Ronald Joseph “Bo” Chisholm
1938-2021
Chisholm, Ronald Joseph “Bo”, passed away
peacefully on Sunday, February 21st, 2021 at St
Martha’s Hospital in Antigonish.
The son of Donald Peter and Mary Catherine (MacLellan)
Chisholm, he was born on March 9th, 1938. He
grew up in Antigonish, fell in love, got married, ran a business,
raised his family, and spent his life here.
Bo was a devoted family man. He was the kind of husband who
was proud to support his talented wife in all her ambitions and the
kind of father who inspired zealous devotion in his five daughters. He
was a natural athlete, a proud kilt wearer, a baker extraordinaire.
His antics as a Bulldogs hockey fan are legendary. He took over the
family business, D P Chisholm Insurance Ltd, and his little office at
the west end of Main Street was an iconic gathering place for the cast
of characters that populated “The Main” for many
decades.
The community-minded spirit that Bo embodied benefitted many
organizations over the years. He was a volunteer with the Antigonish
Highland Society for over 70 years and he was a fixture at Columbus
Field during the Highland Games. He was a member of the Antigonish
Volunteer Fire Department and the Red Cross Disaster Chairman for the
town and county of Antigonish for three decades. Bo was on the Board
of Directors for the Bergengren Credit Union, the Braemore Co-op, and
CJFX Radio. He was a canvas volunteer for the Diabetes Society, the
Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Canadian Cancer Society, and the
Kidney Foundation. He coached hockey and basketball. He volunteered at
the Special Olympics, and at StFX Football/Hockey and Cross Country
events. He could be counted upon to do whatever was needed to make his
community a better place, from visiting the residents of the CACL and
the RK MacDonald Guest House, to driving dialysis patients to
appointments in Halifax. And if misfortune befell your family, Bo
might show up with a pan of biscuits and a jar of Liz’s
strawberry jam.
Bo was a devout Catholic. His deep faith was a centerpiece of
his life and his family. His daughters have fond memories of Sunday
mornings, waiting their turn for their father to hoist them in the air
by the waistband of their tights. Once all the tights were pulled up,
it was off to Mass. Bo was a past Grand Knight of the Knights of
Columbus and was active with that organization for many years. He was
a hospitality minister at St Ninian’s Cathedral for a
quarter century and was the caretaker for the Jimtown Chapel for many
years. When Bo was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1991, he would
not perform weddings, as in his mind, marriage is a sacrament. After
consulting his priest, he was convinced that as a Justice of the
Peace, the ceremonies he performed would be civil ceremonies rather
than sacraments, and he went on to marry hundreds of happy couples
over his nearly 30 years as a Justice of the Peace.
Bo is survived by his wife Elizabeth “Liz”, his
daughters Kathy Chisholm (Ted McDonald) of Fredericton, Karen Corsten
(Marty) of Halifax, Mary Beth McCarron (Kevin) of Antigonish, Allison
Chisholm (John McKee) of Fredericton, Dale Chisholm (James Schiesz) of
Fredericton, his sister Sharon Hughes of Antigonish, his much-loved
grandchildren Imogen, Tess, Annecy, Abby, Maggie, Rory, Scout, Lily,
Bo, and Jonah and his great-grandchildren Duffy, Johnny, and Eleanor.
He was predeceased by his brothers DP and Bill “Chissy”
Chisholm.
Funeral Mass will be held in St. Ninian Cathedral on
Wednesday, February 24th, at 11:00 am with
Reverend Donald MacGillivray presiding. Covid 19
restrictions will be in effect. Burial in the parish cemetery at a
later date. When Covid-19 restrictions are lifted, the family looks
forward to seeing Bo’s many friends and extended family at a
celebration of life befitting such a pillar of the
community.
The family would like to thank St. Martha’s
Hospital, especially the Palliative Care Unit. Donations in memory of
Bo Chisholm may be made to St Martha’s Regional Hospital
Palliative Care Unit or the Jordon Myles Foundation in support of
adolescent mental health. Online condolences:
www.clcurry.com
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Ronald Joseph Bo Chisholm 19382021..
Death notice for the town of: Antigonish, Province: Nova Scotia