Former Brockville Police corporal Jim Dempsey, 87, died December 25, 2003 at the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Home in Barrie.
In recent years he was honoured for his compassion, caring and lifetime involvement in his community.
James Russell Hamilton Dempsey, called Jamie by his family, was born June 15, 1916 near Ottawa on a farm on the boundary between Carleton and Russell counties. He was the second son of Russell Dempsey and the former Mary Isabella Morrow, the fifth in a family of six children.
He attended public school in Carleton County and high school in Russell County, which his sister, Evelyn Pelton, recalls gave them "a cosmopolitan air - or so we thought!"
During the Depression of the 1930s, when his older siblings had left home, young Jamie provided support and comfort to his parents.
"Of all Jamie's virtues, " writes Mrs. Pelton, "compassion and forgiveness became more and more evident in his desire to help people. Where others of his young acquaintance sought higher levels of education, Jamie was more interested in people and their circumstances."
He soon found the Salvation Army was an institution through which he could help people.
He served in the Canadian Army, with the Brockville Rifles, from May 1942 to May 1946, in Canada and Jamaica.
After returning to civilian life, he joined the Brockville Police Department on January 12, 1948. He served in the department for 18 years, rising to the rank of corporal. Through his police work and because of his association with the Salvation Army, he was able to show his caring and compassion.
He resigned from the police department January 15, 1966 and moved to the Toronto area and served for several years as a letter carrier for the postal service in Mississauga. He retired and moved to Barrie in 1982.
For more than half a century, Mr. Dempsey remained actively involved with the Salvation Army. His dedication was acknowledged in April 1995, when in Barrie he received an award for 50 years of service. Then on May 24, 2001 he was an Ontario Volunteer Award recipient "for unswerving commitment and dedication to countless hours of volunteer service at The Salvation Army in Barrie."
He is survived by his wife, Marjory Murphy Dempsey (nee Brighten), whom he married in August 1982; son Dale Dempsey and wife Shirley of Plantagenet, Ont.; daughters Sharon Phillips and husband David of Orleans, Carol Austin and husband Richard of Wyevale and Gail Little of Shelburne; and grandchildren, Jennifer, Jenna-Lynn, Jack, Dan, Margaret, Chyanne, Kevin, Brian, Mark, Peter, Jane, Judy, Simon and Jeff.
Also surviving are his sister Evelyn Pelton and husband Keith of Brockville, sister-in-law Jereldene Dempsey of Guelph and several nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his sisters Jessie MacNaull, Gladys Anderson and Edith Pelton, and his brother Rev. Allison Dempsey.
The funeral was held December 29 in Barrie at the Salvation Army Citadel, with Major Paul Wood officiating. Lt.-Col. Baden Marshall gave the pastoral prayer, a eulogy by his sister was read by her husband, and a tribute was given by nephew Rev. Paul Dempsey of Bracebridge, in which, as Mrs. Pelton says, "he very fittingly observed that his uncle had come home for Christmas."
Cremation followed the service with inurnment at Oakland Cemetery, just west of Brockville.
Bill Currie, 86
William Edwin "Bill" Currie, 86, a retired mechanical engineer, died December 29, 2003 at Brockville General Hospital, four days after having a stroke.
He was born January 2, 1917, in Akron, Ohio, to Robert Currie and the former Nellie Rogers. He was raised in Youngstown, Ohio, and came to Canada in 1935.
On June 8, 1940, he married Florence Martin in Preston, Ont.
He served in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1943-46, during the Second World War, after which he enrolled in Queen's University in Kingston. He graduated in 1952 with an honours degree in mechanical engineering.
He came to Brockville in 1960 and worked as a mechanical engineer for DuPont Canada at Maitland, retiring in 1981.
Mr. Currie was a member of the Brockville Country Club, where he curled and golfed prior to his retirement. When he retired, he travelled with his wife to England and Europe and spent time at his cottage on Otter Lake. He was also a member of the Probus Club of Brockville.
In later years, he cared for his wife, who had Alzheimer's disease. He kept her at home during the 10 years of her illness, except for the last four months of her life.
He lived on Bramshot Avenue until September 1995, when he moved to 1082 Bridlewood Drive.
He is survived by his son Keith Currie and friend Helen of Johnstown and daughter Janis Brown (nee Currie) and husband Don of Brockville, four grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and his sister Marguerite Reese of Youngstown, Ohio.
He was predeceased by his parents and his wife.
A celebration of his life was held January 3 at the Barclay Funeral Home.
Memorial donations to the Hospice of Providence Palliative Care were gratefully acknowledged.
Timothy Connell, 44
Timothy "Tim" Harold Connell, 44, formerly of Graham Lake Road, died September 23, 2003, at his home with his family at his side.
He was born September 1, 1959 in Brockville General Hospital to William "Bill" Connell and the former Marion Pettem. He was raised in the Brockville area and attended Prince of Wales Public School and Thousand Islands Secondary School. Many of his summers he spent at the campgrounds and cottage on Graham Lake.
His first job was with Burnbrae Farms, washing transport trucks and cleaning out the trailers. Then he found work at the Black and Decker plant. When that company downsized, he worked for a short time at Newell's in Prescott and Ven MarLisi in Brockville. At the time of his death he was employed at Avesta Polaris (ABE) Ltd. in Brockville.
On July 22, 1978, he married Susan Whalen at Trinity (Anglican) Church in Brockville and they had two children.
He enjoyed playing sports, especially baseball. He began in Brockville playing fastball up to the Brockville Bunnies level, then switched his interest to men's slowpitch. He played in this league until a year ago. He also enjoyed playing golf and was a member of the Cedar Valley Golf Club.
Mr. Connell was diagnosed with esophageal cancer early last May.
He was predeceased by his father and mother and brother Larry.
He is survived by his wife Susan "Sue" Connell, son William and his wife Marjorie, and daughter Samantha, as well as two brothers, Stephen and wife Nicole of Port McNichol and Robert and wife Phoebe of Brockville, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Also surviving are his aunt Grace Rowsome and husband Horton of Brockville and uncle Alvin Pettem and wife Berniece, as well as his mother-in-law Edna Whalen.
He was predeceased by his maternal grandparents, Harold and Edna (nee Shipman) Pettem, his paternal grandparents, Charles and Flossie (nee Olds) Connell, and his father-in-law Claude Whalen.
Friends called at the Barclay Funeral Home, Brockville, where on September 26 the funeral was held, with Pastor Jason Cleugh of Highway Pentecostal Church, north of Brockville, officiating. Walter Dubas gave a memorial tribute during the service.
Burial was at Lyn Cemetery. The pallbearers were Steven Moore, Stephen Steacy, Tim Noonan, Randy Hunt, Carl Cobb and Rob Rice. The honorary bearer was Lloyd Whalen.
Memorial donations were directed to the Canadian Cancer Society and Canadian Diabetes Association.
Jane de Groot, 79
Jane de Groot, 79, of St. Lawrence Lodge, died in her sleep November 4, 2003 at Brockville General Hospital.
Born July 23, 1924, in Kampen, Holland to Gerrit Meyer of Kampen and Jantje Meyer (maiden name same as her husband's), who came from Zwolle, Holland, she was the second of six children. She had an older brother and four younger sisters.
She flew to Canada on February 14, 1952, to take up the offer of marriage from Thaeke "Ted" de Groot who had been living in Canada since 1948. They had first met in Holland, and during the fall of 1951, when he was home for a visit, he had proposed to her.
They were married in Chatham, Ont., on February 23, 1952. They lived in Chatham and then Spencerville, finally settling in the North Augusta area.
During her early years, she worked as a housekeeper and babysitter, but she spent most of her working career as a private seamstress. She also worked in places such as Hathaway's shirt factory in Prescott and Woolco department store in Brockville. In between, she also ran Jane's Snack Bar in North Augusta for a number of years.
Mrs. de Groot travelled extensively during her lifetime, including trips to Ireland, Switzerland, Florida, Alaska, the east and west coasts of Canada and all over Holland.
She was well known as a seamstress and loved all kind of handcrafts, including knitting, crocheting, needlepoint etc. She loved to read, do jigsaw and crossword puzzles and spend time with her family.
She also loved a good practical joke and played them on many of her unsuspecting co-workers, friends and family members.
After her husband's death, Mrs. de Groot lived on Colonel Curry Drive, in the Millwood apartments and finally St. Lawrence Lodge, all in Brockville.
Besides her husband, Mrs. de Groot was predeceased by sisters Henny Meyer and Geertje Bruin.
She is survived by children Bonita Poulin and husband Gilles and Don de Groot and wife Heidi, and grandchildren Maraika and Darragh de Groot, all of Brockville. Siblings Jan Meyer of Belgium, Annie Buis of Holland and Nini de Boer of Canada, as well as many nieces and nephews, survive her.
Friends called at the Irvine Funeral Home in Brockville on November 11. Rev. Stuart Marples officiated at the memorial service on November 12. Burial followed at Maynard Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Albert Bertrend, Jeff Dawson, Jeffery Argue and Roger Van Allen. Honorary pallbearers were Martin Asbreuk, Rudy Bekkedam and Sybold de Jong.
Memorial donations were directed to the Canadian Diabetes Association.
Ray MacDuff, 48
Raymond William MacDuff, known as Ray, died of congestive heart failure at Brockville General Hospital December 2, 2003 after a short illness. He was 48.
He was born October 16, 1955, at Hawkesbury to Gerald and Evelyn MacDuff.
Mr. MacDuff came to Brockville more than 30 years ago. He worked at Career Services and lived on Glengarry Crescent and, finally, on Laurier Boulevard at the time of his death.
Mr. MacDuff was affiliated with the Presbyterian Church and a member of the Brockville and Area Community Living Association (BACLA).
His family reports that he loved dinosaurs, wrestling, women, beer and Tim Hortons coffee. He enjoyed watching movies and television, fishing, dancing and listening to music.
His brother, John, says Ray's genuine caring for others will be missed by people who knew him.
Mr. MacDuff is predeceased by his parents. He is survived by his brothers Brian MacDuff of Vankleek Hill and John MacDuff and his wife, Maria, of Bowmanville, sisters Ida Everest and her husband Joel of Stittsville and Shirley MacDuff and her husband, Allan, of Richmond Hill and nieces and nephews Anthony, Katrina, Bryson and Marshall MacDuff, Amy and Catherine Everest and Benjamin and Steven Kostiuk.
The funeral was at the Barclay Funeral Home with Rev. David Jones of First Presbyterian Church officiating with interment following at Fenaghvale Cemetery December 13.
