Beatrice Lillian McVicar-Obituary, St. George, NB

At her residence, on February 23, 2010, Mrs. Beatrice Lillian (MacVicar) McVicar, wife of the late Arthur H. McVicar of L’Etang NB. Born at L’Etete NB on July 26, 1925, she was a daughter of the late O. Leroy and Ethel (Simpson) MacVicar. A loving mother, grandmother and sister she is survived by three sons; David (Beth) McVicar of Alexander ME, Frederick McVicar of Blacks Harbour NB and Hugh McVicar of Tryon NB, six daughters; Patricia McVicar of L’Etang, Geri Johnston of Utopia NB, Debbie (Peter) Cormier of Blacks Harbour, Mary McVicar of L’Etang, Jackie (Russell) McVicar-Ferguson of St. George NB and Bessie Cooke of L’Etang, 21 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, one great great granddaughter, two grandchildren due this spring, one brother, Bruce (Bertha) MacVicar of Middleton NS, one sister, Bessie Splane of Lorneville NB and many nieces, nephews and cousins. In addition to her husband, Arthur, she was predeceased by one daughter, Cindy, one brother, James, four grandchildren; Jody McVicar, Michael Linton, Natasha McVicar and Louise Monks and by one son in law, Raymond Johnston.

Bea was known as a life long teacher, not only to her students but also to her children and grandchildren. She loved to spend her time going for drives around the square, baking, reading or being a seamstress for the entire family. She had a fond love for her family and her children and grandchildren were everything to her. Bea was a former member of the Fundy Bay Seniors Group and a longtime member of the St. George Roman Catholic Church. The family would like to thank all those who have helped Bea in the past, especially Daphne and Meredith, your kindness will never be forgotten.

Resting at the St. George Funeral Home & Crematorium (755-3533) 26 Portage Street, St. George NB with visiting on Wednesday from 7-9 pm and on Thursday from 2-4 and 7-9 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated from the St. George Roman Catholic Church on Friday at 11 am. The interment will be held at the parish cemetery in the Spring. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer’s Society, the St. George Roman Catholic Church Building Fund or to a charity of the donor’s choice would be appreciated by the family.

LETANG - Beatrice McVicar's youngest daughter needed her, Jackie McVicar-Ferguson said at her mother's funeral mass Friday.

Cindy McVicar was just 20 when died in a house fire in 1987, Cindy's sister Jackie explained in an interview.

"Her other nine children have been blessed and honoured to have her with them since then, and always, but Cindy has been missing her for so long," she said in the eulogy at St. George Roman Catholic Church.

"And now she can finally join her in Heaven in a good old game of backgammon or maybe a hand of crazy eights."

Beatrice Lillian (MacVicar) McVicar, who died at home Feb. 23 at 84, relied on a deep religious faith to survive difficult times in a full life, McVicar-Ferguson said.

She was born July 26, 1925 a daughter of the late O. Leroy and Ethel (Simpson) MacVicar of L'Etete. Before she started Grade 10 the family moved to St. George while her father served in the war.

She completed high school in St. George, then went to teacher's college in Fredericton. She taught school at Taylor Lake, Bains Corner and South Musquash where at 20 she met and fell in love with Arthur H. McVicar.

They married on May 10, 1947, two months before her 22nd birthday. They settled in Letang, where they raised 10 children.

She grew up in a Presbyterian family which, in that day, caused trouble when she married a Roman Catholic. "It was hard back then, you know, because her Dad wouldn't go to the wedding," her daughter Jackie said in the interview.

Beatrice's parents learned to accept their son-in-law, McVicar-Ferguson said. The marriage lasted.

"Every day she cooked. My dad worked in the woods and stuff," she said. Besides cutting wood Arthur McVicar tended a herring weir which he owned, worked for the Town of St. George and did other tasks while his wife took care of the home.

"We've been through a lot in our family, and my mom especially," McVicar-Ferguson said. Besides her husband and daughter, Beatrice McVicar lost a brother, four grandchildren and a son-in-law.

She might have returned to teaching once her children grew up but did not want to go to university to upgrade her certification, her daughter said. However, at 50 she studied dressmaking at the New Brunswick Community College in St. Andrews.

"Bea was known as a lifelong teacher, not only to her students but also to her children and grandchildren," the formal death notice states.

"She was Mom, or Ma or Grammie to at least 20 other kids and she adopted them all," McVicar-Ferguson said.

She cared for Arthur 11 years after a stroke on his right side. He died in 1991.

"Then she started to live her life," McVicar-Ferguson said. "She loved Cape Cod. She visited the witch museum in Salem, Mass., and has been to New Hampshire to visit not only a granddaughter, but also the White Mountains several times.

"And she was a world class baker, with her apple crisp and pie crust being known around the whole area," McVicar-Ferguson said.

She remembers the board on which her mother made pie crusts, developing ruts from the rolling pin going back and forth year after year.

For the last five years of her life she lived with her daughter Mary at Letang. She developed Alzheimer's disease but never completely lost her memory. She still liked to help cook.

"As long as we pointed her in the right direction," McVicar-Ferguson said. "A lot of times she would just sit and watch." Or, ask to help. Someone would hand her the spoon to stir.

The grandchildren will tell stories of this woman for years, her daughter said in the eulogy. "As the kids would say, 'Grammie's Awesome!' and we all agree."

Beatrice Lillian McVicar

1925-2010