+ October,2008.

 

THE BECK BULLETIN

Number 59 October 1, 2008

TYLER'S TREE COMING OUT OF RETIREMENT

For the first time in six years, the Canada Tree is on public display again. It's being exhibited at the Canadian Student Leadership Conference in Summerside, P.E.I. beginning yesterday, Sept. 30.
The tree and related display cases for artifacts and stories have been in Little Sands, in a greenhouse on the former property of Tyler’s father. Tyler was the son of Linda Roberts (1.6A.4,6.2.2A,) and her first husband, Peter Stoshnof. He grew up at Pinette, P.E.I., and was adopted by John Aspin, Linda's second husband.
Tyler started building the tree in 1997 to honour Canada, its history and people. It incorporates a base of Island red oak and wood and artifacts from across Canada. It had still been travelling for exhibits when Tyler died in 2001 in the outdoor sauna of his Quebec cabin. His mother, Linda, says the coroner later determined he’d been struck by lightning.
The Canada Tree was built from wooden artifacts supplied by Canadians from all walks of life. Prince Edward Island donated the roots of a giant Red Oak Tree that became the base of the sculture. Other donations came from all parts of the country and Tyler catalogued each one, and recorded the stories that went with them.
Thousands of wooden artifacts donated by Canadians from coast to coast have been carefully fitted into the sculpture. It includes shingles from the Green Gables house, planks from Bluenose II, a pencil from author, Margaret Atwood, a toy mallet from broadcaster, Peter Gzowski, redwood from British Columbia, a piece of pirated bird's-eye Maple, and wood from a prairie grain elevator. The sculpture is huge, standing 34-feet high, and weighing 10,000-pounds. The family has spent the last month or so sanding and varnishing the tree, getting it ready for display.
After this they hope to find a permanent home for the tree. Linda says it’s not hard to find places that want to display it. The hard part is finding a place that can house its size and weight while protecting it from the weather. They plan to launch an interactive website to get input from Canadians.

MORE HONOURS FOR GARNET BUELL

Garnet Buell (1.6B.6.5,2.) was one of three people invested into the Order of Prince Edward Island in a ceremony at Government House in Charlottetown on Sept. 23. It's the highest award that the province hands out and goes to Islanders who have shown individual excellence or outstanding leadership in their community and in their chosen occupation or profession.
The others chosen were Chief Darlene Bernard and Nancy Hamill. Bernard was honoured for her work on behalf of Mi’kmaq people, Garnet for his music and work in support of fundraising events and Hamill for her work in support of cancer patients and fundraising. Maitland MacIsaac, chair of the 2008 selection committee, said all the candidates showed a common theme of unselfishness.
The Lieutenant Governor, Barbara Hagerman, said members of the order serve as models showing, “This is how a life ought to be lived.”
Garnet was introduced by Mary Elliott, administrator of the Wood Islands and Area Development Corporation. The Guardian reporter said she had a tearful beginning and a tearful ending to her remarks.
“He is one of the most kind and generous people I know,” she said.
She highlighted his success in organizing ceilidhs to raise funds for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation and a host of other community projects.
She said he has a ceaseless spirit, which includes turning his land into a wildlife habitat and working to restore the Murray River gristmill and the community hall.

JIM BECK FIGHTING A BRAIN TUMOR

Some of you are aware of this already, but for others it will come as a shock. The tumor first showed up in 1992 and was removed by surgery. That was 16 years ago, and the average time of re-occurrence for clival chordomas is about 4 years, so Jim says “I feel greatly blessed.” The return of the tumor was discovered during a routine exam in April, 2008.
After many consultations and some tests there is now a plan for treatment. The choice was basically between surgery or the proton beam, which irradiates diseased tissue. Since no change in the tumor could be seen on the August 7th MRI, it was decided that Jim (1.4.6.6.1.) would have the proton beam treatments in Bloomington, Indiana, starting next January. There will be 42 of them over about 8 weeks.
The proton beam is a non-invasive form of treatment and surgery is considered risky because the tumor is just 2mm away from the brain stem.
Since Jim has a busy fall planned writing technical papers and working with some graduate students Dr. Fitzek, the proton beam specialist, felt it would be safe to wait until January. Meantime Jim continues to feel well except for mild headaches.

HERITAGE FEAST HELD AT ROMA AT THREE RIVERS

The feast honors and commemorates the vision and determination of Jean Pierre Roma, the French entrepreneur who first settled the site now known as Roma at Three Rivers, in 1732. This location at Brudenell Point on Prince Edward Island was designated a National Historic Site in 1933 and was developed as a travel destination in 2004. The feast is an annual fund-raising project for the site. It was held this year on September 6 and got an extra boost from the Royal Bank Foundation.
David Smith of RBC Dominion Securities presented a cheque for $2,000 to Melody Beck,(1.11.8.3.2.2,) president of the Roma operation. The Minister of Tourism, Valerie Docherty, bought the first ticket for the feast from Melody.
The highlight of the dinner was a spit-roasted pig, prepared by Randy Angus. The evening got underway at 5:30 with a reception and a cash bar. There was live entertainment with performers dressed in costumes from the 1730s.
In 1732, Jean Pierre Roma began carving the Island’s first commercial settlement out of the dense Acadian forest that covered the point of land where the Montague and Brudenell Rivers flow into Cardigan Bay. Trois Rivières, as Roma called it, including the nearby Cardigan River, was meant to become the hub of a thriving international network of trade routes, spanning from Quebec to France to Louisbourg to the West Indies. The Three Rivers settlement was to be part of this but ended suddenly when it was burned to the ground by British privateers in 1745.
And today we still celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit that opened up this part of the New World.

REUNION ATTENDANCE ANALYSIS

We were better organized for this year's Beck Reunion and collected a lot of information from registration forms filled out by people as they checked in. As I mentioned in the last newsletter we had 151 people registered. That number included 139 adults and 12 children.
Naturally the majority - 95 - were from Prince Edward Island. Sixteen came from Nova Scotia and four from New Brunswick.
Three other provinces were represented too. There were seven people from Ontario, three from Alberta, and three from British Columbia.
Twenty people came from the United States representing eight states – Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, Colorado, and California.
There were two people from England and one from the Cayman Islands. The breakdown of the figures was provided by John Herring, (1.4.2.6,7.2.) our Treasurer.

DEATHS

CARMICHAEL: Keith R. Carmichael of Charlottetown passed away peacefully at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on September 22, 2008, at the age of 82.
He was a well-known businessman and the father of four children: Marlene (Lloyd) Bryenton, Joanne (Ray) Crerar, Dennis (Joanne Compton) and Lynn (Shawn) Dorosh.
Keith was predeceased by his first wife, Ruth Keeping (1.4.9,6,5,) who died in 1967.
He is survived by his second wife, Frances (Rossiter). Other survivors include seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
The funeral service was held Friday, Sept. 26, from the First Baptist Church in Charlottetown followed by interment in Sherwood Cemetery.
 

CHAPMAN: Rita Jean (Johnston) Chapman died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown on Tuesday, September 2, 2008. She was 87 and a resident of Murray Harbour. She is survived by her husband, Robie Chapman, (1.7.2,4,6.) and children Fred (Wendy), Murray Harbour; Roberta (Claude) Brothers, Cardigan; and Stephen (Lori), Murray Harbour. Other survivors include nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
The service was held on Friday, September 5th, at Ferguson's Funeral Home Chapel, followed by interment in the Murray Harbour Cemetery.

LIVINGSTONE: Kenneth George Livingstone (1.6B.5.2.3,2.) of High Bank died at Beach Point on Wednesday, September 24, 2008, at the age of 62. He is survived by his wife, Theresa (Bell) (1.4.6.7,6, 1,) and their children Arlene (Shane) MacIsaac, Souris; and Dean (Shannon) of Murray River. He is also survived by his five grandchildren: Janeil and Jori Ann Livingstone, and Daniel, Sarah and Ben MacIsaac. He was the son of Irene (Beck) and the late George Livingstone. The funeral service was held in Ferguson's Funeral Home Chapel in Montague on Sunday, September 28, with interment in the Murray Harbour Cemetery.

P.E.I. GOLFERS CHOSEN FOR 2009 CANADA GAMES

The men's junior golf team was selected after a grueling qualifying session involving 21 rounds played over the past season. The team, coached by veteran Island pro Dave Bowlan, will represent the province at the Canada Games to be held in P.E.I. next August. Ryan Chapman (1.4.6.5,1.2B,4,1.) of Gladstone and playing out of the Brudenell River Golf Club was the top qualifier. He was followed by Thomas Speare of the Belvedere Club, and Greg MacAulay of Fox Meadow. The alternate is Chance MacIntrye of Stanhope. He will step in if one of the other players is unable to compete next summer. This will be the first time that golf has been included in the Canada Games. The competition will be held at the Brudenell course. The women’s team, coached by Anne Chouinard, was selected earlier and includes Katie White, Michaela Misener, Erin Brown and alternate Molly Molyneaux.

THESE MAKE GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFTS

We still have some computer-ready CDs available for those who did not come to the reunion. They contain a large book of nearly 500 pages of family members. It is the most complete detailing of Vere Beck family members yet given. (5370 relatives are listed.) It has been done by Kathie Sencabaugh. The cost of one CD, plus an attractive Beck Reunion button and the Reunion brochure giving some Beck family characteristics is $20, postage included. For two of each, the price is $30. Send a check to either Bloyce Beck or Jim Beck, depending whether you are in Canada or USA.

Bloyce Beck
P.O. Box 1373,
Montague, PE C0A 1R0
Canada

Jim Beck
1935 Danbury W
Okemos, MI 48864
USA

The Vere Beck Family Home Page

The Marfleet Home Page

We're always looking for news of Beck family members. If you know of any interesting events drop me a line with the information.

imunn@accesswave.ca

That's it .. please share it with relatives who aren't on line. The next edition will be out on December 1, 2008.

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