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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 1996-02-07, Page 29THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1996 PAGE 29. bituaries Diabetes STOP the epidemic. oi CANADIAN ASSOCIATION DIABETES CANADIENNE ASSOCIATION DU DIABETE I- 800-B ANTING NC Blyth Decorating Centre Ltd. TELEPHONE Drywall Hanging & Finishing Texture & Swirl Ceilings Spray Painting Painting & Staining DON "BARNEY " STEWART 188 Queen St., Box 151, Carpet Hard Surface Marble Quarry Tile Ceramic Tile Wall Covering JOHN H. BATTYE Blyth, Ontario. NOM 1H0 523- 4930 F ESTI REE MATES Vertical & Ho rizontal Blinds SUNSHINE COUNTRY CONSULTING AGRICULTURAL & SMALL BUSINESS ACCOUNTING & COMPUTER SOLUTIONS INCOME TAX Ralph Watson Box 68 Brussels, Ott NOG 1NO Bus: (519) 8876011 Res: (519) 887.6236 Stratford Cemetery Memorials Ltd. SPECIALIZING IN All Types of Memorials and Inscriptions Ross Ribey Seaforth, Ontario NOK IWO Tel: (519) 527-1390 MEMORIALS PAUL COOK ELECTRIC Home, Farm & Commercial Wiring BELGRAVE 357-1537 Doane Raymond Ft Chartered Accountants Management Consultants Canadian Member Firm of Grant Thornton International 152 Josephine Street P.O. Box 1420 Wingham, Ontario NOG 2W0 Tel: (519) 357-3231 Fax: (519) 357-2452 Alan P. Reed CA Partner Specializing in: • Staircases • Railings • Interior Trim • Kitchen Cabinets & General Construction (519) 887-6507 Youngblut's Plumbing & Heating BLYTH Darryl 523-938/ Theatre community mourns loss BETH AMOS Beth Amos, mother of Blyth Fes- tival's Artistic Director Janet Amos passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 1996, while attending a perfor- mance of Henrik Ibsen's The Mas- ter Builder at Toronto's Royal Alexander Theatre. In a Toronto Star interview this past weekend, Janet Amos acknowledged the sadness of her mother's passing, but also the appropriateness. "It really is a gift that she actually passed gently away watching a play at 'her' the- atre. We horribly miss her, but we're just thrilled that it happened this way." In addition to appearing in Blyth's Quiet in the Land, the 80- year-old veteran of stage and screen had roles in Disney's Incred- ible Journey, Police Academy, Jake and the Kid, Miracle at Indian Creek and Canadian Bacon. Stage credits include performances at the New Play Society, The Crest, Young Peoples' Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre, The Straw Hat and The Red Barn. According to The Star, Mrs. Amos had travelled alone to the matinee performance by subway. Sometime during the second half an usher thought she had fallen asleep and, worried that she might slip from the chair, attempted to wake her. She was taken by wheelchair to the theatre lobby where a nurse tried to resuscitate her, but, the efforts, which continued during the ambulance trip to the Toronto Hos- pital, failed and she was pro- nounced dead on arrival. Described by her agent Larry Goldhar as "a real trouper", Mrs. Amos, who had attended four audi- tions in the past several weeks, including one a couple of days before her death, was also, her daughter said, "the centre of every- one's life." "So many people were touched by her and helped by her." Of hei mother's career, Amos says, "She was wonderful in come- dy and could be very dramatic, but because of her appearance — she was a beautiful grandmother, on stage as well as at home — she was often cast in sentimental roles." The former Bessie Rymer was born in St. Catherines, the youngest in a family of seven. When she was 20 she went to New York City where she stayed for a brief period before coming to Toronto. She took on numerous amateur theatre roles before breaking into the profession- al business early in the 1950s. She quickly found regular work on stage and doing radio and televi- Continued from page 1 least one rural reeve when Pat Down of Usborne pointed out her township has 20 miles of county road in it. If the township has to maintain that road instead of the county, she said, it would most likely still be gravel road. But Murray Keys of Hay Twp. had little sympathy for the argu- ment. County roads are used by everyone in the county, he argued. His township has been trying to pave some township roads and these are being heavily used by urban residents looking for alterna- tives to Hwy. 4. Besides, he said, rural residents use the county roads when "we go into the towns to spend our money in the stores". Tom Cunningham, reeve of Hal- lett Twp. called for compromise. "We have made a decision that because the province is rolling back 25 per cent we'll roll the whole thing back. How can we put it all on the urban areas?" If the county was going to ask for support from the urban areas there had to be some effort to share at least the 15 per cent over and above the provin- cially allowed cuts, he said. sion work on CBC. Away from the stage, Mrs. Amos was active in the Voice of Women, the Unitarian Service Committee and the Council of Canadians. She was a longtime supporter of the New Democratic Party and its pre- decessor the Co-operative Com- monwealth Federation. Mrs. Amos was predeceased by her husband Robert and daughter Judith. She also leaves three sons, Michael, Ian and Joel and six grandchildren. The funeral service was at Mor- ley Bedford's chapel Tuesday, Feb. 6. Under questioning from Bob Hallam, reeve of West Wawanosh Twp., about the impact of not implementing cuts to the urban rebates, Sandra Lawson, acting county engineer, said the money would have to come out of reserves for future construction work. There had been some discussion at the Agriculture and Public Works Committee meeting of phas- ing in the 15 per cent of the rebate cut over three years but this had eventually been rejected and a motion to send a letter to munici- palities about eliminating the rebates was made. After lengthy debate at county council this was defeated. A new motion asking the com- mittee to reconsider the 15 per cent cut was passed in a recorded vote, by a 52-9 count. Another motion by Reeve Mickle to have the commit- tee reconsider the entire 40 per cent cut was lost by a 44-17 count. Council's action means that urban municipalities know they will be receiving at least a 25 per cent cut in their rebate but how much between that and the full 40 per cent cut won't be known until the March meeting of council. WILLIAM HAROLD SPEIR William Harold Speir passed away Dec. 28, 1995, in Fairview Alberta after a struggle with cancer, at the age of 72. Before moving to Fairview five years ago, Mr. Speir had also resid- ed in Lethbridge Alberta and Brus- sels, his birthplace. Mr. Speir spent many years as a heavy duty mechanic as well as being involved in an antique tractor club, the Legion and Presbyterian Church. He was the beloved wife of Annie (Stiles) Speir, whom he mar- ried in 1953 in Brussels and the loved father of William Speir of Fairview, Alberta, Robert Speir and fiancee Lanna Tucker of Leth- bridge, Alberta, Debbie White and her husband George of Fairview, Susan Chillson and her husband Jack of Prescott, Ontario and Lynne Speir and finance Dave Lake and the beloved grandfather of Joel, Melissa, Lee and Sarah White, Art and Ryan Chillson, Jennifer, Kim- berly and Lindsay Speir and great- grandchildren Dylan Miler and Jace White. He was predeceased by one grandchild, Christopher Chillson, Dec. 3, 1982. Mr. Speir was the dear brother of Isabell Harmer of Burlington, Ontario, the late Mac Speir of Brussels, Donald Speir of London, Ontario and James Speir of Brock, Saskatchewan. Phyllis Lock officiated at the ser- vice which was held Dec. 30, from Moraiv Funeral Chapel. After cremation, Mr. Speir was interred at Water Hole Cemetery, Fairview. Honourary pallbearers were James Speir, Merle Goode, Merle Farries, Bill Coutts, George White and Jack Chillson. IRENE THALEN Irene Thalen of Victoria Street, Blyth, passed away suddenly in Sweetwater, Tennessee, Jan. 26, 1996. She was 60. Born in Wolvega, Holland, to Rinke and Anne Stroop, Mrs. Thalen was the beloved wife of Harm Thalen, whom she married 40 years ago. She was the dear mother of Her- man and Jessica Thalen of Brus- sels, Helen Campbell of Staffa, Ann Riley of Blyth and Hilda and Don Crocker of Dublin and the loved grandmother of Shane, Heidi, Shanann and Jamie Dale, Clint and I PP Ann Riley, Ryan, Amanda and Derek Campbell, Erica, Joshua, Denise and Kayla Thalen and Alex Van Dereijk. She was the dear sister of Grace and Danny Lucier of Windsor, Helen Eyrel of Grimsby, George and Diane Stroop of Orangeville and Gary and Sue Stroop of Grassie. Mrs. Thalen was predeceased by one son, Richard. Rev. Adrian Van Geest officiated at the service from Blyth Christian Reformed Church, Jan 31. Interment was at Blyth Union Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers were Shane and Heidi Dale, Clint Riley, Hank Van Dereijk, Don Crocker and Brian Pridham. Flowerbearers were Shanann and Jamie Dale, Lee Ann Riley and Ryan Campbell. Councillors argue rebate Scott Rivett Heating & Air Conditioning • Licensed ventilation • Licensed natural gas fitter • Custom sheet metal Scott Rivett 529-7094 Dungannon