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Benita Riley

Benita Riley

On May 1st, 2015, two long time broken hearts were finally mended when my mother and father were re-united at Heaven's gate.
My mom was born Benita Gloria on March 2nd, 1933 in New Glasgow, N.S. (a place she held very dear to her heart) to Anna May McFarlane and that well-known fiddle player, Bill McIsaac (The Royal Swingsters).
She had eight brothers and sisters: Tina, Ted, Roddy, Colleen, Frank, Johenena, (McMaster) and Lloyd and Helen McIsaac. She could always be seen with her partner in crime, Helen, her sister. (Mom and Aunt Helen were inseparable until she became sick three years ago and came to live with me in Moncton/Summerside.)
They would be seen starting most of their days at the local McDonald's with the gang. They also enjoyed attending the church teas and sales and taking in all the local area festivals, during the summer months. They always had fun by beginning each year, attending the New Year's Levees. They shared a love for music, especially a good old time fiddle tune. Right to the end my mother was tapping her feet (oh those poor sore feet) to the music of The Royal Swingsters, gospel tunes, the Miramichi Opry and The Lazy Jacks. She worked as a telephone operator at Maritime Tel & Tel and she was also a clerk at the New Glasgow War Surplus store. While at home one day, she received a panic-stricken phone call, pleading for her to come right away to help out at The Whistle Stop Restaurant which was owned by Uncle Hal. The cook had suddenly quit but they survived the small crisis just by having fun and so many good meals and laughs were shared with her niece, Louise, Aunt Helen and of course, all the patrons. Besides her love for her family she also enjoyed skating (and what a beautiful skater she was) and eventually, she became a member of the New Glasgow women's hockey team. Another love of hers was to travel with my dad and they especially enjoyed their trips to St. Petersburg Beach. That was their special place. She also had a love for the CB radio and with her handle being "Little Egypt" she soon became a member of the Thistle CB Radio Club. I can still hear her saying, "breaker, breaker" or "you got your ears on? This is the one "Little Egypt". In her final two years of life, she had The Chapman Center, a special place to go four times a week, keeping her stimulated and just having fun. Debbie and Donna, you're the best! Mom always loved to dress up for any occasion whether it be Halloween or St. Paddy's Day. When she attended any social function (weddings, dances, or The Old Triangle music events especially with her Carey Beck) she usually ended up stealing the show. During her summers in Summerside she enjoyed going down to the waterfront and listening to Harold Hutchinson, a familiar street musician. She wasn't just "Nanny Riley" or "Great Nan" to her own grandchildren but also to numerous other children I taught or looked after in my daycare over the years. Benita was her name but to most people she was affectionately know as "Nan". Her greatest love of all was my dad and the family they created.
She is survived by myself, Helen (David) MacDonald, my five daughters: Nicole (Steve), Edmonton; Tanya (James), Canmore; Lynne (Mike), PEI; Katie (Shin), Japan; Allison (Justin), Toronto; her four great-grandsons: Keiden, Nolan, Kaison and Henry. She is also survived by her daughter-in-law, Carol Riley, her sons Mark (Regan), Paul (Karen), Colleen (Miguel) and their children Will, Liam, Mathew, Anna, Jack and Paloma, all of BC. She is also survived by her sister Helen (Harold) McCulloch and several nieces and nephews and her special friend Joan Muise.
She was preceded by her parents, her brothers and sisters, her loving husband Donald V. Riley, her son Donald William (Will) Riley, her nephew, Harold Allan McCulloch and "Riley" The Wonder Dog.
I know Dad had a joyous reunion with her and held her tight. I'm guessing that he then handed her a dishcloth to keep her busy wiping heavenly counters, whether they needed it or not! They are now dancing through Heaven's gate.
Her remains will rest at the H.W. Angus Funeral Home, New Glasgow for visiting from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Thursday. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11 a.m. Friday from St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, New Glasgow with Father Gary MacPherson presiding. Burial will take place in the parish cemetery.
www.angusfuneralhomes.com
"We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once."
― Friedrich Nietzsche

 

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