F.A. 'Nick Card left legacy of public service to Chapleau

When Fred "Nick" Card died he left a "legacy of public service" to Chapleau according to an article in the Chapleau Sentinel.

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.

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.

Chapleau Rotary Club supported several projects in 1962 as well as naming Jim Lane president

Angelo Bucciarelli, Jack Shoup, governor, Art Grout, Bubs Zufelt chrter members

In 1962, the Chapleau Rotary Club announced its support of various projects as well as introducing its new executive

The club had officially been established on December 3, 1951 and charter members included president Rev. E. Roy Haddon, vice president Dr. G.E. Young, secretary Newt Pellow, treasurer Bob Serre,sergeant at arms B.W. 'Bubs' Zufelt, Gordon Bailey, Charles W Collins, Lionel Moorey, Ross Thornton, Angelo Bucciarelli, Ernie Collins, Bob James, Cecil Smith, Dr. Bill Young, Harold Cahill, John McClellan, Earle Sootheran and J.M. Shoup.

In its first year with Mr. Haddon as president the club held its first canvas for the Crippled Children's Fund as well as establishing a Ladies Night, and took over a Halloween celebration for all Chapleau children.The club continued to do "good works" in the community which has continued to the present day.

Roy Haddon

In 1962 a Sudbury Star story said that club president Gene Bernier distributed funds as follows: J.M. Shoup, chairman of the Chapleau Recreation Committee $200 for the beach; C.B. Greenlaw, president of the Lady Minto Hospital Board, $300; Les Jones of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. $300 for its hall; J.F. Hodgins, chairman of the Rotary Student Loan Fund, $1,500; J. R. Keddie, district forester of the Department of Lands and Forests, $30.00 for a project; Margaret Costello, member of the Chapleau Public Library Board, $100 for the library, and Richard Avison, chairman of the Boy Scouts committee, $200. 

As an aside, by 1952 Chapleau had a recreation committee often referred to as the "Beach Committee". The beach had actually been created by Dr. G. E. Young using his own funds after he returned home to practise medicine in 1944. Dr. Young was the second president of the Rotary Club.

In 1962, total donations from the club reached $4,000 -- a pretty significant amount for the times in a small town.

Commenting on the CNIB donation, Les Jones noted that the club had never failed the organization.

At the same meeting four charter members were presented with charter member pins by President Bernier. They were Cecil Smith, Jack Shoup, Angelo Bucciarelli and Arthur Grout.

Reg Thrush paid "high tribute" to Gene Bernier for his leadership of the club and was presented with a past president's plaque.Arthur Grout presented him with a past president's plaque.

The new executive saw Jim Lane as president with Jack Scrowther as vivce president; Ross Perrigard as secretary, and RegThrush as treasurer.

J.R. Keddie became chair of club services; Ken Stephenson, vocation services; J.D Macfarlane, international services, and Bob Warren, community services.

For many years the Senior WA of St. John's Anglican Church catered to the Rotary Club dinner each week. Both my grandmothers Lil Morris and Edith Hunt were WA members and helped with the meal. Looking back fondly on my growing up  years until 1960 when I was at university, I never missed an opportunity to visit my grandmothers and have some dessert..  My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Bishop Tom Corston to retire as Assistant Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Moosonee at end of 2019

Bishop Tom Corston has submitted his intention to Archbishop Anne Germond to retire as Assistant Bishop of Moosonee at the end 2019, according to a post on the Diocese of Moosonee Facebook Page. 

The post says that Archbishop informed the Diocesan Executive Committee of the Bishop's decision and of her acceptance.

 Bishop Tom was consecrated in July 2010 and retired as Diocesan in December 2013. He returned as Assistant Bishop at the request of former Diocesan Archbishop Colin Johnson. At the end of June he will have been ordained 45 years

For those of us with a Chapleau connection, we still call him "Tom",who was born and raised in Chapleau, Ontario, the son of Frances (Jardine) and the late Henry "Chicken" Corston

He had been  elected the ninth Bishop of the Anglican Church Diocese of Moosonee at a synod in Timmins in 2010. He succeeded Archbishop Caleb Lawrence who had retired.

At the time he was an  archdeacon in the Anglican church and also Rector of the Church of the Epiphany, Sudbury, Ontario,

Growing up in Chapleau, Tom was active in St. John's Anglican Church, as AYPA president. Tom becomes the first Chapleau boy to have become an Anglican priest to have been elected a Bishop. Tom was also a president of the Students' Council at Chapleau High School.

He graduated from Lakehead University with the Bachelor of Arts degree and Wycliffe College with a Master of Divinity degree.

In June,1974, 45 years ago, Tom was ordained a Deacon in a service at St. John's in a service conducted by Archbishop James A. Watton, then the Bishop of Moosonee. He was ordained to the priesthood a year later.

He started his ministry in the Diocese of Moosonee at Foleyet.

Just recently Tom conducted his "last" services at St. John's Chapleau and St. John's Foleyet where he has been serving as part-time "priest in charge".

Tom is married with two children.

Tom's grandparents John and Lydia (Swanson) Corston, came from James Bay in the Diocese of Moosonee to Chapleau in 1907 where his grandfather began work with the Canadian Pacific Railway. They established their family home on Grey Street.

In 2013 Tom was presented with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee by the Ontario Command of the Royal Canadian Legion.

Upon learning the news, he posted on his Facebook page: "Just been informed that I am to be presented with the Queen's Jubilee Medal by the Ontario Command of the Royal Canadian Legion on April 13th. Very humbling. I am mindlful of the sacrifices made by my father, wounded at Caen, France in 19 and all Veterans past and present." On June 6, 2019 the 75th anniversary od D-Day was marked. Tom remembered his father in a Facebook post.

Meanwhile .....

Our Diocesan Administrator, Archdeacon Larry Armstrong, will be at St. John's Church, Chapleau, on Trinity Sunday, June 16th at 10:30 am. Come out to welcome him as he assumes responsibility as our new "Priest-in-Charge", the Anglican Diocese of Moosonee posted on its Facebook page. on behalf of St. John's.

On a very personal note I extend my most sincere congratulations to Tom on his retirement after 45 years since he was first ordained as a Deacon at a service at St. John's. May you  enjoy your retirement. Every blessing Tom... My email is mj.morris@live.ca