Jean Catherine (Nicholson) Chabassol

Her early education was in a one-room schoolhouse and at Baddeck Academy. At 18 she joined the Canadian Women’s Army Corps. After basic training in Kitchener she was stationed in Halifax, Toronto, Saskatoon and Vancouver.

Following her service and recuperation from TB at a veterans hospital, she earned a BA and a Secretarial Science Diploma at Acadia University and was private secretary to its 9th president, Dr. Watson Kirkconnell. She then earned a B.Ed. and taught at East Pictou Rural High. While teaching at EPRH, she was also secretary to the school’s principal and started a school library and secretarial department. At the request of Dr. Kirkconnell she returned to Acadia to teach secretarial courses.

In 1956 she married David Chabassol, a fellow veteran and Acadia graduate. In 1959 they moved to Edmonton where David attended the University of Alberta and Jean did office work at the Royal Commission of Education and corrected papers at the Correspondence Branch. After earning a Ph.D. David accepted a teaching position at Victoria College (soon to become the University of Victoria) and the couple moved to Victoria.

They joined St. Aidan’s United Church where both were active. Jean taught Sunday School and was a member of the UCW. In 1970 she became the Church’s librarian and was a founding member of the Congregational Libraries Association of BC.

While raising her family Jean continued to take university courses in literature, languages and linguistics. She also taught typing and business classes at various schools including Camosun College and volunteered as an ESL teacher.

Raised in a home with Scottish Gaelic speakers Jean had a great interest in the Gàidhealtachd. She took many Gaelic classes including immersion and was one of the original members of Guth Nan Eilean, Victoria’s Gaelic Choir. In 2001 when in her late seventies she performed with the choir at the Royal National Mòd, Dunoon, Scotland.

In 2011 she was honoured with a lifetime membership in the Congregational Libraries Association of BC in recognition of her decades of work contributing to that organization and her enduring dedication to St. Aidan’s library. She also held a lifetime membership in the UCW.

She was still volunteering in her eighties by providing ESL assistance to students at UVIC’s English Language Learning Centre.

Jean was an example of someone who believed in lifelong learning and teaching; providing service to her church, community and country; and showing a genuine interest in the cultures, languages and lives of others.

Predeceased by husband David, sisters Helen, Alice, Isabel, brothers Frank, William, Edmund. Left to remember her are son Mark, daughter Alison, nieces and nephews.

Cremation has taken place. Interment at a later date at St. Andrew's Cemetery, Baddeck Forks, Cape Breton, NS.

A h-uile là a chi’s nach fhaic.