Edith “Eydie” Mae (Case) Calder died peacefully on August 14. She was 71 years old. Eydie was diagnosed with polycythemia rubra vera in 1997. Her emotional and physical determination allowed her to live with the disease and treatments for over 20 years. In the early winter of 2018, Eydie’s body developed acute myeloid leukemia. She faced life with cancer and chemotherapy with the same determination. There is no doubt about it, Eydie was a tough cookie. Yet she will be remembered most for her gracefulness, kindness, and love.
Born on January 6, 1948, in Lubec, Maine. Eydie was the oldest of 10 children. Her parents were Calvin “Coochie” Case and Vivian (Moores) Case. Eydie loved her family very much. She was proud to be born and raised in Lubec. In high school, Eydie celebrated her hometown pride as a majorette and cheerleader. She carried this spirit throughout her entire life.
After high school, Eydie moved to Portland, Maine and worked in the administration office at the Maine State Highway Department. In Portland, she fell in love with Roy Calder. Eydie and Roy married on October 24, 1970. They moved to Roy’s native island of Campobello and built their home on North Road. Eydie was a dedicated homemaker and wife. She was a fantastic mother to their sons, Scott and Ross. She was also a caring grandmother to Ross’s and his wife Marla’s children, Gavin and Aselin.
Eydie was the bookkeeper for the family’s fishing businesses in the mid-1970s through 2004. In the early 1990s, after her sons went away to university, Eydie wanted to work outside the home again. She learned new computer and bookkeeping skills. She found both plant and office work in the salmon processing industry on Campobello. In 2000, Eydie became a guide at the Roosevelt Campobello International Park. Eydie worked at the Park until she retired due to health reasons in 2012. Her work and the friends she made during her career meant a lot to her.
Eydie enjoyed toe-tapping music and dancing, including clogging to Elvis Presley’s “Blue Suede Shoes”. She also enjoyed having a good laugh, throwing fun picnics and beachside cookouts. She passed along these joys to her children and grandchildren.
In addition to her husband, sons, grandchildren, sisters and brothers, Eydie is survived by many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. They will miss her dearly and together will carry on her memory.
Her family would like to thank Oncology Department staff at the Charlotte County Hospital, Saint John Regional Hospital and Dr Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital, and nurses with The New Brunswick Extra-Mural Program and Palliative Care Unit in St. Stephen, and nurse practitioners and nurses at the Campobello Health Centre.
Eydie will be laid to rest on Campobello Island. A wake service will be held at St. Timothy’s Catholic Church on Wednesday, August 21 at 6 p.m. Family and friends wishing to give their respects before the wake may begin arriving at 4 p.m. A burial service will take place at the North Road Cemetery on Thursday, August 22 at 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Charlotte County Cancer Society or the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada.
Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.mehanfuneralhome.ca
Funeral arrangements in care of The S.O. Mehan & Son Funeral Home Ltd., 23 Main St., St. Stephen, NB.
January 06 1948 – August 14 2019
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Edith Mae Calder..
Death notice for the town of: St-Stephen, Province: Nouveau-Brunswick