- 注册
- 2002-10-07
- 消息
- 402,224
- 荣誉分数
- 76
- 声望点数
- 0
Deacon Don Smith posed two difficult questions that were probably on the minds of many mourners packed into a Catholic church in Renfrew on Saturday to bid farewell to Sheila Welsh.
“Why do bad things happen to good people?” he wondered, considering the life of the “wonderful, loving” 65-year-old grandmother who was killed earlier this week as she left her Arnprior home to pick up one of her grandkids from daycare.
A young man driving a stolen truck and being chased by police crashed into the side of Welsh’s car. How, said Smith rhetorically, can Welsh’s close-knit family and many friends follow the example of Jesus and love those who hurt us?
“Let’s be honest, sometimes that is difficult,” he said during a memorial mass at St. Francis Xavier church. It began with a choir singing Amazing Grace and was punctuated by soothing references to the mysteries of faith and a life of eternal joy in the next world. At one point, a small voice from the front could be heard, picking up on the references to heaven: “My poppy’s in heaven.”
It was Welsh’s towheaded, toddler grandson. Her other four grandchildren, aged 6 through 11, were also present. They’ve lost their beloved “nanny” and “poppy” in the space of a few months. Welsh’s husband, Bob, died in March.
Welsh’s grandchildren were the joy of her life, said her niece, Tina Lyons-Hagen.
She travelled from Windsor for the service. Lyons-Hagen grew up in Renfrew and adored her aunt Sheila, who was her godmother.
“She would do anything for anyone,” she said. Sheila was lively. “Bubbly, funny, laughing all the time, happy,” she recalled. “She had this big, big laugh.”
Before Sheila Welsh had her own two children, she would take Lyons-Hagen on fun adventures.
“She took me to Canada’s Wonderland, to the Thousand Islands, to Upper Canada Village,” recalled Lyons-Hagen. “She was like a second mom to me.”
Welsh was the kind of person who thought of others before herself.
“She loved crafts, but she was terrible at them!”said Lyons-Hagen, laughing at the memory. “But she’d try, because she knew I loved them.”
Lauren Johnson, left, and Tina Lyons-Hagen, say their aunt Sheila Welsh was a kind, loving person who doted on her grandkids. Jacquie Miller, Postmedia
Sheila and Bob Welsh lived in Douglas, on Highway 60 near Eganville, for about 30 years. Their home was the scene for many a gathering for the close-knit extended family, including legendary St. Patrick’s Day parties, said Lyons-Hagen.
“It’s a very big deal, St. Patrick’s Day in Douglas,” she explained wryly. There would be green beer and lots of food. “It would be nothing for 20 of her kids’ friends to sleep over that night.”
Family photo of Sheila Welsh, 65. She loved flowers. “A beautiful person, inside and out,” is how a niece described her.
Another niece, Lauren Johnson, described Welsh as “a beautiful person, inside and out.” When Johnson’s dad (Sheila’s brother) was ill, Welsh would take him to chemotherapy treatments and cook meals.
Johnson runs a home daycare, and Welsh would often drop in with her youngest grandson to visit.
Welsh and her husband moved to Arnprior a few years ago, said Johnson. They wanted to be closer to the grandkids — their children, Jason and Sarah, both live in Arnprior — and the hospital. Bob suffered from diabetes. In her new town, Welsh immediately set out making new friends and looking for women’s groups to join, said Johnson.
Both nieces say they won’t let themselves be consumed by anger at the circumstances of their aunt’s death. Sheila Welsh wouldn’t have wanted that.
“To be hate-filled would be dishonouring her,” said Lyons-Hagen.
The 20-year-old driving the stolen truck, Zachary Lee Wittke, is an Eganville resident who was recently released from jail and has a history of bizarre and violent behaviour.
The truck was reported stolen in Eganville on Sept. 25. Ontario Provincial Police began chasing Wittke as he drove toward Arnprior later that day.
The truck hit Welsh’s car on Daniel Street in Arnprior before exploding in flames.
Wittke faces a number of charges, including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death.
It won’t bring their aunt back, though, say Welsh’s nieces.
“To me, it’s not about him,” said Lyons-Hagen, taking a few minutes to chat outside the reception where friends and family gathered after the memorial service. “It’s about her. We don’t want this to be about him.”
jmiller@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/JacquieAMiller
查看原文...
“Why do bad things happen to good people?” he wondered, considering the life of the “wonderful, loving” 65-year-old grandmother who was killed earlier this week as she left her Arnprior home to pick up one of her grandkids from daycare.
A young man driving a stolen truck and being chased by police crashed into the side of Welsh’s car. How, said Smith rhetorically, can Welsh’s close-knit family and many friends follow the example of Jesus and love those who hurt us?
“Let’s be honest, sometimes that is difficult,” he said during a memorial mass at St. Francis Xavier church. It began with a choir singing Amazing Grace and was punctuated by soothing references to the mysteries of faith and a life of eternal joy in the next world. At one point, a small voice from the front could be heard, picking up on the references to heaven: “My poppy’s in heaven.”
It was Welsh’s towheaded, toddler grandson. Her other four grandchildren, aged 6 through 11, were also present. They’ve lost their beloved “nanny” and “poppy” in the space of a few months. Welsh’s husband, Bob, died in March.
Welsh’s grandchildren were the joy of her life, said her niece, Tina Lyons-Hagen.
She travelled from Windsor for the service. Lyons-Hagen grew up in Renfrew and adored her aunt Sheila, who was her godmother.
“She would do anything for anyone,” she said. Sheila was lively. “Bubbly, funny, laughing all the time, happy,” she recalled. “She had this big, big laugh.”
Before Sheila Welsh had her own two children, she would take Lyons-Hagen on fun adventures.
“She took me to Canada’s Wonderland, to the Thousand Islands, to Upper Canada Village,” recalled Lyons-Hagen. “She was like a second mom to me.”
Welsh was the kind of person who thought of others before herself.
“She loved crafts, but she was terrible at them!”said Lyons-Hagen, laughing at the memory. “But she’d try, because she knew I loved them.”
Lauren Johnson, left, and Tina Lyons-Hagen, say their aunt Sheila Welsh was a kind, loving person who doted on her grandkids. Jacquie Miller, Postmedia
Sheila and Bob Welsh lived in Douglas, on Highway 60 near Eganville, for about 30 years. Their home was the scene for many a gathering for the close-knit extended family, including legendary St. Patrick’s Day parties, said Lyons-Hagen.
“It’s a very big deal, St. Patrick’s Day in Douglas,” she explained wryly. There would be green beer and lots of food. “It would be nothing for 20 of her kids’ friends to sleep over that night.”
Family photo of Sheila Welsh, 65. She loved flowers. “A beautiful person, inside and out,” is how a niece described her.
Another niece, Lauren Johnson, described Welsh as “a beautiful person, inside and out.” When Johnson’s dad (Sheila’s brother) was ill, Welsh would take him to chemotherapy treatments and cook meals.
Johnson runs a home daycare, and Welsh would often drop in with her youngest grandson to visit.
Welsh and her husband moved to Arnprior a few years ago, said Johnson. They wanted to be closer to the grandkids — their children, Jason and Sarah, both live in Arnprior — and the hospital. Bob suffered from diabetes. In her new town, Welsh immediately set out making new friends and looking for women’s groups to join, said Johnson.
Both nieces say they won’t let themselves be consumed by anger at the circumstances of their aunt’s death. Sheila Welsh wouldn’t have wanted that.
“To be hate-filled would be dishonouring her,” said Lyons-Hagen.
The 20-year-old driving the stolen truck, Zachary Lee Wittke, is an Eganville resident who was recently released from jail and has a history of bizarre and violent behaviour.
The truck was reported stolen in Eganville on Sept. 25. Ontario Provincial Police began chasing Wittke as he drove toward Arnprior later that day.
The truck hit Welsh’s car on Daniel Street in Arnprior before exploding in flames.
Wittke faces a number of charges, including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death.
It won’t bring their aunt back, though, say Welsh’s nieces.
“To me, it’s not about him,” said Lyons-Hagen, taking a few minutes to chat outside the reception where friends and family gathered after the memorial service. “It’s about her. We don’t want this to be about him.”
jmiller@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/JacquieAMiller
查看原文...
