Obituary of Raymond Charles Joseph Noël

It is with great sadness that the family announces the death of Raymond Noël at Ridgewood Veterans Wing on Saturday, 23 July 2011. Born in Saint John, NB on 26 January 1920, he was the son of the late Charles Joseph Noël and Helena Biddington (Legere) Noël. He was predeceased by his siblings, William, Leo, and George Legere, Audrey Curran, Margaret Williamson, and Elizabeth Brydges. He is survived by his devoted wife of sixty-eight years, Berla Burden Noël, daughter, Marlene (Lee) Noël, granddaughter, Erin Noël Glennon, and great-granddaughter, Brianna Caitlin Doyle. Ray is also survived by his very special nieces and nephews, including Dawn Trenholm (Gary), Kitchener, ON, newly-wed Terry Dunlap (Geraldine) and the Legere Family: Liz Legere Reid (Paul), Catherine (Kay) Legere Williams, Barry Legere (Pat), Sister Therese Frances (Joan) Legere, Michael Legere, and Paul Legere (Michelle). Their many visits brought rays of sunshine to Uncle Ray’s life. Ray also missed hearing about the daily antics of the family cat, Bijoux Brilliant, who predeceased him by one week. Meow! Ray served with the Canadian Armed Forces during WWII, from 1939 to 1945. In the early 1990s, he felt privileged to have traveled to the Netherlands with other Canadian WWII veterans to join in with the Dutch celebrating their liberation by Canadian troops in 1945. He was a member of the Canadian Legion for sixty years. He was employed by the NB Liquor Corp. for twenty-eight years, retiring in 1980 as manager of the King Street West branch. Ray was proud to be a Canadian - "buy only Canadian!" Ray also lived up to his life-long philosophy of "being true to one’s self," a learning curve he graciously bequeathed to his daughter throughout the years. On behalf of Ray, his family would like to extend sincere thanks to the staff of Ridgewood Veterans Wing for their continuous generosity in helping to make his two-and-a-half year stay seem like "a home-away-from-home." Remembrances of his life may be made to the Ridgewood Veterans Wing Comfort Fund, if desired. At Ray’s request, there will be no visiting or funeral service. After cremation, and at a later date, Reverend John Martin will conduct graveside prayers at a private interment in Fernhill Cemetery. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Brenan’s Funeral Home, 634-7424.