Rachel Mary Elizabeth King, a Mallorytown resident for five decades, died June 8, 2003 at Brockville General Hospital following a massive heart attack. She was 73.
She was born October 17, 1929, to John Brown and Elizabeth Chisamore and was raised and educated in the Lyn area.
She married Donald Elton King on May 12, 1950 in Mallorytown and as newlyweds lived with family members in the Yonge Mills area.
They then made their home for the next 50 years in Mallorytown.
Mrs. King's main interests were her husband and family and beloved dog, Tiger.
She is predeceased by her parents, John and Lizzie Brown, and a brother Marsay in infancy.
Mrs. King is survived by her husband of 53 years, Donald, brother Keith Brown (Joanne) of Brockville and by six children, Donelda Barkley (Ron), Carol Wright (Ken), Donald H. King (Melanie) and Charlie King (Shirley), all of Brockville, Mary Lee Mathieu (Gilles) of Sudbury and Laurie Williams (Roger) of Mallorytown.
Also surviving are 13 grandchildren, Jamie Barkley (Andrea), Laura Lee Barkley (Peewee), Bob Moore, Erin Moore, Luciene Mathieu (Louis Gabriel), Melissa Mathieu, Samantha Mathieu (Darryll), Stacey King, Robbie King, Lindsay King, Taylor King, Josh Williams (Malisa) and Courtney Williams. Eight great-grandchildren survive: Cassidy, Jersey, Kelsey, Carly, Jasmine, Andy, Jacob and Hunter.
A private visitation was held at the Barclay Funeral Home June 9. A graveside service for family and friends was June 12 at the Mallorytown Cemetery with Reverent Allister Rose officiating.
Memorial donations were directed to the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Diabetes Association.
Rachel Dykstra, 75
PRESCOTT -- Richtje "Rachel" Dykstra of Park Street, Prescott died June 14, 2003 at St. Vincent de Paul Hospital, aged 75.
She was born March 28, 1928, at Sneek, the Netherlands, to Hessel Visser and Jantina W. Vos.
She married Hans Dykstra November 24, 1945, at Sneek.
Mrs. Dykstra was a homemaker.
She is survived by her husband, Hans, daughter Tina Dykstra and sons Jelle, known as Al, and his wife Shirley, Fred and his wife Catherine and Thomas and his wife Louise. Also surviving are grandchildren Richelle, Tamara, Sonya, Alysia, Frances, Jeffery, Christopher, Thomas, Stephen, Ryan and Joshua and great-grandchildren Courtney, Cody, Jordon, Taylor, Chelsea, Lucas and Ryan.
Mrs. Dykstra's brothers Age Visser, known as Al, and his wife Angela, and Gerret Visser and sisters Johanna (Henry Mulder) and Ali Monkel survive her, along with several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her parents.
The funeral was at the chapel of the Chris Slater Funeral Home June 17 with Rev. Doug Blair officiating. Burial followed at Maynard Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Al, Fred and Thomas Dykstra, Mark Graham, Jeffery Woods and Shaun Young.
Memorial donations were directed to Hospice of Providence Palliative Care at St. Vincent de Paul Hospital.
Hubert Deir, 76
ATHENS -- Hubert Ferdinand Deir, who served on Front of Yonge Township council for a decade, died suddenly of a heart attack at home May 21, 2003. He was 76.
He was born January 11, 1927 in Gananoque to James Deir and Rose Ellen Patience.
He attended Lake Eloida Public School and Athens District High School. He joined the army at just 16 and was discharged at the end of the Second World War.
Mr. Deir attended Radio college in Hamilton, then took a job with International Nickel in Coniston, where he met his wife-to-be, Maureen "Minnie" Leonard. They married October 3, 1950, in Coniston.
The couple lived their entire married lives and raised eight children on the Deir family farm on Lake Eloida.
While also farming for many years, Mr. Deir worked at Automatic Electric, later Microtel and BrockTel, for 26 years before his retirement in 1992.
His family remember him as an easygoing man who was quick to laugh and particularly enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. Grandson Logan Deir, who grew up without a father, eulogized his grandfather as the person he turned to for inspiration, guidance and advice.
Mr. Deir liked to putter around his property, fish and hunt, play cards and pool, do crosswords and go to auctions with his wife.
He served for 10 years as a township councillor.
Mr. Deir is survived by his wife, Minnie, sons Darwin of Vancouver, Derrick of Brockville, and Dale (Johnna Daley) and Shawn, both of RR4, Athens, and daughters Donna Healey (John) of Richmond Hill, and Debbie Lefave (Stephen) and Darlene Deir (Dick Zufelt) of Brockville.
Also surviving are grandchildren Jamie Deir of North Augusta, Kyle and Jenna Healey of Richmond Hill, and Logan Deir and Brittany and Brianne Lefave of Brockville and step-grandchildren Tara (Derek Johns) and Shawna Zufelt and step-great-granddaughter Elizabeth Johns, whom he never got a chance to meet.
Also surviving are siblings Francis Antonick of Salt Spring Island, B.C., and Mary Jones and brother Michael, both of Athens, and many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his parents, son Douglas James, brothers Philip, Manville, Joseph and Hanley and sisters Helena, Rosella and Blanche.
Friends called at the Judson Funeral Home May 23. At Mr. Deir's request, cremation was arranged and burial will take place at Plum Hollow Cemetery at a later date.
Memorial donations were directed to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Darryl Burridge
Darryl Francis Burridge, 36, of RR 2, Maynard, and owner of a paint and wallpaper store in Prescott, died suddenly May 10, 2003 at Kingston General Hospital as the result of an aneurysm.
He was born September 3, 1966, in Brockville to Ralph Burridge and the former Helen Chant and grew up in Rocksprings. He attended Addison Public School and Thousand Islands Secondary School. He graduated from St. Lawrence College (Brockville) with a diploma in business administration.
He married Sheila Ernst on July 8, 1984, at Hardy Park in Brockville and eventually he built his own home for his family and always enjoyed woodworking and renovating.
Mr. Burridge owned The Colour Pallette, a paint and wallpaper store in Prescott.
He played bass guitar in a country music band for most of his life and also sang.
An easy-going man with a ready smile, he loved helping people and spending time with his family. He enjoyed being outdoors, doing yard work, going camping and playing with his children.
He is survived by his parents, Ralph and Helen Burridge of Rocksprings, his wife Sheila Burridge, sons Zachary (nine years) and Matthew (10 and a half months) and daughter Samantha (three years).
Also surviving are his sister Sheila Barnard and husband Dave of Ottawa and their children Chet and Chelsea, his grandmother Lauretta Burridge of Maple View Lodge, several aunts, uncles and cousins, and four other nieces/nephews.
Mr. Burridge was predeceased by his daughter Sarah in 1998, grandparents Harold and Louise Chant, and grandfather George Burridge.
Friends called at the Barclay Funeral Home, Brockville, where on May 14 the funeral was held, with Rev. Douglas Blair (retired), formerly of Athens United Church, officiating. Roy Evans, a family friend, gave the eulogy. Burial followed at Maynard Cemetery.
The pallbearers were Dave Barnard, Robert Ernst, Rick Collins and Doug Chant. The honorary pallbearers were Greg Kinghorn and Brant Burrow.
Memorial donations to the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Foundation and the Heart and Stroke Foundation were gratefully acknowledged by the family.
Jacqueline Johnston, 59
Jacqueline Hillary Johnston, 59, a retired librarian at the public library, died of breast cancer June 4, 2003 at St. Vincent de Paul hospital two months after remission of an earlier cancer ended.
She was born December 29, 1943, in Kingston to Jack Hilliard Sills and the former Berna Jane Louise Foley. She was raised in Belleville, attended Belleville High School, then went on to Queen's University where she studied arts and science and graduated in 1965.
While still at Queen's she had met Harry Russell Johnston and they were married March 20, 1964, in Kingston. They lived in Ottawa for four years and then in 1968 came to Brockville.
Mrs. Johnston taught French at Vanier and New Dublin public schools for three years and then became a librarian at the Brockville Public Library. She enjoyed her work there for 16 years and retired in 1995.
Her greatest interest was her family and of all the things she did in her life, being a mother and grandmother was first and foremost. She identified with Christ United Church, Lyn, and lived in the Mallorytown area, near the river, which she had loved since she was a child. She was an active river person all her life, including several years' membership in the Brockville Yacht Club in the early 1970s.
She was a member of Beta Sigma Phi sorority for 37 years and recently received the Master degree, the sorority's highest degree.
She was a volunteer with the Friends of Fulford Place Association, the organization that supports the work of Fulford Place Museum, and she also volunteered to canvass and worked ably for a number of charitable organizations.
When she was diagnosed with cancer shortly after her retirement, she became a member of the Breast Cancer Support Group in Brockville and helped others as well as herself to come to terms with this illness.
As the cancer went into remission, she and her husband enjoyed traveling. She was happy to go somewhere at a moment's notice and once packed for a trip to the Dominican Republic in less than a day.
She enjoyed arts and crafts, knitting and reading. As her husband said, she actively and lovingly involved herself in the lives of her family and friends.
Mrs. Johnston is survived by her father, Jack Sills of Belleville, her husband Harry Johnston, son Peter and wife Jody of Mallorytown and daughters Jennifer Vargo and husband Frank of Alexandria Bay, N.Y., and Stephanie Cudmore and husband Paul of Fergus, Ont., as well as six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Also surviving are her sister Barbara MacDonald of Belleville and a niece and three nephews.
She was predeceased by her mother, Berna Jane Sills, and a nephew, Jeffrey Mark MacDonald.
Friends called at the Irvine Funeral Home, Brockville, the evening of June 5, after a large memorial tribute by members of the Beta Sigma Phi sorority. The ceremony in celebration of her life was held June 6 in the Irvine Chapel, with Rev. Jean Baker of Christ United Church, Lyn, officiating. Cremation at the Roselawn Tribute Centre and Crematorium in Maitland was arranged and burial will be at a later date.
Memorial donations to the Kingston Regional Cancer Society and the Canadian Cancer Society will be gratefully acknowledged by the family.
