The Citizen, 2012-10-11, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012.
Fourth councillor
declares conflict
Black honoured posthumously with award
Black honoured
The late John Black, former fire chief of the Fire Department of North Huron, was honoured
last week by Huron County Council as the county’s top firefighter. Several members of fire
departments from North Huron and Gravenhurst were on hand for the presentation, which was
made in Goderich. From left: Acting Fire Chief of the Fire Department of North Huron Keith
Hodgkinson, Joanne Black (John’s sister-in-law), David Black (John’s brother), Huron County
Warden Bernie MacLellan, Sarah Ross (representing Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson) and
Bill Strong (representing Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb). (Photo submitted)
Two of Huron County’s top
emergency responders were
honoured with awards (one
posthumously) at the Oct. 3 meeting
of Huron County Council.
John Black, the late chief of the
Fire Department of North Huron
(FDNH), was honoured as the
county’s top firefighter, while
Elizabeth Brown of Goderich was
honoured as the county’s top
paramedic. There were no
nominations for police officer of the
year.
Black’s brother David and his wife
Joanne accepted the award on John’s
behalf from Acting Fire Chief Keith
Hodgkinson and Huron County
Warden Bernie MacLellan, while
several members of the FDNH, the
Gravenhurst Fire Department and
the Ontario Fire Marshal’s officewere in attendance.
Hodgkinson was selected to
introduce Black as the winner of the
annual award, and though he had
prepared a statement, he refused to
read it.
“I prepared a statement,”
Hodgkinson said, “but it seems
irrelevant now.”
He spoke very highly of a man he
said he considered a close friend.
“John was a very special friend to
myself and to all of his firefighters,”
Hodgkinson said. “He worked
tirelessly to build the FDNH and he
was taken from us far too quick.
“I can’t say enough about the
man.”
MacLellan said that while he
didn’t come to know Black
personally during his time in North
Huron, he was moved during Black’s
service by North Huron Reeve Neil
Vincent’s words about him. Huron County Emergency
Medical Services Chief David Lew
introduced Brown, saying that he
was honoured to hear that a member
of his staff had once again been
nominated by her peers for the
award.
Lew said that Brown was very
well respected at her job and she has
been a great paramedic for years. He
also spoke about her extensiveinvolvement with the Dave Mounsey
Memorial Fund.
Greetings were also brought from
Sarah Ross, on behalf of Huron-
Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson and by
Bill Strong, on behalf of
Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb,
neither of whom were able to
personally attend, as they sent their
regrets.
The Warden’s Emergency ServicesAwards were created two years ago
when Huron County Councillor Bill
Dowson suggested an annual award
to honour emergency responders
throughout the county. One of the
first winners was deceased OPP
officer Vu Pham of Wingham, who
was shot and killed in the line of
duty on County Road 12 near
Winthrop.
IRLMA ELIZABETH EDGAR
Irlma Edgar of Wingham passed
away at Braemar Retirement Centre
on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012. She was
86.
The former Irlma Smith was the
beloved wife of Arthur Edgar who
predeceased her in 1969.
Irlma was the dear mother of Niel
and Cathy Edgar of RR 3, Wingham;
Donna and Roger Bieman, RR 2,
Lucknow and Murray and Tami
Edgar of Aylmer. She was the loving
grandmother of Kim and Troy
Ritchie, Annette and Brian
MacKenzie, Kent Bieman, Blair and
Shannon Bieman, Susan and
Chris Jamieson, Kayla Edgar and
Nathan Edgar and the great-
grandmother of Kody, Lauren, Lane,
Coye, Emily, Austin, Hayden and
Rory.
Irlma is also survived by her
brother Ross Smith and Mary
Thomas. She was predeceased by
her parents Joseph and Mary
(Davidson) Smith, her brother
Hartley Smith, her twin sister Alma
Jamieson and her grandsons Michael
and Todd Edgar.
Visitation was held at the
McBurney Funeral Home Ltd.,
Wingham on Saturday. The funeral
service was held at the funeral
home chapel on Sunday, Oct.
7. Rev. Richard D. Hall officiated.
Interment was in Wingham
Cemetery.
Memorial donations to Wingham
United Church or the Canadian
Cancer Society would be
appreciated as expressions of
sympathy.
Online condolences may be left at
www.mcburneyfuneralhome.com
G. EARL McSPADDEN
G. Earl McSpadden passed away
peacefully at Seaforth Community
Hospital on Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012.
He was in his 81st year.
Earl was predeceased by his
parents William McSpadden and
Mary Ann McKee. He is survived by
his wife Lorna McSpadden (nee
Carpenter, Hayter) of Seaforth;
brother Leslie McSpadden (Linda
Ressler) and nephew Sean
McSpadden, all of Fort Erie; Lorna’s
son Douglas Whiteford (Carol) of
Lucan and their children, also by his
many cousins and Lorna’s nieces
and nephews.
Earl farmed all his life in
McKillop Township and he was
active in community, farm and
church organizations.
Visitation was held at McGlynn
Family Funeral Home, Seaforth on
Thursday, Oct. 4. The funeral
service was held at First
Presbyterian Church, Seaforth on
Friday, Oct. 5. Interment was at
Maitland Bank Cemetery, Seaforth.
Memorial donations to First
Presbyterian Church in Seaforth or
the Seaforth Community Hospital
would be appreciated as expressions
of sympathy.
Visit Earl’s memorial at
www.mcglynnfamilyfuneralhome.com
RUBY SMITH
Ruby Smith of Monkton passed
away after a brief illness, surrounded
by her family on Oct. 6, 2012. She
was 78.
Ruby was the beloved wife of the
late Jack Smith (1999) and dear
mother of Edward Smith (Heather),
Steven Smith (Joan), all of
Monkton; William Smith (Valerie)
of Mount Forest and Tammy Gibson
(Duane) of Brussels.
She was the loving grandmother
of Darryl (Kelly), Justin and Thomas
Smith, Christopher, Joshua and
Amanda Smith (Kyle), Cara and
Corey Smith, Kyle and Shane
Gibson. She was the dear sister of
Margaret Holman (Frank) and Lloyd
Ellacott (Carol) and the dear sister-
in-law of Stewart Smith (Marie),
Jean Sangster (Ron) and Eleanor
Murdie (Richard). She is also
survived by her nieces and
nephews.
Ruth was predeceased by her
parents John and Elizabeth
(Thornton) Ellacott and son Elton
(1975).
Ruby was a charter member of the
Monkton Optimist club.
Friends were received at the
Lockhart Funeral Home, Mitchell on
Wednesday, Oct. 10. The funeral
service was held Thursday. Rev.
Andrew Thompson officiated.
Interment was in North Logan
Cemetery.
Memorial donations to Knox
Presbyterian Church, Monkton or
the Mitchell Nursing Home
Enrichment Fund would be
appreciated as expressions of
sympathy.
Online condolences may be left at
www.lockhartfuneralhome.com
GEORGE SYDNEY
THOMPSON
George Sydney Thompson of
Wingham passed away at Grey
Bruce Health Services, Owen Sound
on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012. He was
77.
Syd was the beloved husband of
Winona (Wright) Thompson and
dear father of Dennis and Donna
Thompson of RR 3, Walkerton; Lori
Thompson and Gary Harrison of
Kitchener; Lisa Thompson and
Dennis Schiestel of RR 3, Teeswater
and Lana Thompson and Mike
McMillan of Collingwood. He was
the loving grandfather of Todd and
Jennifer, Mark and Alicia, Deidra,
Jack, Ella and Davis and the great-
grandfather of Tyler.
Syd was the son-in-law of Laurine
Wright of RR 1, Clifford. He was
predeceased by his parents Frank
and Luella (Shiell) Thompson,
father-in-law Gordon Wright and
sisters Frances Thompson in
infancy, and Helen Siebert and
brothers-in-law Jack Siebert and
Robert McClean.
Visitation was held at McBurney
Funeral Home Ltd., Wingham on
Monday, Oct. 8. The funeral service
was held at Wingham United
Church on Tuesday. Rev.
Richard D. Hall officiated.
Interment was in Wingham
Cemetery.
Memorial donations to Wingham
and District Hospital Foundation
Huron-Perth Lung Association
would be appreciated as expressions
of sympathy.
Online condolences may be left at
www.mcburneyfuneralhome.com
Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh
Township (ACW) Council has lost
another representative at their table
due to a possible conflict of interest
with wind turbines.
Councillor Connie Black, who
was one of four councillors
remaining on ACW council who
could still comment and rule on
issues to do with wind energy
declared a pecuniary interest during
their Oct. 2 meeting.
This means that Doug Miller,
Roger Watt and Barry Millian are
the only councillors able to govern
issues to do with the turbines due to
their prevalency throughout the
township.
Black stated that despite the fact
that she hadn’t agreed to or enlisted
to be a part of the wind turbine
developments, she was now a
participating landowner due to the
proximity of other turbines.
While she didn’t comment on the
issue beyond that, her conflict could
be due to the offer by the K2 Wind
Project extended to neighbours of
participating landowners to provide
them with annual compensation for
the presence of turbines.
North St. West, Wingham
Mac & Donna Anderson
519-357-1910
A cemetery is a history of
people, a perpetual record of
yesterday and a sanctuary of
peace and quiet today. A
cemetery exists because every
life is worth loving and
remembering - always
Distinctive Memorials of
Lasting Satisfaction
BOX 158 WINGHAM ONT NOG 2W0
Obituaries
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
By Denny Scott
The Citizen