Peggy Smith, 72, died suddenly December 17, 2003 in Brockville.
She was born Vivian Geraldine Smith on January 18, 1931 in Brockville to Earl Smith and the former Reta Sweeney. She attended Prince of Wales Public School, Victoria School and Brockville Collegiate Institute.
She first worked as a member of the office staff at J.A. Johnston Shoes in Brockville, then became switchboard operator at the Phillips Cables plant. She retired from Phillips 11 years ago.
Miss Smith was an active parishioner of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Brockville. She enjoyed spending time at her parents' cottage on the St. Lawrence River, shared a close bond with her family and also enjoyed the company of neighbours and friends, including lifelong friends Grace Thomas, Nola Kelly, Donna Latimer, Lillian Mallory and Betty Michaud.
Her interests included knitting, sewing, baking and gardening.
She is survived by her brother Bud Smith and his wife Thelma of Tincap; sister Sally Towe and her husband Elmer of Brockville; nieces Kim Parker of Brockville and Sue Brugma and her husband Henry, and nephew Brian Towe and his wife Kathy; great-nieces Michelle Parker and Chelsea Brugma, and great-nephews Adrian and Dale Parker and Liam Brugma, as well as Barry Parker, for whom she was a special "aunt."
She was predeceased by her parents.
Friends called at the Irvine Funeral Home, Brockville, where on December 19 the Catholic Women's League held a special service. The funeral was held December 20 in St. Francis Xavier Church, with Father Brian Price officiating. Burial followed at St. Francis Xavier Cemetery.
The pallbearers were Dale and Adrian Parker, Barry Parker, Brian Towe, Henry Brugma and Lester Beach. Honorary pallbearers were Michelle Parker and Chelsea and Liam Brugma.
Memorial donations were directed to the Canadian Cancer Society and Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Monica Jones, 106
Miss Monica Margaret Jones, 106, died in her sleep December 5, 2003 at St. Lawrence Lodge, where she had lived since 2000. She was the last local descendant of Dr. Solomon Jones, who built Homewood, near Maitland.
She was born April 16, 1897 in Maitland, the daughter of Harold Jones and the former Ruth Wells. She lived at Homewood, the stone house her great-great-grandfather, Dr. Jones, had built in 1799-1800 after coming to Augusta Township as a United Empire Loyalist late in the 18th century.
Homewood was eventually purchased by Du Pont Canada Inc., which then donated it to the Ontario Heritage Foundation. Today it stands as a monument to one of the most distinguished families in Ontario.
Miss Jones attended schools in Maitland and Prescott, then entered the Brockville General Hospital school of nursing. She graduated as a registered nurse around 1920. Her career took her to England, India and other parts of the world before she went to the United States, where she worked professionally until she retired.
She always came back to Homewood to take care of her parents and her two sisters until they died.
For a few years she lived with her brother Justus and his wife Willa, but in 1963 she moved to an apartment on the grounds of St. Alban's. There she met her neighbours, a young Italian couple John and Anna Marie Borelli, who, with their children, became her "family." Since 1986, the Borellis were her only caregivers.
Miss Jones was a gentle lady and a woman of great courage, who was proud of her family and the Jones name, says Richard Dumbrille, of Maitland, a longtime friend.
She was invited for the ribbon-cutting at the opening of Homewood Museum, recalls Brian Rogers, of the Ontario Heritage Foundation (OHF). She and other family members continued to assist the OHF with historical information about the Jones family and she personally donated cultural items in the home. OHF staff visited her and sent remembrances on her birthdays, in recognition of her support.
She is survived by some distant cousins, a niece Harriette Jones of Red Deer, Alberta and the Borelli family.
Friends called at the Barclay Funeral Home, Brockville, on December 9. The funeral was held in St. James Anglican Church, Maitland, on December 10, with Rev. Claude Delorme officiating. She was buried next to her beloved parents in the little Blue Church cemetery, in Maitland.
Martha Allen, 85
PRESCOTT -- Martha Alice Allen, 85, died October 8, 2003 at Wellington House, in Prescott.
She was born October 30, 1917, in Kingston to Walter Lannigan and the former Maria Peters and came to the Prescott area 60 years ago. She married George Edward Allen (date not given).
She worked for various industries for several years. Then she and her husband became foster care providers and did this for many years.
She was a member of Shanliwood Baptist Church.
Mrs. Allen is survived by three sons, Thomas, William and Roger, and three daughters, Jean, Myrtle and Mildred, as well as 20 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
Also surviving are her sister Irene and brothers Edward and George.
She was predeceased by her parents and by her husband in 1997.
Friends called at the Chris Slater Funeral Home, Prescott, where on October 13 the funeral was held, with Pastor A. Litchfield officiating. Burial followed at Maynard Cemetery.
The pallbearers were her sons Roger and William Allen and grandsons Jeff, Phil and Chris Allen, Ernest Robinson and Charles and Arthur Bass.
Harriett Taplin, 86
ATHENS -- Harriett Alice Taplin, 86, of Charleston Lake, died November 22, 2003 at Brockville General Hospital.
She was born in Westport on June 24, 1917, the youngest child of Clarence Saunders and the former Birdie Blair, and was known as Hattie.
She graduated from Brockville General Hospital as a registered nurse in 1941, and married Donald Taplin on April 25, 1942 at Addison United Church.
She worked in nursing in Brockville, Perth, Winnipeg, Halifax and Hamilton, ending her career in Toronto, where she was human resources manager for Laura Secord, candy manufacturer.
On her retirement in 1971, she moved to the Charleston Lake area, which became her home for the next 32 years.
Mrs. Taplin was predeceased by her husband, Donald Taplin, in 1983, and by her sister, Annie Laura Breen of Westport, in 1999.
She is survived by her sister-in-law Clista Taplin and son Charles and family of the Smiths Falls area. Also surviving are her nieces Dale Gilad and husband Art and their son David, of Oregon, and Dianne Noonan and husband Roger and their children Nicki and Paul, of Mississauga; and nephew Doug Breen and partner Mary Quist and Doug's son Donnie, of Kingston. She also leaves her best friends and neighbours, Larry and Mary Clarke of Charleston Lake.
A memorial service was held November 23 at Addison United Church, with Rev. Dolly Dikens officiating.
Cremation was arranged through the Judson Funeral Home, Athens, and burial was at Glen Elbe Cemetery on November 26.
Memorial donations to Addison United Church were gratefully acknowledged by the family.
Hartley Carkner, 83
IROQUOIS -- Hartley Carkner, 83, of RR 2, Iroquois, who had his own painting business, died December 26, 2003 at Winchester Hospital.
He was born June 25, 1920, in Williamsburg Township, Dundas County, to Reuben Carkner and the former Elizabeth Shaw. He was raised in the township and moved in 1938 to Iroquois where he got a job at Susie Tindale's orchard on Iroquois Point. He worked there until 1956, when the orchard property was expropriated by the St. Lawrence Seaway project.
Next he worked at Thompson's Lumber and remained with the company for 18 years before starting his own painting business in 1974. He painted up until the summer of 1995, when he decided it was time to retire, at the age of 75.
In his younger years, he was a good artist and was also very musical. He played the violin, guitar and mouth organ, and entertained many people with his singing and sense of humour.
He enjoyed gardening, riding his scooter and visiting with neighbours and friends in his retirement.
Mr. Carkner is survived by five children, Lyall and wife Joan of Cardinal and Betty, Kevin, Paul and Steven, all of Iroquois.
Also surviving are his sister, Muriel English of Brockville, several nieces and nephews, and brother-in-law Arlie English of RR 2, Iroquois.
He was predeceased by his parents; his wife, the former Jean Wilson, whom he married December 21, 1946, in Iroquois, and who died July 28, 1988; son Glenn; brother Lloyd Carkner; and sisters Marion Warren and Dorothy McMillan.
Friends called at the Marsden and McLaughlin Funeral Home, Iroquois, where on December 31 the funeral was held, with Rev. Doug Carnegie officiating. Cremation was arranged and burial will be at Iroquois Point Cemetery in the spring.
Memorial donations were directed to the Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre and the Canadian Cancer Society.
