WHITEWATER REGION (Westmeath) — The Ottawa Valley is noted for producing excellent hockey players. Petawawa has the Giesebrecht’s and Mohn’s families, Pembroke has many starting with Frank Nighbor, Eganville has the McTavish family, Micksburg has the Micks, Donnellys and Steeges, Pontiac County has the Hays, Keons and Murrays and Greenwood has the Ryans.
Westmeath is no exception, having five families with great hockey skills; namely. the Gervais, Ethiers, Pappins, Couturiers and Labines.
Two N.H.L. players have their roots in Westmeath. Jimmy Pappin has connections to the village; his father, Gerard Pappin, from Westmeath was himself a good hockey player. Jimmy played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Black Hawks.
Leo Labine’s father, John Andrew Labine, was born and raised along the Bromley Line near Westmeath. Leo Labine had a long career with the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. His brother Dennis, also an excellent player, played in the AHL and many other prominent teams.
The Gervais Family: Many Gervais families (Westmeath & Lapasse) were gifted hockey players. First, Eulysse Gervais was married to Celestine Labine and raised 11 boys and one girl. The boys were very prominent figures as part of Westmeath teams.
In 1947, Westmeath captured the Frazer Cup from Fort Coulonge. The team consisted of seven Gervais’ (John, Ralph, Paul, Damase, Greg and Leo), all sons of Eulysse. Dorion Gervais was also on the team, a cousin of the other six Gervais’. Three Ethiers also played on the team; Joe, Emmett and Frank. Emard Couturier and Bill Sly (not a Westmeath boy) rounded out the 12 players. Incidently, Leo Labine was the nephew of Celestine Labine and therefore a first cousin to
the 12 Gervais children. Many of the sons and grand-sons of the 11 Gervais boys carried on the good hockey skills of the Gervais family.
Alfred Gervais was a cousin to Eulysse Gervais and raised four boys and four girls. His four boys Roger, Ruddy, Rod and Robert had the Gervais skills. The children of the four girls, Rolande, Lucille, Gisele and Yvette were gifted with the Gervais hockey skills; namely, Victor Lacroix (Rolande), Lyle & Larry Dupuis (Lucille), Stephen & David Shields (Gisele) and Mike & Kerry Watson (Yvette). Ron Shields (a Westmeath boy) and Bob Watson were also very good players and both married Gervais girls.
The Ethier Family: Alex Ethier was the father of seven children; Joe, Lorette, Vivian, Emmett, Frank, Earl and Lillis. All four boys were very good hockey players. Alex’s uncle, Louis, also played on the Westmeath teams.
Wilfred Ethier, son of Peter who was a brother to Louis also skated for the Westmeath club. His sons; Jack, Ron and Bernard were Westmeath players and four of Ron’s sons, (Terry, Glen, Bruce & Peter), all good players, have played for Westmeath. Emard Couturier, himself a good player, married Lorette Ethier. Her two boys, Bill and Rene were good players.
Rene had a try out with the Pembroke Junior Lumber Kings and his son Derrick is also noted as a good player. Emard’s brother, Vern, was a gifted hockey player. He married Lillis Ethier and their children and grand children were gifted with good hockey skills, Jack Gilchrist married Vivian Ethier and many of the children and grand children inherited the Ethier hockey skills.
Emmett and Frank were exceptional players and had an opportunity to try out for an N.H.L. Team. However, circumstances of transportation prevented them from making the try-outs. It is no doubt that Emmett, especially, was N.H.L. material.
The Pappins Family: Narcisse Pappin was the father of Sam, Adolphus and others. Gerard Pappin, son of Sam, grew up in Westmeath and played for the Westmeath club. He moved to Sudbury and his son Jimmy Pappin played in the N.H.L. as noted above.
Cecil and Lorne Pappin were sons of Adolphus Pappin and were good hockey players playing on the same team as Gerard. Doris Pappin, daughter of Adolphus, married Jack Spotswood. Lorne Spotswood and Cheryl Spotswood inherited the good hockey skills. Lorne played minor hockey for Westmeath as well as for Westmeath Seniors in 1967, when they captured the Dougherty Cup. He also played in the midget category in high school with some of the skilful Petawawa players. As well, he played Junior “B” for the Laurentian Braves and a senior team in the Pembroke Industrial League. His last games were played with the Laurentian old-timers. Cheryl had great skills, both in hockey and Lacrosse.
The Couturier Family: Emard and Vern Couturier were other skilful players for Westmeath. As stated above, Emard was a member of the Westmeath team in 1947, when they defeated Fort Coulonge and his two boys and grandson were skilful players.
The Labine Family: As indicated above, two Labine boys, with origins in Westmeath, were exceptional hockey players; namely, Leo and Dennis Labine and related to the 11 Gervais boys.
So concludes the great hockey players of Westmeath. Perhaps there will be more in the future from Westmeath.
