Eleanor Connors (regularly played the organ for funerals that Ed conducted:
Thanks for the nice reminder of your wonderful parents. I think of them so often, in fact today as I played Crimond's Psalm 23 at a funeral for my next door neighbour of 12 years, I was thinking about all the times I played that tune while your dear Dad recited his lovely arrangement of the 23rd. He will always have a place in my heart and your Mom will too.
Suzan Chamberlayne (formerly married to Richard, Jean's nephew):
Laughter, fun & seeing the best in everyone . . . and every situation (including when they were robbed of their carload of wrapped & ready-to-deliver gifts one Christmas) ~ that's my image of Ed & Jean. Playful & positive, in a loving, Christian way ~ even in the presence of atheist tyrants.
Catherine Somerville (conducted Ed's funeral and eulogized Jean's):
I am not very good at blogs, but I do want to thank you for helping me pause just now and remember my mentor, Ed, and my friend, Jean. They will always be in my heart. I hope you are well and surrounded by lots of good memories this weekend.
Nancy Neilson-Chamberlayne (Jean's niece):
Unfortunately, because of growing up and living on the West coast of BC I didn't get the opportunity to spend a huge amount of time with Uncle Ed and Aunt Jean. But I do remember Uncle Ed as a kind and gentle man.
I remember Aunt Jean as being full of energy always giving to others and taking an interest in their lives. In the later years I made a point of having phone visits with Aunt Jean. It meant a lot to me that she always wanted to hear about what was happening in my life. Aunt Jean seemed to radiate positive, optimistic energy.
Ann Roxborough (whose parents were close friends of Ed & Jean):
It is funny, I was thinking of your Mum today when a friend told me of her medical condition & I went to look it up in Jean’s medical dictionary! We always stopped in to see them when we were in Sudbury & at least had tea. So often they wanted us to stay for dinner.
Mum & Dad were such good friends of your Mum Dad. When my Mum died so suddenly in April, 1988, Dad went to your parents’ place & they comforted my shattered father, fed him, made our friends welcome when they came; kept him there until Jim, Bruce, Joel & I could get there from Elliot Lake. Know that your parents made a big difference in many people's lives. What a big hole in yours.
James Clarke (minister at Copper Cliff United Church) :
It was 2000 and something - perhaps six or seven years ago. I was in attendance at a meeting of Sudbury Presbytery at the United Church in Espanola. There were about 50 of us there representing various United Churches. Ed and Jean normally sat at the back of the sanctuary when they attended Presbytery meetings, and this night was no exception. However, they eventually came forward to make their report on Chaplaincy and Long Term Care - an organization in which they were both involved. They took turns speaking, and then, at the end of their report, Ed announced that he and Jean had been married on this day X number of years ago. (Sorry, I can't remember the number of years.) He then looked at Jean with a big smile and extended his arm to her. She took his arm in hers, and with all of us clapping, they walked down the aisle together, arm in arm, smiling, and delighted with each other.
Dr. Jack Beach (our family doctor
when we lived in Batawa, 1962 to 68):
My wife Ruth and I visited Jean and Ed on at
least three occasions while they lived in the Sudbury area. I think that our
second visit was in 1986 within a few months of Ruth's discharge from hospital;
a massive stroke had occurred after the heart surgery, and it was felt that she
had reached a sort of plateau in recovery. She could walk carefully for
short distances with a quad cane, and someone keeping a steadying hand within a
few inches. Jean was aware, at least in a general way, of Ruth's
progress, and she decided to invite, as an afternoon guest, a man she knew
well, and who had had a stroke several years earlier. He claimed that after his
period of major recovery he continued to have had, over the years, a succession
of tiny, but appreciated, gains in function. I believe that his story
encouraged Ruth, and I thought it typical of Jean's thoughtfulness that she had
invited him to relate his experience. Jean and Ed were always great
hosts.
Isabel Plant (a longtime friend; see previous post about her
husband's death) :
When we
first met Ed and Jean, we quickly realized there were many similarities
between the Plant and Erion families. Both Ed and Cliff were from
Niagara Falls and went into the ministry later in life. Both Jean
and I were trained as nurses and both families had four children. We
all loved music, we liked to play Bridge and both families were involved
at Five Oaks where we first met.
We were in
Lion's Head and the Erions at Batawa when at vacation time, Ed agreed
to be the supply minister in Lion's Head, while we had our
holiday. This provided a vacation spot for the rest of the family.
Our plan was to go camping, but it rained and it seemed silly to start out on
such a trip in the rain. We decided to stay until the weather cleared -
with eight kids and four adults hunkered down in the manse. We agreed to
take turns being host because our presence in our own home was
actually as guests. The kids ate in the dining room, while the adults ate
in the kitchen and everyone was happy to be able to close the door
between. Ruth remembers Jean serving liver one meal when she was hosting.
The Erion kids, used to this, knew to take a small piece, but the Plant kids
with parents who didn't like liver were left with large pieces on their plates
as they didn't know what it was. They soon found out the dislike was
inherited. This was the beginning of many ocassions when we got together
and played Bridge. It continued raining for many days and we finally got
away on our camping trip. That time together was really the memory that
stands out with our family as a vacation highlight.
We started
getting together to celebrate New Year's Eve when we were in North Bay and the
Erions in Copper Cliff. Ed and Jean always prepared wonderful food
and there was lots of laughter to brighten the party. Ed cooked
the bacon and eggs for breakfast the next morning. Celebrating the New
Year together continued after we'd retired and moved to Stratford. This
was a convenient trip when Ed and Jean visited Chuck and family in
Waterloo. These were always fun times with lots of joking, Bridge playing
and sharing of our hopes and dreams for the New Year.
We shared
togetherness in the RV on the way to and from Florida, which made for lots of
fun. Jean would prepare food while Ed drove and we travelled very
economically and stayed at a condo in Key West. Bridge playing
again featured prominantly. The second trip, we drove our car in tandem
with Ed and Jean in the RV, so we had a vehicle to use while in towns.
Another time we drove to Calgary and Ed and Jean flew west. We left our
car there for them to pick up and drive back east on their return
trip. We went on to a conference in Denver and flew home from
there. It worked well for all of us to only drive one way
across Canada.
They were
good friends, wonderful people and beloved by us all. I cherish the
memories of the times we spent together.
