Velma Frances Hossack
1944-2020
It is with completely shattered hearts that the family of
Velma Frances Hossack nee Armstrong (June 5, 1944 – March
15, 2020) announce the passing of their beloved mother who was taken
from them far too soon. Sadly, the immensity of their love was not
enough to conquer the evils of cancer. The void that is left
behind is indescribable and the amount of tears shed,
unfathomable.
Velma leaves behind her 4 adoring children: Sherri (Kenny),
Ronald, Neil and Susie (Dale). She also has one beloved
granddaughter Jessica (Dylan). Jessica dubbed her
grandmother Mammy as soon as she learned to talk and it was a nickname
that stuck. Friends and family from far and wide would
address her as such forevermore.
Velma was the loving sister of Lloyd (Woodstock, Ontario) and
Doug (Janet) (Larder Lake, Ontario). She was predeceased by:
Father, John Henry Armstrong; Mother, Ethel Phylis (Hall).
Sisters: Irene, Margaret and Jeannette. Brothers, Bud and
Carl. She will be missed by several nieces, nephews and of
course, her extended Carman’s
family.
Velma was always particularly pleased when her Ontario
dwelling family members would vacation in New Brunswick during summer
months so she could spend some time reconnecting with her
kinfolk. She so enjoyed the field trips that they would
take, visiting important Armstrong landmarks or taking in some East
Coast sights.
If you knew Velma on a personal level you would know that she
was quite a deep-thinking individual, a lover of nature and all
animals both domestic and wild. It would be nothing unusual
to arrive at her home and witness birds of all varieties resting on
her many birdhouses, trees and fences. She enjoyed secretly
feeding the deer, wild turkey, squirrels and any other furry and
feathered visitor that came her way. To spend time with
Velma was to hear her constant admiration of all things of nature, the
texture of a plant, the colors of a field in autumn or the billowing
of the clouds in the sky. A few years ago, she had a lovely
new fence erected on the Carman’s property and refused to
have a particular tree cut down that was in the way.
Instead, she went to the extra expense and had the fencing built
around that tree! An act that speaks volumes of her mindset
towards all living things.
The Armstrong family had a humble upbringing on the Ledge
Road and Velma took on various menial jobs at an early age.
This no doubt instilled in her that work ethic that she carried with
her throughout her entire life. Velma’s greatest
achievement (aside from being described by her children as being
World’s Greatest Mom) was her contribution to the community
as sole proprietor of Carman’s Diner for over 40
years. She ran that Diner with a hands-on
approach. If you’d spent much time there at all,
there is no doubt that you would have seen her participating in almost
all aspects of the restaurant. She would waitress, wash
dishes, clean, bus tables, greet customers, all the while tending to
the financial aspects after hours. She conducted business
conservatively and tried to abide by lessons taken from her
father-in-law and original owner, Carman Hossack. She
refused to be swayed from its initial authentic Diner
formula. Velma wanted to provide real food to hungry people
and to offer a comfortable atmosphere that anyone could feel at home
in.
In closing, the family would like to quote some special
comments that they have recently received from friends and clientele
that they have taken comfort in:
– “She was a role model of quiet
strength”
– “She was the embodiment of an empowered
woman”
– “Strong, compassionate, hard
working”
-“She was a good boss and worked very hard at her
business and raising 4 children”
-“A true pioneer of female
entrepreneurs”
-“She built an institution in St. Stephen and it will
live on as her legacy”
-“Strong mothers raise strong daughters and
sons. Your family is solid”
-“A strong thread in the tapestry of our
community”
-“Velma is one of a kind and she has instilled her
kindness in all of you”
-“Velma was a strong and kind woman. A force
for what is good and what is right”
-“Food Angel”
-“She appears to do it all with ease, she never appears
rattled, just calmly taking care of business”
-“What a journey. What a huge
accomplishment”
-“the love, respect and admiration that her children,
staff and everyone have for her is such a testament to what an amazing
woman she is. A shining example to celebrate. A
true inspiration to all women”
-“A fine example of how women can and do make a change
in this world”
-“She ran a business that is known far and wide and she
is looked up to and loved by so many”
-“A quiet un-sung hero who goes about making the world a
better place”
Velma’s family would like to thank so many people
who have helped them during this horrific struggle. To name
a few: each and every member of the Carman’s
family, Crystal and Mark Walsh, Sandy Thomas, Kathleen Richards, nurse
Jaclyn, Doug and Janet Armstrong, Marlene Farrell. Thanks
for so many cards, which Velma admired daily. Thank you for
the flowers, food, care packages, gifts and for pitching in at
Carman’s. We hope to return the kindness some
day.
Although Velma indeed loved flowers, her favorite charities
were CCSPCA and Charlotte County Cancer Society.
Funeral service will be held Wednesday, March 18, 2020 at 6
PM from The S.O. Mehan & Son Funeral Home Ltd., 23 Main St.,
St. Stephen, NB
Please note that due to the
recent health precautions, there will be limited seating for this
service and we would encourage you to forward your messages of
condolences online to www.mehanfuneralhome.ca
The family invites anyone that wishes to join them to
Carman’s Diner directly following the funeral for a light
luncheon.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Velma Frances Hossack 19442020..
Death notice for the town of: St-Stephen, Province: Nouveau-Brunswick