Marie 'Claire' Morais
Lieu de naissance : Bois, Gagnon, Nouveau Brunswick, Canada
Lieu de décès : Big Pond, Nouvelle Ecosse, Canada
Date de décès : 12 avril 2011
On Tuesday, April 12, 2011, Mom left this world to join our Dad, relatives and friends who are all waiting happily to welcome her to her eternal home.
Claire was born in Bois, Gagnon, N.B., of parents Joseph Romeo ‘Omer’ Duguay, Bois Gagnon, originally Shippagan and Marguerite Thibodeau, Bois Gagnon, originally Neguac, Burnt Church, N.B.
Claire is survived by sons, Clifford, Pictou, Hector Jr. (Claire), Sydney River; daughter, Blanche (Dino) Sophocleous, Ben Eoin; and sisters, Eva and Georgina, New Brunswick.
She was predeceased by her husband, Joseph Hector, a son in infancy, sisters, Demerise, Maria, Suzanne, Laura, brothers, Elzear, Jean Baptiste, Joe, Pierre and daughter-in-law, Joan.
In a family of nine siblings, she completed Grade 10 at regular school and at the age of 16, in 1937, went to work in Montreal taking care of little children at first, then seamstress working for Franz Blau, a Jewish friend and renowned owner of a textile plant in Montreal. Eventually Mom worked at the CIL plant making munitions for the efforts of the Allies engaged in the Second World War. Once the war was over she returned to her old home in Bois Gagnon. At that time she met the love of her life and future husband, Joseph Hector Morais, whose family was well known to Claire’s folks and parishioners of the same St. Isidore Catholic Church. Shortly afterwards they took the train bound for Cape Breton and moved to the Gaelic speaking village of Drummondville, Loch Lomond, where Hector worked for his uncle at first, then bought out his uncle’s sawmill, horses and logging equipment upon his uncle’s return to New Brunswick. Claire worked in the logging camp providing homemade food, lodging and laundry services to a bunkhouse full of top-notch loggers — mostly brothers, in-laws, relatives or friends from back home.
Claire preserved hundreds of mason jars full of wild game like deer, rabbit, pheasant, duck and pork etc, in preparation for the long winters ahead.
In June 1947, the first child, Clifford was born in Loch Lomond, the first Frenchman in Gaelic speaking lands. Since there were no other children around, he became the novelty of the village which prompted the locals to visit and befriend the Morais family and a good excuse to prove their welcome for the newlyweds into a much different culture. Blanche was the first girl into the family in ‘52 which provided great comfort in the present and future years and especially after Dad died when Claire moved into Blanche and her husband’s home in Ben Eoin, Cape Breton.
A new house was hand built in Big Pond by the locals and relatives in ‘53 while they lived in a little cabin, Michael and Kay MacInnis of Big Pond Centre had so graciously provided for free, as they assimilated into now a mostly English speaking village.
Another bouncing baby boy, Hector Junior came along in 1959, the baby of the family.
Claire’s creative spirit, artifacts, Cape Breton Tartan pleated shirts and skirts, McPuffins, handcrafts, Christmas stockings and so forth, plus her 48 rabbit pies every Christmas, were joyous creations for everyone to see or have in their homes.
The short-lived basement bingos during the time of the building of the original fire hall, evolved into the Sunday ritual of flea-marketeering where Dad’s bicycles and Mom’s crafts and recycled clothing took off into a cottage business where new social alliances were made.
She moved in with her daughter for several years until she made her last move into the Harbourstone Enhanced Care Nursing Home in Sydney River in 2005, until her sudden death. They were her extended family …. her angles.
A celebration of Claire’s life will be held on Saturday, April 16, 2011, at St. Mary’s Parish Church in Big Pond. There will be a meet and greet at 1 p.m. followed by her funeral mass at 2 p.m. with Rev. Joe Gillis officiating. Interment/committal is weather permitting. A fellowship/comradeship following at the local volunteer fire department hall in Big Pond. Everyone is welcome. No flowers necessary. If so desired, donations can be made to the Big Pond fire department or help someone or a neighbour in need.
Online condolences to www.twcurry.com.
My Home
It is my Mother
Within her heart I live
Her love is like no other
The sunshine it does give.
And like the spreading branches
Of a truly fragrant tree
My Mother’s heart and arms
Have made a perfect
Nest for me.
