Mary Noella Bernard
Date de naissance : 14 mai 1928
Lieu de décès : We'koqma'q First Nation
Date de décès : 8 février 2015
Mary Noella Bernard, We'koqma'q First Nation, 86, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015, in Victoria County Memorial Hospital, Baddeck.
She was born and married into the beautiful community of We'koqma'q, a place where she raised her own children and called home for 86 years.
She was the born on May 14, 1928, eldest daughter, to the late Michael 'Tata B' and Ellen 'Kiju' (Sylliboy) Googoo.
Mary was born into a large family of 19 children, in which includes the six foster children that her parents raised as their own. Mary enjoyed life to the fullest before she got ill with the early stage of dementia. Mary's hobbies included going to bingo, powwows, travelling, baking and her favourite pastime was making her traditional Mi'kmaq crafts.
She was an active member of the Holy Kateri Parish. She would attend the annual pilgrimages to Ste. Anne de Beaupre in Quebec every year. Mary married her husband the late Pte. Andrew Bernard at the age of 14, together they had 14 children. A well respected elder of the Mi'kmaq community. She will always be remembered by her great smile and unique sense of humour.
Mary is survived by nine of her children, her sons, Harvey (Brenda) Bernard, We'koqma'q; Noel Mike, Wagmatcook; Alexander and Jeffery Bernard both of We'koqma'q; daughters, Elizebeth Toney, We'koqma'q; Sarah Cope, Truro; Annabelle Nicholas, Harriet Nicholas, Mary Josephine Googoo and Lucille Bernard all of We'koqma'q; sisters, Germaine (Philip) Martin, Millbrook; Geraldine (late Michael) Paul, We'koqma'q; Anna (Francis) Pierro, Wagmatcook; Barbara Matheson, Maine; Matilda (Frank) Koopman, Elmsdale; Bridget Marshall, Chapel Island; brothers, Bernie (Phyllis) Googoo; Henry Googoo all of We'koqma'q. Mary's 48 grandchildren; godchild, Joseph Nicholas, and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.
In addition to her parents, Mary was predeceased by her husband, Pte. Andrew Bernard, her children, Matthew, Mary Helen, Alice, and Bernice; sisters, Annie and Alice, in infancy; her brothers, William Googoo (Millbrook); Gabriel (Pearl), Ryan (Mary Victoria), Alexander (Priscilla, and the late Pauline); Stanley (Betty) Googoo; Wayne (the late Mary Helen); Donald (Mary Pauline)all from We'koqma'q; her grandchildren, Sharon Cope Augustine (Millbrook), Roger Cope (Millbrook), Jonathan Bernard (Wagmatcook), and great-grandchild Nova Nicholas (Pictou).
Visitation will be after 4 p.m. Today (Tuesday, Feb. 10), in the Multi-Purpose Building, 160 Reservation Rd., We’koqma’q First Nation. Funeral mass will be 2 p.m. Thursday, from Blessed Kateri Parish Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church, We’koqma’q First Nation, with Fr. Paul Abbass officiating. Burial will follow in the parish cemetery. Funeral arrangements are under the care and direction of Dennis Haverstock Funeral Chapel, Whycocomagh.
Words of comfort may be forwarded to the family at: www.haverstocks.com.
