Jessie Mary Rieveley, 91, who lived in Brockville for 15 years from 1965 and again since 1997, died June 14, 2003 at Brockville General Hospital.
She was born in Victoria, B.C., on May 6, 1912, to Herbert James Jackson and the former Mary Hilda Purton. She was raised and educated in Burnaby, B.C.
Her life was spent putting others ahead of herself. She left high school before completing Grade 10 to help nurse her mother after she suffered a series of strokes. She also cared for her father and her younger brothers and sisters and ran the household.
During the early 1940s, after the death of both parents, she not only kept a home for her younger sisters but also worked in the tax office and volunteered for the war effort, for which she received several certificates of appreciation.
On June 12, 1946, she married William Arthur Rieveley in St. John the Divine Anglican Church, Burnaby, B.C., and they raised three daughters. During the 1950s and 1960s, while her husband was in the Canadian Forces, the family moved several times, first to Winnipeg, then Camp Borden, Kingston and finally in 1965 to Brockville. Mr. Rieveley took a job at Automatic Electric.
While living in Brockville, Mrs. Rieveley was active in the 5th Brockville Scout Troop at St. Peter's Anglican Church with her husband and was on the local executive scout committee. Also during these years she opened her home for several months to an Inuit exchange student from Baker Lake, N.W.T., and cared for several foster children, one of whom stayed with her for more than 10 years.
She belonged to a number of social and church-related women's groups over the years and used her knitting skills to make and donate to various charities hundreds of pairs of slippers, numerous shawls and other items. She used to cut plastic grocery bags into strips which she then knit into reusable carry-all bags.
She liked to go rock hunting and turned various polished stones into costume jewelry. She made Christmas stockings by hand for her children and grandchildren and made bouquets of flowers, usually roses, using a method of folding ribbons. She also enjoyed gardening.
In June 1980 she and her husband moved back to Powell River, B.C., where she helped him clear land on a forested lot for their retirement home. Shortly after their move, their daughter Hilda and her husband Stan Leigh were killed in an airplane accident. They built a pre-fabricated log home on the lot and for the next 17 years led a full and productive life in Powell River.
In 1997 poor health necessitated their move back to Brockville, where they lived with their daughter Kathy for 18 months before moving to the Rosedale Retirement Centre, where Mr. Rieveley still lives.
Besides her husband, Mrs. Rieveley is survived by daughters Mary Cooke and husband Rodney and Kathy Van Dusen and husband Carman, all of Brockville, and grandchildren Robert Koktan, Diane and David Cooke and Jessica Van Dusen. Also surviving are her sister Marjorie Hilda MacDonald of Surrey, B.C., and many nieces and nephews in British Columbia.
She was predeceased by her parents, her daughter Hilda Joyce Leigh, sister Dorothy Sabin Code and brother John Edward "Ted" Jackson.
Cremation was arranged through the Irvine Funeral Home and Chapel, Brockville. Neither visitation nor a funeral was held. Memorial donations were directed to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
George Shaver, 81
George Shaver, a lifelong Brockville resident, died July 10, 2003 at St. Lawrence Lodge after a long illness. He was 81.
Born in Brockville on December 2, 1921, George Edward Shaver was the son of Delbert Shaver and his wife, the former Margaret Jane "Maggie" Roberts. He was educated at Prince of Wales School and Brockville Collegiate Institute.
In his late teens he started working at the Phillips Cables Company plant in Brockville. With the outbreak of the Second World War, he joined the Royal Canadian Navy and served for five and a half years, including an assignment overseas, which took him to Ireland and the North Atlantic.
He resumed his employment at Phillips after the war and remained with the company until his retirement.
He married the former Eileen Arcand at Wall Street United Church on July 23, 1949. They lived for many years on George Street and, later, on Laurier Boulevard, where Mr. Shaver lived until moving to St. Lawrence Lodge.
He was a member of Wall Street United Church and the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 96, Brockville.
In his earlier years he enjoyed fishing and woodcarving, and he crafted many birdhouses. He was an avid card player and especially enjoyed euchre. His main interest was his family.
He is survived by his wife Eileen Shaver, daughter Margaret Close and husband Jim, grandson James Close and wife Celestine, and great-grandchildren J.D. and Vanessa, all of Brockville. Also surviving are his brother Delbert Shaver and wife Marion and his sister Bonnie Burke and husband Roger, all of Brockville, as well as several nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his parents and a sister, Edna Hellyer.
Friends called at the Irvine Funeral Home, Brockville, on July 12, and members of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 96, held a veterans service of remembrance in the evening. The funeral was held July 13 in the Irvine Chapel, with Rev. Douglas Warren of Wall Street United Church officiating. During the service, tributes were given by his sister Bonnie Burke and his niece Susan Green. Burial followed at Oakland Cemetery.
The pallbearers were Roger Burke, Aaron Burke, Mike Green, Gerry Shaver, Jeff Shaver and Joe Mason.
Memorial donations were directed to the Canadian Cancer Society.
Kathy Johnston, 58
Katherine "Kathy" Mary Johnston, 58, died of cancer August 9, 2003 at Brockville General Hospital.
She was born December 21, 1944, in Brockville to Keith Johnston and the former Mary Ferguson.
She worked for many years for CIL as a secretary in a variety of departments in Montreal.
She later transferred to Toronto for ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries) Canada and worked as a secretary in the treasury and financial services department.
In October 1995 she took early retirement and returned to Prescott to live with her mother.
She continued to keep busy as a volunteer at the Prescott Public Library.
She was also a valued volunteer at Boundary Street Public School for many years. She enjoyed knitting and crocheting blankets for the children at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO).
There was no visitation; cremation was arranged through the Chris Slater Funeral Home, Prescott.
A graveside service was held August 15 at Sandy Hill Cemetery, Prescott, with Rev. John Reynolds officiating.
Memorial donations were directed to the Prescott Public Library.
Margaret Dorman
Margaret Dorman, 94, a retired Phillips Cables employee, died July 18, 2003 at Brockville General Hospital. She had had a stroke 11 days earlier.
Born September 1, 1908 in Reddige, England, she was the daughter of Harry Ecclestone and the former Susan Griffith. She immigrated to Canada in 1916 and while still fairly young worked as a maid for several families.
In 1925 she began working at Phillips Cables and she continued as a factory worker there until 1950, when she married Clarence W. "Bill" Dorman on January 25 in Brockville. She became a housewife and mother.
Mrs. Dorman enjoyed spending time with her family, reading, watching television, eating out, gardening and playing five-pin bowling. She loved animals and wildlife.
She is survived by her son Bill Dorman and wife Karen Watt of Brockville and daughter Helen Bonner and husband Dan of London, as well as four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Also surviving are her brother Albert Vout of Massena, N.Y., and her sister Violet Lindgren and husband Walter of Bancroft, sister-in-law Jean Mallette and brother-in-law Cecil Dorman and wife Marjorie, as well as several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her husband Bill Dorman, brother Arthur Vout and sister Phyllis Vout.
Friends called at the Irvine Funeral Home, Brockville, on July 21 before the funeral was held. Rev. Stan Riley (Anglican) officiated and cremation was arranged.
Wilma Seabrooke, 83
LANSDOWNE -- Retired customs inspector Wilma Seabrooke, 83, died July 16, 2003 at her daughter's home at Charleston Lake. She had been ill with cancer for a year.
She was born Wilma Marie Stoliker on April 21, 1920, in Gananoque to William Stoliker and the former Florence Gwynne. She was raised on a farm on Sand Hill Road, Brewers Mills, and attended a country schoolhouse nearby. She attended Gananoque High School through Grade 13, earning a business diploma.
She went on to attend teachers' college in Ottawa, but when the Second World War broke out in 1939, she took a stenographer position with the government, remaining there for five years.
On June 1, 1942, in Springfield United Church, at Brewers Mills, Township of Leeds, Leeds County, she married Stewart Elson Seabrooke and in 1945 they purchased a vacant farm two miles north of Lansdowne.
She began working as a secretary at the customs office at the Thousand Islands International Bridge in 1958. By the time she retired 28 years later, she was a customs inspector.
Mrs. Seabrooke was a member of Lansdowne United Church and its United Church Women group. She loved music and belonged to her church choir, the Gananoque Choral Society and the Athens Choral Society, where she was alto soloist for 14 years.
She enjoyed playing sacred music and was organist at Lansdowne United Church and Lansdowne Presbyterian Church for 15 years each altogether. She also played the organ for funeral services at the Barclay Funeral Home, Lansdowne, for several years.
Tatting, knitting, embroidery, making quilts and reading were some of her other interests. She also enjoyed spending her summers at her cottage on Charleston Lake.
She belonged to a seniors group and also enjoyed driving seniors to meetings. She was extremely active and lived life to the fullest.
Mrs. Seabrooke is survived by her son Kenneth of Outlet Road, north of Lansdowne, and daughter Marie Poldervaart of Charleston Lake, grandchildren Scott and Tina and great-grandchildren Thomas and Matthew as well as half-sister Kathy Costello and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her husband Stewart, half-brother Jim Stoliker and half-sister Freda Kenny.
Friends called at the Barclay Funeral Home, Lansdowne, where on July 19 the funeral was held, with Rev. Allister Rose officiating. Burial followed at the Gananoque Cemetery.
The pallbearers were Danny Livingston, Bernie McLaughlan, Nancy Campbell, Steven Seabrooke, Jack Kenny and Nancy Webster.
Memorial donations were directed to Bayshore Community Care, Brockville, the Gananoque Humane Society and Canadian Cancer Society.
