Lenore Margaret Masterson passed away peacefully at the Miramichi Regional Hospital on Sunday evening, Feb 20, at the age of 92. She was born on April 2, 1929 in Chatham, NB and was the daughter of Lee and Nellie (MacDonald) Gilliss.
Lenore graduated from St. Michaels Academy in Chatham and then attended Normal School (now known as Teachers College) in Fredericton. She began teaching at the age of 17. She took time away from teaching to get married and have children. She spent several years in France with her Armed Forces husband Eldon, before returning to raise the family in Nelson. She went back to teaching when she felt her children were old enough to be without her during the day. She taught at St. Andrews Street School and retired from there in 1992.
She was proud of her 6 children and while they were getting educated, she attended night school and summer school to earn two degrees herself; a Bachelor of Teaching and a Bachelor of Education from Université de Moncton.
After retirement she was able to coax her husband Eldon on a big trip out west. She travelled to Ireland and kissed the Blarney Stone and took many bus trips with sister Shirley and brother Burt. She was always available for trips to see grandchildren and a willing travel partner for daughter Joan. Mom was screeched-in at the age of 80 on a Newfoundland trip.
Lenore was a devout member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and when she was unable to get to church, she watched her Mass for Shut-Ins every day.
She was a proud member of the Retired Teachers Association and was always willing to donate time to the fundraising for their scholarship fund.
She loved to play cards, and liked to tell everyone she was a member of the Miramichi Golf and Country Club where she played Bridge. She was also an avid member of the Nelson Seniors Club. Her Short breads (Scotch Cakes) were in high demand.
She loved to line dance and enjoyed teaching others. She had a loyal following whenever the music was playing.
She was an avid swimmer. She and her children spent many summer days at Brown’s Beach.
Besides her parents, she is predeceased by husband Eldon, daughter Mary, sisters Shirley and Joan, brothers Merle, Ken and Burt and son-in-law Malcolm (Jean).
She is survived by six children. Daughters: Anne of Halifax NS, Jean (Malcolm) of Bridgewater NS, Ellen McMahon (Gerard) of Charlottetown PEI, Joan of Blenheim, ON, Sons: Paul (Monique) of Fredericton and Pat (Brenda) of Fredericton; five grandchildren: Elizabeth, Kate, Robbie, Tully, Chantelle, Kyle and Simon.
A funeral service will be held at a later date.
Donations in Lenore’s memory can be made to the Miramichi Area Retired Teachers Association (MARTA) Scholarship Fund.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Lenore Margaret Masterson 20 Feb 2022..
Death notice for the town of: Miramichi, Province: Nouveau-Brunswick