HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2007-05-23, Page 6Page 6 May 23, 2007 • The Huron Expositor
Opinion
Seaforth native Julia `Judy' Eckert -MacLean never
forgot her roots, especially in her poetry
To the Editor,
On Feb. 4, Julia Winifred Eckert -
MacLean - daughter, sister, poet,
Mother, friend - died leaving us sad
but not forgotten.
Born Sept. 28, 1936 in a house
just outside Seaforth, in Hibbert
County next to the farm of Bill and
Lizzie (O'Connor) Burke, `Judy'
was the eighth of 10 children born
to Joseph Conrad and Geraldine
(O'Connor) Eckert.
The family later bought a house
in Seaforth and it was in this small
town where Julia 'Judy' learned
the great community spirit where
people look out for each other.
Always full of fun, adventure and
very athletic, Judy enjoyed riding
horseback, skating and she practi-
cally grew up at the original swim-
ming pool in Seaforth which at the
time was part of a flowing Silver
Creek and where she also worked
as life guard in the summers. In its
time, it was considered the largest
'natural 'pool in Ontario.
She developed a great sense of
humour and a love of poetry from
both her parents...both reciting
and writing poetry. She loved to
make up rhymes.
Like her parents before her, Judy
would easily recite a poem or two
to entertain those at parties or any
gathering where she found herself.
Following in the footsteps of
three generation before her, Judy
became a teacher. It was when she
accepted her first teaching position
in Levack, near Sudbury that she
would meet her future husband
Ronald MacLean.
Upon graduation from Teachers'
College, Judy taught in Grimsby
but her heart took her back to
Sudbury. She and Ron married in
Oakville where her mother then
lived, after which the newlyweds
settled in Sudbury where they con-
tinued their careers and raised
their family of six.
Writing poetry was her great
love. Many a time she put pen to
paper to recall the fun and good
times of growing up. Special occa-
sions such as retirements, birth-
days and marriages all were appro-
priately and humourously record-
ed in her poetry.
Patriotic to the core, some of her
poems such as "Ode to a Soldier"
recalled and honoured those who
fought for freedom, yet in peace
were forgotten.
Active in the community, Judy
became very close to the Latvian
Community and many refugees
from the former Soviet Union occu-
pied countries. Upon learning of
the hardships suffered under
Communism, she took their cause
to heart and with her gift for writ-
ing poetry, Judy wrote in defense of
freedom.
She spoke of their sufferings in
an attempt to inform the public
and encourage those who were still
living under the yoke of
Communism. Her poems were
smuggled into Soviet countries and
published in their underground
newspapers thus letting those peo-
ple know that they were not forgot-
ten.
In gratitude for Julia's efforts to
defend freedom she was made an
`honourary Latvian.'
And, Julia never forgot her roots.
The Seaforth Expositor published
much of Julia's poetry which spoke
to'Remembrance Day; various holi-
days such as Christmas even
Halloween; and poems which rec-
ognized the important contribu-
tions to society by farmers who
often are unappreci-
ated. and taken for
granted.
Predeceased by her
son Johnny and hus-
band Ronald, Julia is
survived by five chil-
dren, 12 grandchil-
dren and one great
grandson.
Rosemary Rhodes
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