WHITEWATER REGION (Cobden) — There were no tears shed, but there were tears in a few people’s eyes Saturday morning during the dedication of a tree in memory of Patsy Moore.
A long-time employee of the Township of Whitewater Region (and formerly Cobden), some of Ms. Moore’s family and friends gathered in Cobden Veterans Park to dedicate a tree.
Ms. Moore died March 1, 2017 following a very lengthy battle with cancer.
“I’m honoured you are letting Patsy have a tree in your community,” said Mary Martel, her sister who attended the ceremony.
When Patsy lived in Beachburg, she was a good person, but there was a big change in her when she moved to Cobden, Ms. Martel said.
“When she came to Cobden, she came to life,” she said.
She was shy as a young girl, but when she came to Cobden, she wanted to help everybody, she recalled.
“She had friends who would party, friends from work, social friends, Legion friends, she just loved Cobden,” she said.
Patsy loved the people in the community and they loved her back, she said. The community was always there for her when needed, she added.
“We just want to say thanks from Patsy for all the things you have done for her,” Ms. Martel said. “She would be proud, she has a tree in the park she worked at, in the park she loved.”
Mayor Hal Johnson said Patsy was a “girl in a man’s world” when she started working for the town of Cobden. She had to fight to be equal and when told she couldn’t do certain things because she didn’t have a D licence, a month later she had that D licence.
Ms. Martel agreed, noting if Patsy was told she couldn’t do something, she worked twice as hard to accomplish it.
Mayor Johnson continued, “This park, it’s so fitting that this tree is planted here on behalf of Patsy in her memory. This park was a huge passion for Patsy, the park and the beach.”
Patsy knew everybody in Cobden and helped them whenever she could, including plowing their driveways in the winter, he said. That doesn’t happen anymore – and it’s noticed, he added.
“We could not even remember the service that she gave, and so we can’t duplicate it, but everybody remembers the service that Patsy gave,” Mayor Johnson said. “Patsy loved everybody. And,” he added, “even if she didn’t like you, she still treated you like she loved you. That’s a special gift.”
It’s an honour for this community to be able to say thanks Patsy, he said.
“We want to remember you and we will remember you,” he finished.
This tree is dedicated and the piece of land it sits on to Patsy’s park. He showed the plaque that will be mounted in front of the tree.
Patsy’s friend John McKenzie donated the Flowering Crab Apple tree, noting the apples will go towards feeding the animals, which were special to her.
“The pink blooms are for her cancer and the apples to feed her animals,” Ms. Martel said.
The dedication was followed by a minute of silence to remember Patsy Moore.
