Ola Mae Williams
1926 - 2022
Ola Mae Williams
Service Information
Service Date
Monday July 11, 2022
Service Time
9:30 AM
Service Location
St. Bernard's Roman Catholic Church, Moncton
Burial Information
Burial Date
Monday
Burial Time
1 pm
Burial Location
St. Clement's Roman Catholic Cemetery, Port Elgin, NB
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Ola Mae Florence Marie Comeau Williams passed away peacefully at the Albert House hospice in Moncton on July 4th, 2022, at the age of 96.  

She was pre-deceased by her beloved husband, Jim, her mother, Beatrice, and her two sisters, Rita and Eleanor, along with three sisters who died in their infancy. She will be survived by her two children, Susan (Juan) and Jimmy (Maureen), her best friend, Don Lynch, her four grandsons, Eli, Gabe, James  and Patrick, and by her three sisters, Eunice, Albertine, and Esther.

Ola was born in Port Elgin on Valentine’s day, 1926.  She was the 6th of 9 girls born to Beatrice Comeau and Dolphe Comeau. After school, she attended secretarial school in Memramcook, and soon afterwards the small town girl from Port Elgin made the move to Toronto, where her persistence and personality landed her a job with Imperial Oil.  But the lure of her hometown as well as the developing love for her future husband brought her back to Port Elgin, and she wed Jim Williams in 1953.  They then built their home, and had two children, Susan and Jimmy. She worked as school secretary in Port Elgin in the 1970’s, later moving to Salem Elementary school in Sackville, after the sudden passing of her husband in 1973 vaulted her into the dual roles of full time mother and breadwinner. She worked there up to her retirement.  All the while, she maintained a big house and helped her two children through university degrees, making good on a promise she had made to her husband.  Eventually she sold the house, and moved to various apartments in Moncton, finally living in Moncton Residence before passing away at the Albert House hospice.

Those of us who knew her loved her spirit and her sense of humour.  Like all of the Comeau women, she had a quick wit, and loved to laugh and banter.  At get-togethers, she still was the one to "act the fool", a role she took on early in life.  She had the ability to imitate almost anyone, and could tease a smile from young and old with her antics.  When her mother passed away in 2003, at the age of 103, she enthusiastically assumed the role of matriarch for our family.  Her spirit and pluck was best exemplified when she travelled to Rome in 2015 at the age of 89 with her daughter Susan, close family friend Don Lynch, and her daughter-in-law Maureen.  She never missed a step on that trip, saw all the sights to see, and was especially proud of walking to the top of the Papal Palace of Castel Gandolpho, and the Castel Sant’Angelo, a hike that left her younger companions winded.

Ola lived a full life, and found the time to be involved with many organizations.  When Jim was still living, they were active in the Rotary club functions, as well as bridge parties and the local bowling league.  She was a longtime member of the Catholic Women’s League, and very active in federal politics,serving as the President of the Westmorland Liberal Women’s Association for many years. She worked tirelessly behind the scenes, supporting the local MP for Beauséjour, and took special pride in the fact that she actually nominated Jean Chrétien when Ferdinand Robichaud stepped down to allow the new leader to run.  As did her mother before her, she read the newspaper "corner to corner", and had a ready opinion on most current affairs.  She loved to read for pleasure, and used to say "if you have a good book, you’re never lonely".

She loved to entertain, and for decades the house in Port Elgin was the "go-to" spot for family to gather.  I remember seeing her wander around the house one night when she had made room for 19 overnight guests – she was carrying a pillow and blanket, and looking for a place to lie down. Despite having an impossibly tiny kitchen, she produced delicious meals.  She could transform the stringiest cut of beef into mouth-watering pot roast, and could often be found, on a Sunday afternoon, preparing a tasty roaster full of rabbit and whipping up a delicious blueberry pie.

She was an enthusiastic and bold card player, never afraid to go for broke, and making it more often than not.  More than the winning and losing, she enjoyed the company and banter more than the outcome (although she never minded winning).  One night she had the other card players in stitches, playing half the hands with a paper bag pulled down over her head. She sure knew how to get a laugh.  She loved good scotch, smoked salmon, lobster feeds, the Blue jays, crossword puzzles, and all sundry pets her children acquired over the years.

More than anything, she loved family.  Her mother occupied a special place in her heart, and she used to say that a day didn’t go by without her thinking of Beatrice.  She had an incredible bond with her sisters, and when they got together the years would melt away, and the laughter and cackles would accompany the stories told and retold.  Her children always came first for her, and when the grandchildren arrived, no grandmother could have been more proud.  She never missed a significant event in their lives, and had a special bond with all of them.  She used to remark on how it was so special that they wanted to sit and talk or play cards with an old woman like her, she never appreciated what she meant to the grandchildren. 

She will be sorely missed by all family and friends.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of Jones Funeral Home, Sackville and Port Elgin, NB (506-364-1300).  The funeral mass will be held at Saint Bernard’s Church (43 Botsford Street, Moncton) at 9:30 am on Monday, July 11, 2022.  A brief reception will follow, and the burial will be at 1 pm at St. Clements Cemetery in Port Elgin.  

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Albert House hospice, or a charity of your choice.

Sharing of memories and condolences may be sent to the family by visiting the online memorial at www.jonesfuneralhome.ca or through the Jones Funeral Home Facebook Page.

Ola Mae Williams