It is with profound sadness in his departure, but extreme pride in his amazing strength and longevity that the family of Rauleigh Stafford Ronalds announces his passing on August 26, 2017 at the age of 95 at the Chaleur Regional Hospital. Born in Montreal he was the son of Olivia (Daly) and Rankin Ronalds. He became a lifelong resident of Carron Drive in East Bathurst, or as he affectionately liked to call it "Dead Man’s Gulch".
Besides his wife of nearly 59 years, Joanna (Morrison), he is survived by his daughter, Audrey Gay (Denis Savoie) and his son, Floyd (Carole Fournier). He also leaves to mourn his sister, Elsie Jameison (late Frank), grandchildren Erin, Jordan, Connor and Haidyn, one great grandchild, Nathan and several nieces and nephews.
Besides his parents, he was predeceased by one sister, Dorothy Jean, in 1961 and his daughter, Cindy, which happened unexpectedly in 2005 both of which left a huge void in his life for the remainder of his days.
Rauleigh was a WWII veteran with the North Shore New Brunswick Regiment and a member of the Herman J Good, V.C. Br. 18, Royal Canadian Legion, Bathurst. He was the last surviving D-Day veteran in the region. He landed on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944 during the D-Day invasion and battled against Hitler’s Nazi war machine in an all out effort to liberate mainland Europe from Nazi Germany. The Normandy landings have been called the beginning of the end of war in Europe. Having survived that horrible battle, he continued on with his regiment and endured horrors which remained with him throughout the remainder of his life. He was wounded in action on July 4, 1944 and spent 4 months in a hospital in England only to be sent back to the battlefield once again. His strength and resilience during the war are testament to his fortitude. And he carried this with him throughout the remainder of his life in everything that he did. As a result of his efforts overseas, he was presented the "Ordre National de la Légion D’Honneur" from France in 2014, the highest honorary French decoration awarded to those who have rendered "eminent services" to the nation.
Rauleigh was a worker. He spent 32 years working for the New Brunswick Liquor Corp as well as painting houses and fishing nets for smelt at the same time. Gardening was another one of his strong suits having supplied many full meals to his family of potatoes, beans, peas, cucumbers and much more. He also spent countless hours on his 50 acre woodlot in Salmon Beach cutting firewood to heat his family home and cutting extra for others which he sold at a loss just to be able to give others a helping hand. Rauleigh was a no nonsense kind of a guy with a very dry sense of humor and wit like no other. A simple statement, told with a straight face, could have his listeners in stitches while he never even cracked a smile. As an outdoorsman, Rauleigh had a love for all animals, wild and domestic, as well as the environment we live in. His two favorite places were his woodlot and Ronalds Cove having spent the majority of his life in one or the other. His never-ending work habits and "eat often but less" routine allowed him to lead an illness and medication free life right up to his final days. Always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone, Rauleigh did so much for others, but always behind the scenes in order to avoid glorification. The stories of his immense heart of gold continue to emerge as the days go by. We could not be more proud of this fine gentleman we called husband, dad, papa, uncle and friend. Safe travels "Superman". Until we meet again.
The family would like to express their thanks to Dr. Chettiar. Also to the wonderful staff at Southern Comfort Villa where Rauleigh resided for the past year for doing their best to make dad feel as though he was still at home. Many warm thoughts to some of the compassionate and professional staff in the Palliative Care Unit at the Chaleur Regional Hospital for making his final few days as peaceful and comfortable as possible. Humble appreciation to the many wonderful friends and family members who have made this journey of ours a little easier to travel. Never-ending gratitude is extended to all of those who spent time with Rauleigh and his wife over the years, taking care of their needs and providing them with transportation to and from places they needed to go. And high regards to Elhatton’s Funeral Home for guiding us through the grieving process.
At Rauleigh’s request, there will be no visitation at the funeral home. A memorial celebrating the life of Rauleigh will be held at Elhatton’s Funeral Home Chapel (www.elhatton.com) on Thursday afternoon, Aug 31 2017 at 4 PM. The family will receive family and friends from 2 PM until the time of the service. There will also be a reception at the same location following the service.
Donations in memory of Rauleigh can be made to the Gloucester SPCA, The Spirit of Christmas (through the City of Bathurst), The Canadian MS Society or an organization of the donor’s choice.
