Sydney Patricia Derrah

SYDNEY PATRICIA DERRAH (MANUEL)

Sydney was 89 when she passed away at the Upper River Valley Hospital in Waterville on August 18, 2017.

She was born at Knowlesville on March 31, 1928, the daughter of the late Clarence Manuel and Hester Avery. She married Gerald Derrah of Mount Pleasant on July 31, 1948. They had three daughters Brenda Patricia (now deceased), Judy (Jack) MacQuarrie of Moncton and Carolyn (Randy) Derrah-Murphy of Fall River, N.S.; three sons, Brian of Ottawa, Chris (Norma) of Green Mountain, Richard (Sue-Ellen) of Mount Pleasant; ten grandchildren, Jason (Staci), Matthew (Elizabeth), Jordan, Devan (Caitlin), Julie (Nevin) Lewis and Lauren Derrah, Jonathan MacQuarrie and Amy (Ralph) Paugh, and Emily and Rachael Murphy; six great grandchildren, Jadon, Samuel, Madelyn, Jillian Sydney and Isaiah Derrah and Adam MacQuarrie. She has three brothers now deceased, Garnet of Woodstock, Gerald of Knowlesville and Hilton of Bristol and two sisters, Marjorie Mean of Bannon, and Roma Hathaway of Mount Pleasant. She is survived by two sisters, Maureen Smith of Oakville, Ontario, and Alice Burnham of Florenceville.

She graduated from Bath High School in 1944 and the Provincial Normal School in Fredericton in 1945 where she met life-long friends. In later years she studied at the University of New Brunswick. She taught in Bannon and Knowlesville and was a supply teacher in Florenceville. She maintained a lifelong interest in church and community life in Knowlesville. She was a wife, mother and homemaker who delighted in her family and their achievements. She was an avid reader, took great pleasure in her flower garden and in bird watching, always loving to see humming birds.

She was a member of the Mount Pleasant United Baptist Church where she served as a Sunday School teacher and secretary-treasurer of the Sunday School, was active in the Women’s Missionary Society both in Gordonsville and Mount Pleasant, and always looked forward to fall retreats at Living Waters in Danforth, Maine. She was active in the Carleton County Retired Teacher’s Teacher’s Association, with her husband was active in Home and School and an ardent supporter of the Conservative Party of Canada, and the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick. She was keenly interested in the Manuel family history and the history of Knowlesville. She helped organize Manuel family reunions.

In retirement she travelled with her husband to Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Florida and Alaska and throughout Canada but loved Carleton County. Nothing gave her more pleasure than a drive to Knowlesville or lunch at Grama’s Bakeshop or Murray’s.

Visitation will be held on Monday, August 21, 2017 at the Briton Funeral Home, 2 High Street, Hartland from 5 to 8 p.m. The funeral service will be on Tuesday the 22nd at 2:00 p.m. from the Mount Pleasant United Baptist Church with Pastor Peter Culberson officiating. Interment will be in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery. If so desired, donations can be made to the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Mount Pleasant United Baptist Church or the Heart and Stroke Foundation. www.brittonfh.ca 506-375-4343.

We, the family, would like to say a special thank you to all of Mom’s care givers who made it possible for her to stay in her own home as long as possible. We would also like to thank the staff at Central Carleton Nursing Home for the wonderful care they provided for our Mom, as well as to the staff at the Upper River Valley Hospital for the kindness and care you showed her.