We lost our beautiful mother today, Annie Belle (Saturday, September 8, 2018), just three weeks shy of her 90th birthday. Mom raised a family of ten with the help of her loving husband John Alex MacNeil. Mom was born and raised in Blackstone, on a farm that’s been in the family for 200 years. She was the daughter of Dougald and Elizabeth (MacNeil) MacDonald. She was the last surviving member of her immediate family.
She graduated from St. Joseph’s Convent in Mabou. She married her sweetheart, a neighbouring handsome fellow, in 1950. She raised a healthy and happy family of 9 boys and 1 girl on the farm in Blackstone.
Raising her family was busy; at one time she had eight of us, of school age, ready and waiting for the school bus at the end of the lane. Living on a hill with a view of the road (and the arriving bus), gave us kids a valuable heads-up of a few minutes to grab and gobble on the fly.
She lost her son Blaise in a car accident the summer he graduated high school . It broke her heart but her spirit stayed strong.
She was an amazing provider, baker and cook.There were thousands of pans of biscuits that came out of her pantry, hot and delicious for her gang of boys, and one spoiled girl (ha).
While raising her large family, mom was also active in her church and community. She was a force in helping to keep the community hall going with card plays and darts.
Once she got her licence (at 64) she could not be stopped. She was very social and traveled the surrounding area for card playing, bingo and darts. She made many new friends from her travels.
A fall /stroke at 80 put a stop to her driving but thankfully it didn’t stop her strong will and determination.
She is survived by her children: Dougald (Wendy), Dan (Jan), James (Shirley), Ann Marie (John Archie) Rankin, Bernie (Ethel), Francie (Elaine), Alex (Peggy), Phonsie (Sheila), Angus (Annajayne). Her 23 grandchildren, Melanie (James), Erin (Dillon), Ryan (Crystal), Jami-Dawn (Jason), Jeff (Charlene), Vanessa (Mitchel), Stephanie (Shawn), Matthew (Joanne) Michael (Adrianna), Allison (Michael), Brandon (Brenna), Ambrah (Damien), Coady (Donna), Merrick (Effie), Connor, Melissa (Fred), Courtney, Sarah, Bryanne (Darcy), Trevor (Stephanie), Mitchell (Karlee), Tanner, Jamieson.
Great grandchildren: Jayne Mary, Olivia, Owen, Kelsey, Izak, Ewan, Declan, Cole, Lucinda, Real, Rory, Benedict, Isla, Louie, and Jackson
Many nieces and nephews were proud to call her an aunt.
Mom was pre-deceased by her bothers and sisters: Georgina (Joe), Catherine, John Alex (Mary), Peggy (Campbell), Mary-Jessie (Bob), Sarah Margaret (Hughie), John Ronald (Peggy); her husband: John Alex MacNeil (2004) and son Blaise (1985).
The family wish to thank the great staff at the Port Hawkesbury Nursing Home for the year mom spent there. A very special thank you to the Inverary Manor, especially the Oceanview Villa nurses, personal care workers, cleaning staff and kitchen crew. Mom was a resident of the Manor for the last 4 1/2 years. Finally, a big thank-you to the Inverness Palliative Care team that were so much help to Mom over her last number of months, and to the priests that were chaplains at the Manor, especially to her parish priest and friend, Father Bernie MacDonald.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Inverness Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 2-4pm and 7-9pm on Tuesday, September 11 at the Inverness Funeral Home. A mass of remembrance, and celebration of Mom’s life, will be by officiated by Father Bernie MacDonald at Immaculate Church in West Lake Ainslie on Wednesday, September 12, 2018 at 11am. In lieu of flowers, any donations made would be appreciated, in Mom’s memory, to the Immaculate Conception Parish Cemetery Fund or to the Central Inverness Palliative Care Society.
