Obituary of Nellie Rodger

It is with profound sadness that our family announces the passing of our incredible mom. Nell had a long, healthy life in Sault Ste. Marie, where she was fortunate to share 59 years with our dad, Dave, and had many lifelong friends.

Nell held the gift of life in given high regard and she put her “all” into everything she did.  She absolutely loved music, singing and dancing. From the early years of the Artillery Balls, to Saturday evening dances at the Legion and the Algo Club, she and Dave could clear the dance floor. She water-skied till her 85^th year, and she checked off a dream to skate the Rideau Canal in Ottawa from her bucket list at 87. Mom adored people, especially babies, and filled her home with guests for whom she loved to cook and was known to bake a pie, or two. Christmas was the highlight of the year, with as many as 30+ sharing dinner, caroling and washing up in the early days.  

Mom’s large family was headed by her father, the late Edouard Barbet, and her mother, the late Emily. Siblings include her sisters, the late Olive Kimball (late Walter), the late Marie Ketola (late Chuck), the late Jacquie Huckson (late Jimmy), Josie Osmar, (late Ozzie), June Ciaschini (Don) and her brother, the late Ted Barbet (late Gertrude). Mom learned through the Great Depression and WWII how to make much from little and passed those values on to her nine children: Sheila Rodger Faucher (Doug Campbell), the late Janet Anderson (Art), John (Mary McGregor), Nelda (Sergio Sgaramella) Ed, (Laura Myers), the late Thom, Patti Kirkpatrick (Mike), Carolyn (Steve Wragg) and Andrea (Al Thomson). She was an accomplished seamstress – making many of her own and her children’s clothes – and she perfected the art of knitting, donating baby sweaters to the Sault Area Hospital’s gift shop for fund raising. Mom also loved to paint in oil and shared her creative gifts with her children, grandchildren and others who expressed interest.

The Catholic Church was central to mom's life and in the early 1950's she acted as the first president of the CWL at Our Lady of Good Council Church. She remained active within her church to the end of her life, helping out in the office after years of singing in the choir and organizing funeral lunches for members of the congregation. She was also an active volunteer for the Canadian Cancer society, the March of Dimes and at the hospital in the oncology department.

Mom adored the Sault, its surroundings, and especially lived to get out to the Camp as soon as winter's departure allowed.  Her legacy lives on in her fantastic 16 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Sault Area Hospital Oncology Unit would be greatly appreciated.

Friends and family are invited to attend a Celebration of Nell's life at the Machine Shop (83 Huron St), on Friday, December 28th between 5 pm and 7 pm.

Funeral mass to be held at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, (114 Macdonald Avenue), Saturday, December 29^th at 11 am.