Laura Parrott, formerly of Munro St. and recently of the Robert L. Knowles Veterans' Unit, Bathurst, passed away on Friday, May 11, 2012 in her 103 rd year.
Born in Carron Point, she was the daughter of the late David and Clementine (Newman) Ronalds and was the last surviving member of her immediate family. Following early education at the Bass River School, Laura attended Bathurst High School where she was in one of the first graduating classes. She walked or bicycled to school from Carron Point, a distance of many miles.
Following a brief teaching career, Laura joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. She was posted to western Canada where she carried out office duties. She returned to Bathurst after the war and married Hugh Parrott, also a veteran and an accountant with George Eddy Company Ltd. His death occurred in 2004. After marriage she became a stay-at-home mom and developed a love of curling, winning the provincial senior championship. She loved playing cards from which she developed many friendships. She was an active member of First United Church and the United Church Women and enjoyed receiving recorded church services in her later years, always playing them more than once.
With her husband Hugh, Laura attended Dominion Conventions of the Royal Canadian Legion in Manitoba and Alberta. They enjoyed trips to Europe and Bermuda, as well as family visits to western Canada, California and Arizona.
Laura led a full life and saw amazing changes over her lifetime, from the first "talking radio" to her decision at the age of 87 to join the computer generation and embrace email and computer games. She could recall hearing people talk about the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 when she was a young child. Laura remembers when women were finally granted the right to vote. She had a great love of family and they to her-each of her 3 children would make twice yearly trips home from long distances.
The family would like to thank the many loving, compassionate caregivers Laura had in her later years who kept her mind active and read to her after the loss of her eyesight. She had a great love of poetry and would often recite poems without hesitation.
Besides her husband of 57 years, Hugh, she was predeceased by sister, Lillian McCombs and brother, Newman Ronalds.
Laura is survived by son, Trevor (Carol) of Phoenix, Arizona; two daughters: Joan Quade of Calgary and Brenda (Dave Morison) of Bathurst; two grandsons: George Quade of Calgary and Robert Quade of Revelstoke, B.C., several nieces and nephews among whom are Bernice (Hamilton) Gammon, Norma (Merle) Ellis, and Arthur Ronalds all of Bathurst, Alvin (Christine) Ronalds of Vancouver, Halsey (Rachel) McCombs of Milford, New Hampshire.
The body will be resting at Elhatton Funeral Home (www.elhatton.com), St. George St. Bathurst, on May 13 from 2-4 p.m. A celebration of her life will be held on Monday, May 14 at 2 pm from First United Church, St. Patrick St. Interment will be in Highland View Cemetery, Bridge St. If desired donations may be made to the Steinway Piano Fund at First United Church, C.N.I.B., or to a charity of choice.
