Molly Jean Barrett
1926-2017
Molly Jean (Ingersoll) Barrett
1926-2017
Mrs. Molly Jean Barrett passed peacefully at the White Rapids Manor Nursing Home in Fredericton Junction on Thursday night, August 31, 2017, in her 92nd year. Only daughter of Belva Ingersoll, she was born in Woodward’s Cove, Grand Manan, on 5 March 1926.
Following her school years in the Cove, she, like many other young girls before the war, worked at various jobs in the smoked fishing industry or as summer employees cleaning and cooking at the Shorecrest Inn in North Head owned by Dave Gaskill. In 1940, her friend, Gertie Flagg got an opportunity to do housekeeping for a family in New Hampshire, so Mom travelled with her by bus and went on to visit Aunt Florence and Uncle Al Cipullo who lived in Allston, Mass., a suburb of Boston. Mom recalls visiting near Xmas because Uncle Al took everyone to see White Christmas playing at the theatres.
Meanwhile Mom heard of an opening aboard the Princess Helene sailing between Saint John and Digby. There she worked in the kitchen and served tables eventually earning enough money to enroll in the hairdressing school in Moncton in 1944. Mom went on to Sussex where she began work at a hairdressing shop but eventually moved on to Saint John at a shop on Prince William St.
In Saint John, she was soon able to pick up a job in the women’s department at Zellers in 1946 at the top of King St. where her cousin, Agnes Monroe, was also working. This gave her the opportunity to buy her first new dress for which she made payments of twenty-five cents a week.
Returning to Grand Manan, Mom did a variety of jobs "around the Shore" in various smoke stands from stringing herring to boning fish. She worked in the Cove at Hovey and Mildred Russell’s boarding house and next door at a small canteen. Business was brisk that year and into 1947 especially with installation of new power lines. One of those linemen was Ronald Waldon Nason whom she eventually married in Saint John on November 12, 1947.
She was pre-deceased by her first husband, Ronald Nason of Fredericton Junction, and, second husband, Charles Allison Barrett, originally from Tracy Mills, who passed away in 1998. She was Nanny to Elsie (Jeff) Hickey of Saint John; Ian Nason of Fredericton; Todd (Debbie) Nason of Bedford, N.S.; Peter (Helene) Nason of Fredericton; Ben (Pam) Nason of Fort Fairfield, Maine; Heidi Nason of Raleigh, North Carolina; and, Sarah (Jackie) Kelley of Tewksbury, Mass., and their families totaling ten grandchildren, and ten great grandchildren.
Mom enjoyed her years of r-vinging with Charlie across the Maritimes and New England. She was a constant reader and active throughout the years with the Grand Manan Rotary Club and always up-to-date and active in federal and provincial politics. There is hardly a time we don’t remember Mom volunteering to cook for church benefits and friends.
In November, 2016, her only brother, Paul Ingersoll, died at Woodward’s Cove. She is survived by her sons, Kerry Nason of Grand Manan, Roger (Nancy) Nason of Fredericton, and Dale (Cheryl) Nason of Westfield, Maine.; along with sister-in-law, Myrna (Ronnie) Butler, and; brother-in-law, Philip (Beverley) Nason, all of Fredericton Junction.
Visitation will be held at the Lighthouse Church in Grand Harbour at 1:30 on Tues., Sept. 5, 2017; followed by the formal funeral service at 2:30. Interment will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery.
Donations in memory of Molly may be made to the Grand Manan Rotary Club, Maple Grove Cemetery or to the donor’s choice. Special thanks go out from the family for the excellent caring approach she received from Gail Ingersoll of Kindred Care. Also, gratitude to the Doctors and staff of Grand Manan Hospital and the supportive staff of White Rapids Manor who made her life comfortable.
Arrangements are in the care of Ells Funeral Home Inc., 1199 Route 776, Grand Manan, NB E5G 1G2. Condolences, messages of sympathy also may be sent to www.ells.ca or 506–662–3116