Born in Lady Minto Hospital in 1914 shortly after it opened, "Nick" as he was most commonly called, served the community well including terms as councillor and reeve. Before going further my father Jim Morris were friends starting ng in 1914 when they were both born in Chapleau's new hospital - a few months older than my father. Dr. G.E. "Ted" Young and Clyde Fife were among their contemporaries.
One of my unfinished projects is to identify everyone who was born in Lady Minto during its first year of operation. Yes I should have done it years ago, but ... you know. Please email me if you can help!
Nick graduated from Chapleau Public and Chapleau High School in the 1930s and for a time afterwards worked for Collins and Matters, later Charles W. Collins Stores Ltd.
I noticed in the photo of the staff of Collins and Matters that Olive Vezina was also working in the store same time as Nick. She and Nick later married and they had one son William.
Nick's father, William Card, was also involved in Chapleau affairs serving for eight years on the municipal council between 1922 and 1934.
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| 1930s Staff of Collins and Matters: Back row left to right: Fred Card, Fred Matters, Charles W. Collins, Herbie Vezina. Front row left to right: Olive Vezina, Beth Inges, Gertrude Currie (Curry) |
Nick served as reeve from 1963 to 1966 and several years as a councillor.
As part of his legacy he was a member of the Chapleau Volunteer Fire Department, St. John's Anglican Church, Independent Order of Oddfellows Lodge 266 for 45 years and Branch #5 of the Royal Canadian Legion. He was also on the board of Chapleau Credit Union.
In the 1970s Nick became a founding member of the board of Cedar Grove Lodge, and of the Chapleau General Hospital.
When the Ontario provincial government formed district health councils in the 1970s and the Sudbury District Health Council excluded Chapleau, after township council battled to have membership and won, Nick accepted the position as Chapleau representative on the advisory council.
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In due course Nick became an engineer on the Canadian Pacific Railway, and I believe a story written by his nephew Neil Morris sums up his uncle and the kind of person he was. I shared Neil's story written when he was a reporter at the London Free Press years ago but went back to my files to find it.
Here is part of Neil's story written about his uncle after taking his first train ride with him when he was eleven. When published it was called 'Moments of Childhood Ecstasy'
Neil wrote that his uncle to him as "a giant of a man."
"His engineer's cap shoved shoved back on his prematurely balding head he'd toss that enormous plumber's tool box that was really his next 24 hour's meals onto to the steel doorway. Then he was up the ladder and through the doorway."
Then it was time for Neil to join him.
"Up you come fella," his uncle would say "with a grin, arms reaching down to me when what I really needed wasn't a help up the ladder but something to hold a kid's pounding heart from exploding."
And Neil added:
"His heart was in his mouth as his own headlight reflected back at him of a snow-covered evergreen on a curve - his moment of terror that he was meeting another engine head on.
"Gone are the days when he climbed back into an engine, his coveralls ice coated after a water tender spout took a crazy turn and drenched him in freezing January weather.
"And gone are the nights of the 'call boy' shouting at the front door that he was called for this train and that.
His Uncle Nick would be home for Christmas and would not have to leave until his 'call' arrived just as the aroma of turkey was starting to emerge from the oven.
"And then he would be gone into the snow without a grumble - just a grinning wish for a happy Christmas for all"
Neil noted this was the railroad life and his uncle loved it adding he hoped other uncles or dads would continue to slip a son or daughter, a nephew or niece onto one of those big diesels for Their "moment of childhood ecstasy."
I don't know if it would be possible today but Neil's story sure brings back memories of train travel.
Nick retired from the CPR in 1978 and died in 1985. There was an "ecumenical service" for him at St. John's Anglican Church.
