of Guelph, Henry Smid and wife Sally of Athens, Otie Vanderkloet and husband Marten of RR 4, Athens, and Charles Smid and wife Marie of RR 1, Athens.
He is survived by 21 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, 17 step-grandchildren and 24 step-great-grandchildren; four siblings, Rick Feenstra and wife Barbara of Brockville and Anna Vanderzec, Wellemke Feenstra and Wiesdke Feenstra, all of Holland; and two sisters-in-law, Christina Feenstra of Mallorytown and Clara De Schiffart of Brockville.
He was predeceased by four brothers, Fred, Sjouke, Siebren and Hans Feenstra, and two sisters, Lolkje De Vries and Froukje Koldyk, all of Holland.
Friends called at the Judson Funeral Home, Athens, on October 14. The funeral was held the next day in Athens Christian Reformed Church, with Pastor Gary VanLeeuwen officiating. Burial was at Dales Cemetery, Cumberland on October 16.
The pallbearers were Andrew and Charles Feenstra, John and Steven Reitsma, Mark Joldersma and Jim Vander Kloet.
Memorial donations were directed to Athens Christian Reformed Church and Athens Christian School.
