The Twine Loft – July 2021

Passed On: Lawrence Kendall – Lower Cove, N.L. fisherman

Kendall, 60, tragically passed away on May 21 as a result of a lobster fishing accident. Born on September 30, 1960, he was a well-known and respected fisherman on Newfoundland’s west coast.

Passed On: Paul Caines – Bartlett’s Harbour, N.L. fisherman

Caines, 61, passed away on May 23. He had two great loves, his family and the sea. He was a captain through and through and he was a fisherman his entire life. He was a strong advocate in his community and in the fishing community, always lending a hand where needed and striving to help others without expecting anything in return.

Passed On: Annie Myers – Port au Choix, N.L. fish plant worker

Myers, 70, passed away on May 3. She was born on May 30, 1950 in Bartlett’s Harbour to Thomas and Annie Myers. She went away to work and later returned to Port au Choix. She worked at the fish plant for a time where she made many lifelong friends. Everyone who knew her said that she always had a smile and a kind word.

Passed On: Marie Poirier – Cheticamp, N.S. fish plant worker

Poirier, 81, passed away on May 21 at the Sacred Heart Community Health Centre, Cheticamp. She was a daughter to the late Henri and Marie Jessie (Poirier) Harris. She worked at the fish plant for most of her life.

Passed On: Donald Cameron – Kings Head, N.S. former N.S. Premier and Minister of Fisheries

Cameron, 74, passed away on May 2 at the Aberdeen Hospital. He was born in Egerton, Nova Scotia to William and Helen Cameron. He was first elected in 1974 for the Progressive Conservative party in the riding of Pictou East. He remained a loyal champion to the constituents of Pictou East, even while holding a series of cabinet portfolios including the Ministries of Fisheries, Recreation and Industry, Trade and Technology. In February 1991, he became the province’s 22nd Premier after winning the Conversative Party’s leadership convention. As Premier, he modified the public servant hiring and appointment processes, to be transparent and apolitical. He significantly broadened the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act to include protections pertaining to sexual orientation, Aboriginal origin and those living with HIV/AIDS. He altered electoral boundaries to create the riding of Preston to facilitate better representation of African Nova Scotians, resulting in the election of Nova Scotia’s first black MLA in 1993. Following his government’s electoral defeat in 1993, he was appointed Canada’s Consul General to New England. After his tenure in Boston, he returned to Nova Scotia and worked in the private sector until retirement.

Passed On: Gerald Leclerc – Middleton, N.S. fish plant worker

Leclerc, 54, passed away on May 15 at the Soldiers Memorial Hospital, Middleton. Born in Hamilton, Ontario, he was a son of Pauline (Wolfe) Amero and the late Raymond LeClerc. He worked as a fish processor at L.J. Robicheau’s in Middleton for the past four years. He previously worked as a fisherman for several years.

Passed On: Walter Nickerson – Barrington Passage, N.S. fisherman

Nickerson, 91, passed away on May 17 at the Yarmouth Hospital. Born on October 22, 1929, in Woods Harbour, he was the late son of Leland Nickerson and Maude (Malone) Nickerson and was one of 13 children. As he was the eldest son, he left school in Grade 5 to help support his large and growing family. He operated his own lobstering boats for a time, the Joyce Louise and Carla and Sandy in the winters, and spent 12 summers working in Nunavut running a large barge between Resolute and Hall Bay. However, it was his time at Hopkins and Devine Fisheries that he fondly spent most of his working days. He still enjoyed time on the water and after his retirement, he continued to go lobstering for a week or so each season well into his 70s.

Passed On: Charles Comeau – North Chegoggin, N.S. fisherman

Comeau, 87, passed away on May 29. Born in Yarmouth on October 20, 1933, he was a son of the late Edmond and Irene (Comeau) Landry. He was a fisherman and farmer who wasn’t a stranger to hard work. He was always happy and could put a smile on the faces of others.

Passed On: Kenneth Ryan – Wedgeport, N.S. mariner

Ryan, 82, passed away on May 13 at the Yarmouth Regional Hospital. Born on June 13, 1938, in Mulgrave, he was the son of the late Earl and Irene (Moore) Ryan. He retired as chief steward aboard the Marine Atlantic ferry, the MV Bluenose, after 40 years of service.

Passed On: Ray Gaudet – Concession, N.S. fisherman

Gaudet, 68, passed away on May 14 at the Yarmouth Regional Hospital. Born on May 27, 1952, he was a son of the late Rémi and Émelie (Boudreau) Gaudet. He worked many years for Tidewater Construction and then took to the sea as a lobster fisherman for many years more.

Passed On: William Gregan – Miramichi, N.B. fish processor

Gregan, 70, passed away on May 2. Born in Chatham, N.B., on October 25, 1950, he was the son of the late William and Nina Gregan. Subsequent to working with NB Power in Dalhousie, he worked alongside his father at William Gregan Ltd. and eventually venturing into entrepreneurship for himself, procuring and processing seafood throughout Atlantic Canada. He was a strong steward of the fishing industry and developed deep friendships with many of the captains, crew members and processors with whom he worked. Following retirement from the fishing industry, he spent some time in the north and west, as a rotational worker.