Frances Lillian (MacKay) Clyburne of Rocky Mountain, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, loving wife of Kenneth Neil Clyburne passed away suddenly and peacefully at the Aberdeen Hospital in New Glasgow on Friday, January 4th, 2008. Frances and Neil celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in September. Frances was the daughter of the late James and Florence MacKay of Willowdale, Pictou County. Frances devoted her love and time to her family, her extended family, and her church. Sewing clothing for her children and making beautiful doll clothes was a great pleasure for her. She enjoyed making homemade mittens, sweater sets and little knitted toys for her grandchildren. She loved books and reading. It was through reading to her children that she instilled a strong love for books and reading. Books were always considered a valued gift. Looking after her garden, picking out material for a dress for the next wedding of a child, grandchild or friend, and planning the grocery order for company were also pleasures for her. She was a devoted member of Bethany United Church in East River St. Mary's. Her father turned the first sod and was instrumental in the church establishment and the construction of the church building. She served as a member of the United Church Women, as a Sunday school teacher, and later as an elder. She was also a long-standing member of the Women's Institute. Her evening entertainment often included listening to old-time hymns. Frances was proud of her Scottish heritage and direct connection to settlers that arrived on the Hector. For many years she was a faithful spectator at the Hector landing reenactment in Pictou. She was a loving mother to three daughters, Sheila Clyburne and Andy Sherin (Dartmouth), Jenny and Donnie Cosh (Durham), and Christie and Stanley Wilson (Sunnybrae) and five sons: Alvin and Susanna Cluff-Clyburne (Russell, Ontario), James Clyburne (Calgary), John Clyburne and Jean-René Hudon (Montreal), Laurie and Kandy Clyburne (Rocky Mountain), and Jason and Jeanne Clyburne (Halifax). She loved her grandchildren: Matthew, Suzanne, Elizabeth, Dale, Britta, Alexandra, April, Nathan, Jonas, Wesley, Liam, Katie, Rory, Tasha and Chanci. She treasured sharing time with her great-grandchildren: Claire, Caleb, Rosie, Ella, Zoe, and Joslyn. Frances is also survived by her sister, Anna Mae Thompson, and predeceased by her brother, Raymond MacKay, and infant twin siblings. The family will receive visitors at the H.W. Angus Funeral Home from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 8. In keeping with Frances' wishes, additional visiting will be held at Bethany United Church, East River St. Mary's from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 9. Following the visitation at Bethany, a funeral service to celebrate Frances' life will be held at Zion Presbyterian Church, East River St. Mary's at 2 p.m.. With Derek Elsworth officiating. Burial will be in the Valley View Cemetery. Family flowers only, please. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Bethany United Church, East River St. Mary's or a local food bank. – Most of all the beautiful things in life come by twos and threes, by dozens and hundreds. Plenty of roses, stars, sunsets, rainbows, brothers and sisters, aunts and cousins, but only one mother in the whole world. - Kate Douglas Wiggin