Capt. Earle William Richards, 86, who captained numerous vessels in his long nautical career, died February 20, 2003 at Sherwood Park Manor after an illness lasting eight months.
He was born November 1, 1916 in La Have, Nova Scotia, where he was raised and educated. His parents were Harold Richards and the former Vera Getson.
He joined the Merchant Navy in 1935 and was on the oil tanker Frederick S. Fales when it was attacked and sunk in September 1940 by German submarines near the coast of Ireland. He was one of 21 survivors.
He went back to sea with the Merchant Navy, remaining until 1943. He worked for the Dartmouth Ferry Commission after the war as a mate and as captain of ferry boats crossing Halifax Harbour.
After coming to Brockville in 1948, he worked as captain of the S. M. Douglas sand barge, as captain of Bill Comstock's yacht Caritas, and with the Snider Boat Tours. He was superintendent of A. F. Simpson Marine Construction and then a captain for the Rockport Boat Line. He retired five years ago.
He married Phyllis Marguerite Richards (whose maiden name was the same is his) on July 22, 1950 in Brockville.
He identified with Trinity Anglican Church and was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 96, Brockville, and Salem Masonic Lodge No. 368.
He enjoyed gardening, crossword puzzles, card games and his home and family, including grandchildren. He also enjoyed his annual visit to La Have to see family and friends.
Capt. Richards is survived by his wife Phyllis, two sons, Robert and wife Donna, and John, all of Brockville, and one daughter Rosanne Richards of Brockville, as well as grandchildren Sean and Kristen Richards.
Also surviving are his sister Ruby Gray and husband Lawrence of La Have, N.S., sisters-in-law Sylvia Richards of Halifax and Pearl Webster of Brockville, and brother-in-law Bernard Briand of Dartmouth, N.S.
He was predeceased by his brothers Stadford and David Richards and sister-in-law June Briand.
A private family service was held February 21 at the Irvine Funeral Home Chapel, Brockville, with Rev. Ron Horst, of Trinity Anglican Church, Brockville, officiating. A eulogy was given by his daughter Rosanne.
Memorial donations were directed to Sherwood Park Manor and Trinity Anglican Church.
Viola Smith, 87
CARDINAL -- Lifelong Cardinal area resident Viola Smith, 87, died March 4, 2003 at Brockville General Hospital.
She was born May 17, 1915 in Prescott to George Johnston and the former Lulu Reid. She was married first to William Blair, by whom she had her children, and later to Charles Smith.
A homemaker, she belonged to the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 105 in Cardinal and enjoyed playing bingo, going shopping and watching movies. She also loved playing cards.
She is survived by two daughters, Wanda Saunders and husband Donald of Newboro and Gloria Williams and husband David of Ivy Lea, 10 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by both her husbands, a brother Lloyd Johnston, grandson Brent Alger and two great-grandchildren Hadden and Queisha.
Friends called at the Marsden and McLaughlin Funeral Home, Cardinal, on March 6, when a Legion memorial service was held. The funeral was in the funeral home on March 7, with Rev. David Gogolin officiating. Cremation followed.
Memorial donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation will be gratefully acknowledged by the family.
Leo Cnossen, 79
PRESCOTT -- Retired Phillips Cables employee Leo Cnossen, 79, of RR 4, Prescott, died February 16, 2003 at Brockville General Hospital.
He was born Lieuwe Cnossen on May 17, 1923 at Hammerts, Friesland, Netherlands, to Douwe Cnossen and Trijntje Veldhius.
He worked on a farm until he was 22, then volunteered for the Dutch army at the end of the Second World War. He served in the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) for three and a half years.
He returned to the Netherlands in 1948 and in May 1949 immigrated to Canada with his parents and four brothers. In 1951 the family settled in the Prescott area and he worked at Phillips Cables, retiring in 1983.
He was owner-operator of a farm and loved horses. He also enjoyed fishing.
Mr. Cnossen is survived by brothers Bob, Douglas and wife Hilly, Andy and wife Riet and Carmen and wife Henny, as well as several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents.
His funeral was held February 18 in the Chris Slater Funeral Home chapel, Prescott, with Rev. Sam VanderSchaaf officiating. Burial followed at Roselawn Memorial Gardens, Maitland.
The pallbearers were Douglas, Dar, Luke, Carmen, John and Dan Cnossen.
Memorial donations were directed to the Hospice of Providence Palliative Care and the Canadian Cancer Society.
Julienne Hubert
PRESCOTT -- Julienne Hubert, 72, formerly of Prescott and a resident of Bridlewood Manor, Brockville, since October 2002, died February 10, 2003 at Brockville General Hospital.
She was born February 26, 1930 at Ste. Marthe, Que., the daughter of Ovilda Seguin and the former Josephine Masse. She married Pierre Hubert on May 14, 1955 in St. Mark's Catholic Church, Prescott.
She was a member of the Catholic Women's League at her church, enjoyed playing euchre and bingo, liked sewing and loved being with her family and many friends.
Mrs. Hubert is survived by her husband Pierre, daughter Monique Brunet and husband Ron of North Augusta, son Don Hubert and wife Judy of Almonte and grandchildren Ted, Marc, Daniel and Michael.
Also surviving are three sisters, Marguerite Bissonnette and husband Roland of Hamilton, Germaine Trudeau and husband Gilles of Prescott, and Marie Boileau and husband Tony of Prescott, and one brother, Simon Seguin and wife Darlene of Cornwall, as well as sisters-in-law Madeline Seguin of Prescott and Aurore Seguin of Hamilton and several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her parents, daughter Lise, brothers Oscar, Ovila, Rene, Rosaire and Maurice Seguin, sister Rita Ross and son-in-law Dwayne.
Friends called at the Chris Slater Funeral Home, Prescott, on February 11. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated in St. Mark's Catholic Church on February 12, with Father John Appelman and Father Rob Arsenault officiating. Cremation was arranged and a committal service will be held in the spring at St. Mark's Cemetery.
The pallbearers were Ted Livingston, Daniel Hubert, David Seguin, Rick Seguin, Michael Seguin and George Ross.
Memorial donations were directed to the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society.
Emaline Fletcher, 85
CARDINAL -- Emaline Mary Christina Fletcher, 85, died January 19, 2003 at Wellington House Nursing Home, in Prescott, after a brief illness.
She was born October 21, 1917 in Cardinal to Andrew Stark and the former Eliza Morris.
She worked for many years as a payroll clerk at Canada Starch Company in Cardinal.
A member of St. Andrew's and St. James Presbyterian Church, she belonged to the Presbyterian Ladies and sang in the church choir as well as the Cardinal Community Choir.
Mrs. Fletcher is survived by her stepson John Fletcher and his wife Wendy of Toronto and their children David, Tim and Janet.
She is also survived by several nieces and nephews, Grace Scott, Jim and Hazel Stark, Morris and Dorothy Stark, William and Marilyn Murray and Earle and Betty Fletcher and their families, as well as many friends and a special friend, Doris Coons.
She was predeceased by her husband Arnold Fletcher, whom she married in the Presbyterian Manse in Cardinal, her sisters Bella Livings and Dorothy Clark and her brother James Stark.
Friends called at the Marsden and McLaughlin Funeral Home, Cardinal where on January 22 the funeral was held, with Rev. Geoffrey Howard officiating. Burial will be at St. Andrew's and St. James Riverside Cemetery in Cardinal in the spring.
Memorial donations were directed to St. Andrew's and St. James Presbyterian Church.
