FELTMATE, REV. RONALD E. - Miramichi – It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of the Reverend Ronald Ellsworth Feltmate of Miramichi, at the age of 77, on Saturday, December 14, 2013. Born in Whitehead, Guysborough Co., N.S., Ron was the son of the late Harry and Nellie (Worth) Feltmate. He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Margaret (Blakely) Feltmate; four children, The Reverend Dana Feltmate (Delores), of Sydney River, N.S., Karen Dawson (Brian), of Derby Junction., Holly Daley (Rick), of Miramichi, Stephanie Duffy (Jason), of Miramichi; eleven grandchildren, Shauna, Matthew, Seth, Chelsea, Emily, Hannah, Peter, Paul, Ronnie, Riley, Aidan; one great grandchild, Celes. Ron leaves behind four sisters, Evelyn Douglas, Marjorie Tweedy, Rebecca Hanlon, Doreen Douglas; as well as many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by one infant daughter, Heather Karen. Ron studied at Mount Allison University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts before attending Pine Hill Divinity College, in Halifax, N.S., where he was ordained a United Church minister in 1960. Ron arrived in Miramichi, N.B. in 1981 from Glace Bay, N.S. after a fourteen year ministry with Epworth United Church, preceded by other pastoral charges in New Brunswick. In 2010 he celebrated his fifty years of ordination as a United Church minister, serving many churches in the Miramichi area in the later years of his career. Several years ago Ron was declared Minister Emeritus at his current place of worship, St. James and St. John United Church in Miramichi, N.B. During Ron’s retirement, he actively served as Chaplain to the Miramichi Hospital and later to the Miramichi Senior Citizens Home, where his gift of comforting those in times of sickness and loss was appreciated by the many families in the Miramichi area. Ron will be fondly remembered for the kindness and generosity towards those in need and those in suffering and for his gentle love for everyone. His love for his family was unparalleled and their love was most evident in their care for Ron during his battle with Parkinson’s and his brief stay at the hospital.
Visitation will be at Adams Funeral Home Ltd., 140 King St., Miramichi, on Thursday, December 19th, from 7 to 9 pm and Friday, Dec. 20th, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 pm. Funeral service will be held from St. James and St. John United Church, Miramichi, on Saturday, December 21st, 2013, at 1 pm, conducted by Rev. John Fraser. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery, later in the spring. As expressions of sympathy, donations to any charity of the donors’ choice would be appreciated by the family. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Adams Funeral Home Ltd., 140 King St., Miramichi, telephone 773-3492 or messages of condolence may be sent online to www.adamsfh.ca