Person Page - 1121

BEZANSON, Nelson I., died peacefully in his sleep at home on Saturday, September 12, 2015.

Dearly loved and deeply missed husband of Uda for 59 wonderful years; father of Cheri (Jim), Mark (Florence), Bryon (Janice), and Kevin (Rachael), grandfather to Mandi (Eddie), Missy (Kyle), Ricki (Ben), Jessi (Adam), Brandon, Taylor, Josiah, Simon, and Naomi; great-grandfather to Avery, Aislinn, Ben, Trustin, Sophie, Leila, Samuel, Addelynn, Joshua, Levi, and Chloe.

From a farm in Albion, Maine, his deep faith led him with Uda into service as missionaries with TEAM in Chad, Africa for 15 years, and then to roles in the International and Canadian headquarters. He worked and lived with integrity, commitment, and a twinkle in his eye.

Friends will be received at the Dennis Toll Funeral Home, 55 Charing Cross Street, Brantford on Thursday from 6 – 8 pm. Visitation will resume at Central Baptist Church, 300 Fairview Dr., Brantford, on Friday, September 18, 2015 from 10 – 11 am, with the funeral service to follow at 11 am. A private interment will follow the reception at Paris Cemetery.⁵

Mark Stephen Bezanson, beloved husband of Florence Bezanson (nee Cameron) of Airdrie, AB, passed into the presence of the Lord on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at the age of 63 years, following a battle with cancer.

Mark is survived by his wife Florence, his mother Uda and his siblings Cheri Day (Jim), Bryon (Janice) and Kevin (Rachael); along with many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. Mark was predeceased by his father, Nelson, and his great-nephew Trustin.

Mark was well educated, having graduated from Moody Bible Institute, Biola University and Wheaton College with a Master of Arts in Educational Ministries. He was also working towards his PhD in Theological Studies. He was ordained as a Baptist pastor and ministered in several churches. In recent years, he volunteered at the Airdrie Christian Academy reading with children grades one to three, something he thoroughly enjoyed. His favourite hobby was reading, as well as chatting with friends over a Diet Coke!

Thank you to the doctors, nurses and other specialists who have spent their time caring for Mark. We are so thankful for their support and care. We are also so grateful for our family and friends who have walked with us, cared for us, and encouraged us, especially over the last fourteen months. We take comfort in knowing where Mark is and that we will see him again one day. No more suffering or pain.

Those wishing to pay their respects may do so at DayBreak Community Church (2104 Yankee Valley Blvd, Airdrie, AB T4B 0B3) on Saturday, May 25, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.

Funeral Services will be held at DayBreak Community Church (2104 Yankee Valley Blvd, Airdrie, AB T4B 0B3) on Saturday, May 25, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. Reception to follow at the Church. A Graveside Service will take place at a later date in Paris, ON, at Mark’s request.³

Merton F. Gray

Services for Merton F. Gray, 67, a houseman at the Harvard Club of Boston for 19 years, were held Friday in the Eastman funeral home, Boston, with Rev. Frederick M. Meek officiating. Burial was in Lindenwood Cemetery, Stoneham. He died Thursday.

A native Brownfield, Me., he came to Boston as a youth and later made his home at the Harvard Club with his wife, Carrie, an assistant housekeeper there.

He also leaves two sons, Berton A. of Jamaica Plain and Paul C. Gray of Boston; a daughter, Mrs. William Goodhue of New York, four sisters, Mrs. Carrie B. Moses of Somerville, Mrs. Katie Reed, East Wakefield, N. H.: Mrs. Florence Rudd, West Ossippee, N. H.,and Mrs. Maude Lang of Newfields, N. H.¹³

"ENOCH ARDEN" WIFE BASIS OF PETITION

Mrs Alice F. Gray Seeks Annulment of Marriage

An "Enoch Arden" wife, who disappeared 20 years ago, now forms the basis of a petition for annulment of marriage brought in the Middlesex Probate Court by Mrs Alice A. Gray of Weston, against Merton F. Gray of Somerville. Hearing of the petition and of a cross-petition for divorce brought by Gray was started yesterday afternoon before Judge Leggat.

Mrs Gray claims that her marriage to Gray should be annuled because at the time Gray married her in 1917 he had a wife living in the person of one Mildred G. Moodey. This first wife is still living, Mrs Gray claims, and has never been divorced from Gray.

Counsel for Gray, in outlining the case to the court, stated that it is 20 years since Gray has heard from his first wife, whom he has long considered dead. A score of years ago, he stated, the first Mrs Gray disappeared taking with her their only child. Although Gray conducted a country-wide search, counsel asserted, no trace of the missing wife and child was found.

It is Gray's contention that inasmuch as he had heard nothing from his first wife for seven years prior to his marriage to the second, he was in a position to remarry without divorce from the first wife, and he disputes the claim of his second wife that she has authentic information tending to show that wife number one is still alive.

In his libel for divorce against wife number two, Gray alleges desertion.¹⁵

Lyna V. Goodhue of Freeport on January 31, 2012 Loving mother of William, Beth Assadourian, and Steven. Dear grandmother of 3 and great grandmother of 2. Visiting Sunday 2 - 4 & 7 - 9 PM Religious Service Sunday 3:00PM. Interment Monday 9:30 leave to Greenfield Cemetery.⁹

GRAY -- In West Newton, Feb. 5, Berton A; beloved husband of Gloria (Duprez) Gray; brother of Paul Gray of Cambridge and Mrs. Lyna Goodhue and Mrs. Bette Carter, both of New York. Funeral from the Valenti Funeral Home, 697 Washington St., NEWTONVILLE, Saturday, Feb. 9 at 8 a.m. Funeral Mass in St. Bernard's Church at 9 a.m. Relatives and friends invited to attend. Visiting hours, Friday, 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Interment, Calvary Cemetery, Waltham. Member of American Legion Post 440.¹⁰

Letter From a Soldier

Praise For Australia By Charlestown Boy

Priv. Burton A. Gray in a letter to his sister, Bernice Gray, 59 Sullivan st., Charlestown speaks in praise of the people of Australia. He writes:

"Dear Sis: Received your very welcome letter. I was very pleased to hear from you. I can't see why you have received no mail. I must have written at least three letters to you.

"How are you? Hope you are doing all right. Have any of your songs been published? Is there a song at home entitled 'This is no time for Tears?' Boy, it is really beautiful. A boy here with me wrote it. He is here writing at the table. He sent the song home but has received no word of it. If you hear it please write and tell us.

"As you may have heard, I am one of the boys in the many expeditionary forces to the Pacific. We had a wonderful time in Australia; the people were wonderful to us. But
we had to leave for New Caledonia. It is really nice here, though the country is semi-tropical, palm, coconut, orange, banana trees, etc. The people are very friendly especially the girls. They come in three colors, white, black and yellow. We are living in the homes of Japs who left in a hurry. We have hot and cold running water, showers and a beautiful white beach to swim in, al- though one man has to be on guard with a loaded rifle all the time to protect us from sharks. Boy, they are bad. Some are as big as elephants.

"Well, I've got to go on duty so will write soon. Please write soon. Write and write some more.

"All my love,
"Buddy."

Private Gray's home was with his sister and his grandmother, Mrs. Harriet Thompson, now in her 80th year, at 59 Sullivan st. He was born in Cambridge and resided in Waltham, where he attended the Waltham Trade School and learned mechanics and carpentry. He enlisted in the United States Army about five years ago. Another sister, Lina Gray, resided at the Harvard Club. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Merton F. Gray.¹¹

AUSABLE FORKS -- Elizabeth "Betty" Carter, 86, of Horace Nye Home in Elizabethtown and formerly of Ausable Forks, N.Y., died Thursday, July 17, 2008. She was born in Wayland, Mass., Feb. 21, 1922, the daughter of Merton and Alice (Bezanson) Gray.

Betty belonged to many organizations including Council on the Arts for Clinton County, Friends Library Artist Guild of the Plattsburgh Public Library, The Mayan Order, Astara, The Secret Society of Magians and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

She had many hobbies, including oil and water color painting. Her work was sponsored by the Adirondack Life Exhibition and frequently displayed at juried art shows of the Lake Placid Center of the Arts, Friends Library Artist Guild of the Plattsburgh Library and at the Council for the Arts in Clinton County. She was affiliated with the Boston Museum Center of Art. She also wrote songs and poetry and has written both children's books and novels. She was an accomplished musician playing both the harmonica and guitar and at one time starred with a country and western band at a dude ranch in New Hampshire.

She was educated in the Boston City School District and was awarded the Best Artist Award for City District Schools of Boston Area. In 1948, she won the Grand Gold Award Contest sponsored by the Motion Picture Song Contest Association Corporation of Hollywood, Calif., for her song, "Cupid Introduced Me to an Angel."

She is survived by her daughter and best friend, Joyce Marinelli, Morrisonville, N.Y; one sister, Lyna Goodhue of Freeport, N.Y; a brother, Paul Gray of Cambridge, Mass; and several nieces and nephews.

A celebration of her life will be held Wednesday, July 30, at 5 p.m. at W.M. Marvins Sons Funeral Home in Elizabethtown.⁶

Tell Woman, 76, To Quit Country After 51 Years

Immigration Officials Inform Puzzled Mrs. Thompson She'll Be Deported

Faced with deportation from this country unless she leaves of her own volition within the next three months, Mrs. Harriet Alice Thompson,76, sat in her modest three-room flat at 59 Sullivan st., Charlestown, last night, and expressed her bewilderment over the sudden threat to her continued residence there.

A native of Maidstone, England, which she left for the United States as a young woman 51 years ago, Mrs. Thompson has received word from immigration officials at East Boston that as a result of investigation of complaints that she is an alien and illegally residing in this country, she must leave the country before Sept. 26 or face deportation proceedings.

Mystified by Notice

"I don't know what all this is about," she said, referring to the notice she received on Tuesday from S. H. Howes, Boston district director of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. "My last husband, John Parker Thompson, died in February, 1938, and I have been under the impression that I became a citizen when 1 married him in 1932.

"This same question arose once before when Mr. Thompson was alive and we were living in Winchester. At that time I went to Boston and offered to take out naturalization papers, but was told that because my husband was an American citizen such procedure wasn't necessary."

White of hair and mild mannered, her alertness belying her years, Mrs. Thompson lives with her granddaughter, Bernice Elizabeth Gray, 17, in their neat little home in the shadow of Bunker Hill Monument. She has been married three times. Her first husband was George Edward Bezanson, a native of Nova Scotia, who died in Wellesley. Her second husband, from whom she was separated after a number of years, she believed died in Nova Scotia.

Wed Indian War Veteran

Her third marriage was to Mr. Thompson, Indian War veteran, with whom she lived in Winchester. She has three children living, two sons and a daughter. Her granddaughter, Bernice, will enter Charlestown High School in the Fall.

Although receiving only a few dollars a week from the Welfare Department, Mrs. Thompson is happy in her present home and surroundings and dreads the thought of parting from her granddaughter.

Warren L. Bishop, former district attorney of Middlesex County, who has been acquainted with Mrs. Thompson for many years, is representing her in the case.⁸

Letter From a Soldier

Praise For Australia By Charlestown Boy

Priv. Burton A. Gray in a letter to his sister, Bernice Gray, 59 Sullivan st., Charlestown speaks in praise of the people of Australia. He writes:

"Dear Sis: Received your very welcome letter. I was very pleased to hear from you. I can't see why you have received no mail. I must have written at least three letters to you.

"How are you? Hope you are doing all right. Have any of your songs been published? Is there a song at home entitled 'This is no time for Tears?' Boy, it is really beautiful. A boy here with me wrote it. He is here writing at the table. He sent the song home but has received no word of it. If you hear it please write and tell us.

"As you may have heard, I am one of the boys in the many expeditionary forces to the Pacific. We had a wonderful time in Australia; the people were wonderful to us. But
we had to leave for New Caledonia. It is really nice here, though the country is semi-tropical, palm, coconut, orange, banana trees, etc. The people are very friendly especially the girls. They come in three colors, white, black and yellow. We are living in the homes of Japs who left in a hurry. We have hot and cold running water, showers and a beautiful white beach to swim in, al- though one man has to be on guard with a loaded rifle all the time to protect us from sharks. Boy, they are bad. Some are as big as elephants.

"Well, I've got to go on duty so will write soon. Please write soon. Write and write some more.

"All my love,
"Buddy."

Private Gray's home was with his sister and his grandmother, Mrs. Harriet Thompson, now in her 80th year, at 59 Sullivan st. He was born in Cambridge and resided in Waltham, where he attended the Waltham Trade School and learned mechanics and carpentry. He enlisted in the United States Army about five years ago. Another sister, Lina Gray, resided at the Harvard Club. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Merton F. Gray.⁹