It is with great sadness that the family of Norah McGuire announces her passing in her own home on St. Joseph Island on January 22, 2022, at the age of 92.
She was predeceased by her loving husband D’Arcy McGuire and parents Addie and Archibald Smith as well as siblings Dunbar, Jean, Maridel, Stirling, Murray, Frederick, and Helen.
Left to mourn Norah are her children Elizabeth (Tian), Michael, Katherine, Norah, Nancy (Michael), Kelly (Paraic), Constance (Ralph) and Cecile; her wonderful and loving grandchildren Addie, Kartini, Sebastian, Justiani, Sarah, Christopher, Kaitlin, Meaghan, Molly, and Sophie, great-grand children Brayden, Camryn, George and Hazel, and many loving nieces and nephews.
Norah was born on St. Joseph Island, Ontario and she moved to Schreiber, Ontario looking for adventure. She began teaching school and met D’Arcy but at some point, she almost returned to St. Joseph Island until D’Arcy finally proposed to her and she stayed! Together they built a life in Schreiber and raised their 8 children (including two sets of identical twins!) Now THAT is an adventure!
Norah was the matriarch of her immediate and extended family. Even with her hectic and busy life raising children and driving her railroader husband to work at 3am and managing their McGuire’s TV and Radio Sales and Service business, Norah also nurtured and cared for her own mother Addie who came to live with the gang in Schreiber. Norah and D’Arcy also loved to travel, and they made many trips together to Australia, New Zealand and Europe.
In Schreiber, Norah was an active member with the local Hospital Board, Library Board and and the Catholic Women’s League including serving as CWL President. Norah also enjoyed playing bridge with her Bridge Club and she went back to part time supply teaching later in her life. When D’Arcy retired from the railroad, they moved permanently to St. Joseph Island where they built their own house close to their family cottage.
Norah was not the kind of person to stay idle for long and soon after their move to the island, she began a drop-in for quilters at her home where the group met every Monday morning. She invited quilters, novice and experienced to bring their projects to work on and she loved having these Monday morning gatherings in her home. These women became known as “Norah’s girls” and many women benefited from her ability to make everyone feel welcome and supported as they worked on their quilt projects, made new friends and learned new things.
Norah was part of the Clover Valley Women’s Institute and was very involved in organizing and arranging courses at the St. Joseph Island Quilt shows that were sponsored by Clover Valley and Richards Landing Women’s Institutes. Norah was instrumental in starting the Community Quilts in Hilton Beach where she would bring instructors in for quilt courses as well as teaching courses herself.
She volunteered at the Museum as a Senior Volunteer, and she was an active member in the St. Joseph Island Horticultural Society and received a Life Membership several years ago. Norah also loved the laughs and fun of being part of the Belles Red Hat Group and she enjoyed many outings with the group.
Despite Norah’s health challenges the past few years, she never lost her ability to think, tease, appreciate and assert herself and she did not let her health issues define who she really was. Her strong spirit was the glue in her family, and it will live on in each of her family members because she was that kind of soul. She was one of a kind and the world is a sadder place with her loss. In her honour remember to hug those elders in your family and never forget how much wisdom they have for you to learn from.
A private funeral mass will be held at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Hilton Beach with Father Veselko Kvesic officiating. Cremation will be followed by interment in the family plot at St. Joseph Township Cemetery at a later date that will include a bigger celebration of Norah’s life so stay tuned.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Algoma-Trad fundraiser https://www.algomatradonline.ca or the Matthews Memorial Hospital Auxiliary (Payable online or by cheque).
Visit www.osullivanfuneralhome.com. to leave condolences for the family. Arrangements entrusted to O’Sullivan Funeral Home and Cremation Centre, 215 St. James St, 705-759-8456.