Ruth Marion Hart (nee Roblin), wife of Dr. Sam Hart of Picton, passed away on 4 October 1996. She had been a trustee of the Hay Bay church for over 20 years, and chairperson of the Board 1978-82. Although she had battled with cancer for 26 years, nevertheless she kept immensely busy in many community activities, especially Picton United Church and the Hospital Auxiliary, as well as managing a drug store. Ruth was proud of her U.E. heritage. She grew up in Adolphustown, where her brother, Jack Roblin, resides. Jack is still an active trustee of the Hay Bay Church.
Jean Yvonne Hough (nee Trumpour), died, following a stroke, on 1 September 1996, aged 75. She had been the wife, for 51 years, of Donald Hough of Houghaven Farms in South Fredericksburg township. Born in a Methodist parsonage, she came to the Hay Bay area as a young teacher, and remained for life. She gave quiet, faithful, and dependable leadership in her community and church. For over 20 years she was a trustee of the Old Hay Bay Church, serving at different times as Secretary and Treasurer. She also recruited and cared for the custodians for each summer, and did countless other related tasks. She was the kind of person who would take on a task when no one else would or could do it, and it will take several people to replace her.
She served in executive positions with the Bay of Quinte Branch of the United Empire Loyalist Association, the Loyalist Cultural Centre, the Lennox and Addington County Historical Society, the South Fredericksburg Heritage Committee, to name but a few. She raised four sons and enjoyed knitting, crafts, local historical and genealogical research, in her spare time. An elder of Trinity United Church, Napanee, she also served her denomination on Presbytery and Conference committees, particularly those of archives & history, and finance. Jean served her Master well, and set a fine model of Christian life and service. We shall miss her very much.
Mary Parliament (nee Mellow) grew up on the shores of Hay Bay and dearly loved the area. For several years she would take a week or two away from her home in Oakwood (near Lindsay) and, with her daughters Elizabeth and Isabelle, serve as custodian at the Hay Bay church. While there last July, she fractured her wrist in a fall. Mary died at her home on 24 July, just a few days after their return from Hay Bay.
Historian Larry P. Turner died of a massive heart attack at his cottage near Perth, on 27 August 1996, age 44. Among his several books of local history were: Voyage of a Different Kind–the Associated Loyalists of Kingston and Adolphustown (1984); Ernestown–Rural Spaces, Urban Places; and his book Rideau, with photographs by John De Visser, was a 1995 finalist for the Trillium Book Award. At the time of his death he was working, along with Bill Lamb and Mary Beacock Fryer, on a history of Wall Street United Church in Brockville (to be published in 1997.)