Person Page - 1152

BEZANSON, John Wesley

Passed away, in his sleep, on Wednesday, February 26, 2020. He was a son of the late William Edward Bezanson, Cross Roads and Annie Thompson, Ripon Yorkshire, England. He was born in Timmins, Ont., on December 9, 1928, where he went to school and worked for his father at Bezanson Construction in Timmins. He joined the Air Force and spent the next 25 years in several provinces and countries as all service people do, wherever they are needed.
He worked in safety systems on air crafts in the Air Force and worked with wood, making just about everything under the sun.

He was a handy man to have around. He retired to Berwick, where in 1973, he built the family home he lived in until he moved to Shannex in Kentville in September 2018. In Berwick, he began his second career, first in carpentry and then in designing and building furniture. Many various items where created in his own workshop. His largest creation was a sailboat for his brother Steve, who, with his wife, Mary Lee (MacMillan of Prince Edward Island), sailed by inland water ways to Florida where they lived on it and travelled far and wide for two or three years. During his working life, he created an incredible amount of furniture. Each of his children and other homes were filled with his work.

John remained busy in his workshop until well into his 80’s, but Alzheimer’s and dementia finally defeated him. He forgot what the tools were for. His family were relieved that he wasn’t handling dangerous equipment finally. He managed to recover from several falls that led to his final home at Shannex.

He is survived by his wife, Shirley Margaret (Adams), formerly of Manitoba; sisters, Buela and Moyra, in Alberta and Ontario.

He was predeceased by sisters, Muriel, Ontario; Dorothy, Alberta; brothers, Steve, Prince Edward Island; and Bill, Ontario. and his parents who passed away in Alberta and are buried there.

He will be missed greatly by his friends and family. John and Shirley were married for 67 years and have five children, seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. The children are John Jr. (Carol Butland), Waasis, N.B., and their daughters, Dani and Christine; Dani has no children, and Christine has three boys, Cameron, Ashton and Preston, all hockey players in New Brunswick where they live; Kathy of Dawson Creek, B.C., and her daughter, Amanda; Bob "Buzz" (Carol Kilcup) Windermere, and their daughters, Brenna of Vancouver, and Angela (Steven) Bentley, and their children, Mattia, Lumen and Dexter, all of Berwick; Sharon (Bryce) Whalen, Canaan Mountain and their sons, Jason (Ali) and their children, Mac of Port Williams, Hannah and Lucas, at home with their parents in Petawawa, Ont., Sharon and Bryce’s second son, Michael (Kyla Hiltz) and children, Kadence and Kaleb, Middleton; Pat Amera, John and Shirley’s youngest daughter, who has no children, lives in Faro, Yukon.

John did not want a funeral service. He wanted to see many of his old friends near the end of his life but he could not manage to get around without falling. His family will be more able in the summer to get together for a remembrance of him. He built an urn (small casket) for his remains (ashes) which he and Shirley will share. When her remains (ashes) join his, they will then be buried.

The family would like to thank all of his dear friends who work at Shannex. They were very special to him and made a huge difference to his comfort and peace of mind. Arrangements have been entrusted to White Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Kentville.²

MERRIMACK - Robert Osborne Bezanson, 74, 1 Birch St, Merrimack died Friday, October 14, 1988, at a Manchester hospital, following a long illness.

He was born in Woburn, Mass., on Oct. 8. 1914. He was a resident of Merrimack for the past 28 years. He is a member of the New Boston Fire Dept., the Merrimack Fire Dept., the New Hampshire Special Deputy Fire Wardens Association and the New Hampshire Insurance Company Old Man of the Mountain Club. He was a former member of the New Boston School Board.

Prior to his retirement he has been employed tor over 35 years by the New Hampshire Insurance Company of Manchester.

Members of the family include his wife, Rosalie Edna Bezanson of Merrimack; one son, Bruce R. Bezanson of Manchester; one daughter, Carol E. Bose of New Boston; five grandchildren; a brother Richard Bezanson of Merrimack; two sisters, Mrs. Dorothea Kane of Merrimack and Mrs. Elizabeth Gammon of Byfield, Mass; several nieces and nephews. The French and Rising Funeral Home in Goffstown is in charge of funeral arrangements.¹