Beatrice Mabel (Marshall) Ryan
On October 01, 2024, our dear mother Beatrice completed her journey on this earth. She passed peacefully surrounded by her children at the Aberdeen Hospital, New Glasgow, knowing she was loved.
Today, we are grateful for her full life of 88 years with the faith that we will meet again. We affectionately knew her as Mum, Nannie, the Great One, Nannie B, and the Queen Bea.
She was born to Allan and Mabel (Clarke) (Miller) Marshall on August 28, 1936 in the Black Diamond, Westville. Following the death of her mother, after the age of two she was raised by her maternal grandmother, Elizabeth Clarke. She attended Primary school in Westville where she double graded and sang at many Variety Shows and Wartime fundraisers.
After age six, she moved to Abercrombie to be with her father and paternal grandparents, James and Rhoda (Betts) Marshall. Her childhood stories could fill a book about the farm and the one room schoolhouse. She later attended New Glasgow High School.
Beatrice became a ‘Sobey’s girl’ the summer she turned sixteen starting at #25 on ‘Back Street’, then #4 Trenton, and later in every New Glasgow Sobeys store.
Following her marriage to William Leo Cooke she moved permanently to Trenton. Upon his tragic death she was widowed, at age twenty-nine, to raise their five young children. The following ten years as a single mom were busy. She was our strong, independent, practical, frugal, and hard-working mum.
Her marriage to Leamon R. Ryan resulted in an active household blessed with a new baby and five teenagers at the same time. She ran a tight ship!
Beatrice was a member of the First United Church Trenton, the UCW, and held a chair position in the now defunct LOBA Lodge Trenton. She became a PCW and worked at Glen Haven and later private home care.
After retirement, she volunteered many years at the Aberdeen Hospital Gift Shop. Beatrice was a 32-year member of the New Glasgow 50 Plus Club, a 30-year member of the Trenton Seniors, a past TOPS/COPS member, a Red Hatter, was recognized as a Trenton Volunteer, and was part of the ‘Timmies Gang’. She was also a 29-year ovarian cancer survivor.
At age fifty, she started traveling with family and friends. Holidays were enjoyed to eastern Canada, Cuba, Florida, Mexico, and New York. She rode a camel in Tunisa, climbed the Great Wall of China and sailed down the Yangtze River. She rode an elephant in Italy, a gondola in Venice, toured the British Isles, kissed the Blarney Stone, and walked on Hadrian’s Wall.
Beatrice loved singing and conversation. She loved family parties, traveling, doing crossword puzzles in ink, playing cards every Saturday night with her family, and political arguments. Prior to the Covid restrictions, she never missed a parade or festival. The first one in the car, she was always up for an adventure.
For the past 68 years Beatrice dispensed wisdom, advice, and opinions from her ‘Command and Control Center’ --her kitchen table. Oh! If that table could talk. She knew her Bible and probably hundreds of songs. For every situation she had a song lyric, an old saying, a Bible passage, or a famous quotation.
Mom left no degrees or estates. We are constantly amazed that someone from such humble beginnings could achieve so much. A Depression Era baby, she passed on these valuable lessons. Always a voracious reader, she left this legacy to her children. She was quietly proud of her family.
Beatrice was predeceased by her parents, first husband, William Cooke (d.1966); second husband, Leamon Ryan (d.2019); half-brother, Jack Miller; stepmother, Patricia (MacKenzie); stepsister, Florence Marshall (d.2013); stepbrother, James ‘Tug’ Marshall (d.2021); daughter-in-law, Joyce Rhyno Cooke (d.2012); and son-in-law, Rod McInnis (d.2023).
Left to mourn are her children, C. Lynn Cooke, W. Michael Cooke, Wendy McInnis, Karen (Bernard) MacNeil, Martin Cooke, Leanne (Chris) Ryan-White; a lost son, Kenneth D. Marshall; grandchildren, Andrew MacDougall, Erin (Dan) Trowell, Mitchell MacNeil, Edison Skinner, Sean McInnis, and Charlie White; great- grandchildren, Aidan and Avery Trowell; step- grandchildren, Susan (Chad) and their children Katelyn and Aaron; Joanna and her daughter Selina; and Janet (Mathieu) and their son Lathan; a sister, Barbara Dawson; sister in-law, Clarita Marshall; brother in-law, Melvin (Beverly) Ryan; many nieces, nephews, and treasured long-time friends.
Beatrice thought death was like stepping through the doorway into another room. Her passing has left an immense hole in our hearts. We are grateful she left us with a lifetime of memories and stories. Mum, you taught us everything except how to live without you.
"Our family chain is broken, and nothing feels the same. But as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again".
Cremation has occurred. Beatrice will be resting with ease in the R.H. Porter Funeral Home, 55 Almont Ave., New Glasgow on Saturday, October 5, 2024. Visitation is from 12 - 1 pm, to be followed by a Funeral Service with Ron Shaw S.M. presiding. At its conclusion, family and friends are invited to join us at a reception there to celebrate her life. Flowers gratefully declined but words of comfort are appreciated.
We are forever grateful to the health care system for such excellent care. The family wishes to thank Dr. Spencer Barclay for his many years of dedicated care and home visits; Brian Hiscott for his compassionate and dignified care; the Aberdeen Hospital 4th and 5th South Floor staff, Palliative Care staff; and the staff at the Halifax Victoria General Hospital, Thoracic Unit. We are comforted by the many sincere condolences, flowers, and food from friends and family. Donations in Beatrice’s memory may be made to the Palliative Care Unit c/o Aberdeen Health Foundation.
We love you, Mum. Thank you for everything you did for all of us.
"Look how far that little candle sends its light." ---Wm. Shakespeare.
