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HATT, Violet (Vi) Marie, passed away at the age of 90, in New Glasgow, on Thursday, April 10, 2025, peacefully with her family by her side.

She was born in Aldersville to a family of seven, with parents Edgar and Wilhelmena Bezanson. Her siblings are Bill, Roy (deceased), Lloyd (deceased), Elsie, Lyda (deceased) and Alma (deceased). She was very proud of her immediate family and is survived by her children: Sheila Dempster (Emerson), Susan Munro (Don) and Tim Hatt (Stacie Livingstone). She is also survived by grandchildren: Shane Dempster (Jenny), Cochrane, AB; Tracey Dryden (Jacob), Maple Ridge, BC; Corey Munro (Carlee), Cranbrook, BC; Nick Munro (Alyssa), New Glasgow; Mallory Foley (Corey), Mill Creek, Cape Breton; also great-grandchildren: Jana & Jack Dempster, Owen & Nora Munro, Ethan & Amber Munro, Violet & Willow Foley and Sam & Moses Dryden.

She worked at various places over the years including Goodman Co and Zellers and was known to be able to "stretch a dollar until it squeaked." She was an avid thrift store/yard sale shopper. She loved her cups of tea and an "ooey-gooey" (Boston Cream) donut, after a drive in her "green machine" (bright green Mazda car). She has lived in various areas of the town – East River Road, Elm Street, Cameron Ave., Little Harbour Road and for the last 28 years – Hillcrest Seniors’ Apartments on Little Harbour Road.

A special THANK YOU to Dr. Gregor MacLean, the fabulous staff of the 4th and 5th floors of the Aberdeen Hospital and 2nd floor, Serenity Springs at Glen Haven Manor for their kindness, sense of humour, care and empathy to our mother during the last few months. You are all angels of your profession.

Mom will be remembered for her total dedication to family, feistiness, love of her little green car, doing jigsaw puzzles, watching game shows, cheesies, the beach, thrift store shopping, collecting, independence, and strength during so many difficult times in her life. We all have so many memories; she will live on in them.

There will be visitation on Wednesday, April 16 at 1pm, followed by a celebration of life at 2pm, at R.H. Porter Funeral Home, 55 Almont Avenue, New Glasgow. Refreshments and a "cup of tea" to follow.

"A limb has fallen from the family tree, The one that says grieve not for me. Remember the best times, the laughter, the song, The good life I lived while I was strong."²

Roy Franklin Bezanson - age 78, of Port Lambton, passed away on Monday, December 20, 2010 at Bluewater Health - C.E.E. Site, Petrolia. Beloved husband of Fern (Dell) Bezanson. Dear father of Eric (friend Stacey VanDaeie) Bezanson of Wallaceburg and Allan (Debbie) Bezanson of Petrolia. Kind grandfather of David, Connor, Jared, Kaitlyn and Jenna. Sadly missed by brothers Lloyd (Carole) and Bill (Linda), sisters Elsie (Marshall Roast), Violet Hatt, Alma Russell and Lyda Herget (friend Gary Russell) all of Nova Scotia. Survived by sister-in-law Margaret Marlatt of Wallaceburg and many nieces and nephews.

Born in Aaldersville, Nova Scotia. Son of the late Edgar and Wilhelmina (Hiltz) Bezanson. Roy moved to Ontario in 1954. Employed by Mandley Drilling Co. Dunnville, Ontario. He was a Gas and Oil Driller for 10 years. In 1966 employed by Ontario, Hydro, Courtright Generating Station. Retired as a Hoisting Engineer in 1993. Roy was an avid gardener for many years and received many compliments on his spacious garden. During the winter Roy enjoyed wood-carving. Family and friends were received at Steadman Brothers Funeral Home, Brigden on Wednesday, December 22, 2010 from 3:30 - 7:30 p.m. Funeral service was held on Thursday, December 23, 2010 at the Lambton Baptis Church, 3886 St Clair Parkway, Port Lambton at 11:00 a.m. Pastor Robert Taylor officiated. Interment in Duthill Cemetery.²

BEZANSON, Fern Gladys (Dell) – Age 87 of Wallaceburg, a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend passed away on Sunday, September 4, 2022 at Bluewater Health – C.E.E. Site, Petrolia. Fern was born on January 23, 1935 to Allan and Ada (Hunter) Dell in Becher, Ontario and later moved to Port Lambton, Ontario with her beloved husband and best friend Roy Franklin Bezanson (2010).

Fern attended Duthill S.S. No. 9 school and Wallaceburg District Secondary School. In 1952, Fern was employed with Bell Canada as a switch board operator and later promoted to a supervisor position. In 1969, she drove a school bus for ten years with the Lambton County Board of Education. Loving mother to Eric (Stacey) Bezanson of Wallaceburg and Allan (Debbie) Bezanson of Petrolia. Loved and cherished grandmother of David (Sam and Niah), Connor (Jessica), Jared (Marissa), Kaitlyn (Riley) and Jenna (Alex). Predeceased by her sisters Marion Thibert (2004) and Margaret Marlatt (2020).

Fern was a talented musician who taught herself to play by ear. She was known for playing the piano and accordion at the same time. She organized the band “The Joy Makers”, volunteering her musical talent for many years, entertaining at nursing homes, residences, churches and numerous events. Fern never passed a piano without stopping to play. When her talent on the piano went viral, she provided joy to thousands, if not millions, of people. Fern was a faithful woman who loved the Lord, her family, her church and community. She will be deeply missed by her Sandra Crescent friends and all who knew and loved her.

Friends and family will be received at STEADMAN BROTHERS FUNERAL CHAPELS, Brigden on Tuesday, September 6, 2022 from 2-4 and 7-9pm. Funeral service will be held at Church on the River, 3886 St. Clair Parkway, Port Lambton on Wednesday, September 7, 2022 at 10:30am. Interment to follow at Duthill Cemetery.²

Thrift store piano player goes viral
By Cheryl Johnstone

A Chatham-Kent resident is taking the Internet by storm, and she doesn’t even own a computer.

A video of 84-year-old Fern Bezanson playing a piano at Value Village in Chatham on Wednesday, November 7th went viral over the weekend.

“Sometimes I do things like that, I just sit down and try them out, play a couple tunes,” said Bezanson. “I just want to bring joy into people’s lives.”

Michelle Mainwaring shot the video and said she was just happy she caught the moment.

“I captured joy, and I was filming with joy, and the people who were watching were filled with joy,” said Mainwaring. “There was so much joy, that it was just emanating from her fingertips right through my camera on my phone.”

Mainwaring says the video and the moment really connected with people.

“So many messages of how it put a smile on somebody’s face, tears in their eyes, an inspiration, something to aspire to,” said Mainwaring. “It’s just created a ripple of great energy.”

As of 12 p.m. Monday, the video had been viewed over 80,000 times on Facebook, over 78,000 times on Twitter, and over 10,000 times on LinkedIn.³

Elsie Onabelle Roast (nee Bezanson), treasured Wife, Mother, Nan and GiGi, spent her final days surrounded by her family as they shared stories from her life while she rested. She left us on August 11th, 2025, having just celebrated her 94th birthday on July 19th. She leaves behind her husband of 61 years and love of her life, Marshall; her daughters, Debbie Redden-Long (Brian) and Melinda Roast; her grandchildren, Stephanie Brown-Confiant (Stan) and Mark Brown (Janna); and her great-grandchildren that gave her so much joy in her later years, Adalyn, Jaxson, Ellie and Tori.

She was born in Aldersville, Lunenburg County on July 19th, 1931, to the late Edgar and Wilhelmina Bezanson (nee Hiltz). Elsie was the oldest of seven children and moved to Kentville around 1950 where she worked at several local businesses including JM Duguid Jewellers where she was able to indulge her love of ‘shiny things’. She left employment when she became a Mother so she could be at home with Debbie.

She became an icon at Kings County Academy where she began work in the late 1970’s as the ‘canteen lady’ so she could work hours that allowed her to be at home for Melinda and Jason when they got out of school. There are a great many students that passed through those halls that will remember her fondly for her comedic antics – always a shoulder to lean on when anyone needed it, extending credit to students from time to time, and providing a forbidden corner for a smoker on a rainy day. She was recognized at graduation in the year of her retirement which speaks to the fondness so many students had for her over the years.

Elsie loved to sew, embroider and quilt. She was well-known in the world of Nova Scotia’s exhibitions as a scorekeeper for the ox pulls that Marshall participated in. In later years she and Marshall travelled across Canada several times to Alberta and Saskatchewan where they spent time experiencing ranch life and taking in the sights of the west. They also renewed a love for music that their busy life of working, and child rearing had put on hold. They travelled to ‘music jams’ across the County and she loved to watch Marshall play his fiddle. Even when her condition developed to a point where she had difficulty communicating, if he played, she would smile – that was all that mattered.

Elsie was preceded in death by her son Jason, her parents Edgar and Wilhelmina, her brothers Roy, Lloyd and Bill, and her sisters Violet, Lyda and Alma.

Elsie’s family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the nurses and staff of Shannex Orchard Court for the compassion, care and respect they provided over the last (almost) 3 years. Their kindness and limitless support were so very appreciated.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Kentville, and cremation has taken place.

Those we love don’t go away, they walk beside us every day … unseen, unheard, but always near … still loved, still missed, still very dear ….³