while in the dressing room
she came too close to the open
faced state of the art “Ray-Glo”
natural gas heater.
When a young person dies
there usually is no pre arranged
funeral. The comfortable
decision is to be buried
near loved ones. Her death
certificate lists her final resting
place as South Devon; a small
railway area located on the
North side of the St. John
River opposite Fredericton. It
was first called Moncton, but
later renamed. There is some
confusion on the geographical
boundaries which complicated
research over the years. But
there is no question that the
Jewett family called this home.
My search began with my
dad and I walking various
cemeteries in Moncton in the
1960’s. He and Flossie were
comparable in age and it was
his passion to find her grave.
In the years after his death, I
realized we were looking in the
wrong place, but thankful that
he had passed on a little of his
fascination to me.
Over the years I have researched
and physically searched six
South Devon cemeteries
with no success. I did find
the burial site of other family
members, but not Flossie. I
believed that I have viewed
every article written by the
Times and Transcript as well
as in the Moncton Museum.
Recently a friend sent me those
same articles, along with an
additional one that was printed
in the Fredericton Gleaner in
1925. It had never occurred
to me to search that particular
newspaper. It referenced the
funeral, a specific Church choir
and the hymns that they sang.
It reported that the event was
well-attended by family, and
listed the pallbearers, uncles
and cousins. The Gibson
Memorial Choir sang and
comforted
the family.
Certain that I had finally solved
the mystery, I travelled to the
Alexander Gibson Memorial
Cemetery only to return
disappointed. It was then that I
realized that I had overlooked
one important fact in the article.
The search now takes me on a
new course.
It’s has been close to four
generations since her death and
I often wonder if any of her
descendants are aware of the
events associated with Flossie. I
still live in Moncton, and I pass
the rink daily. I still see myself
and the gang playing shinney
in that roofless pond, and in
summer climbing those walls.
But I also see Flossie. And I
may be the only person that sees
her until now.
I would appreciate hearing from
anyone who can shed additional
information on Flossie.
Please contact me at:
[email protected]
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