SPENCE, Reta Marie
Peacefully at the Provincial Palliative Care Centre on Tuesday, September 11, 2018 of Geraldine “Gerry” Helena Young (nee Murray), Charlottetown, age 73 years. Survived by her loving husband of 52 years, David
Young. Beloved mother of Jeff (Angela) of Shediac,
N.B. and Scott (Natalie) of Allentown, PA. Cherished grandmother of Katelynn (Grant), Nolan, Ainsley, Cassidy and Declyn. Great-grandmother to Nash. Lovingly remembered by her sisters-in-law Brenda Pollard, Debra Poirier (Ernest), Joyce Murray, along with numerous nieces and nephews. Predeceased by parents Gerard and Catherine (Cullen) Murray, brother Reginald Murray and sister Marjorie McKearney. Resting at Belvedere Funeral Home until Friday at 1 p.m. then to St. Dunstan’s Basilica for funeral mass at 1:30 p.m. Interment in Sherwood Cemetery. Visitation Thursday 4-7 p.m. Family flowers only. Memorial donations may be made to the Provincial Palliative Care Centre or the PEI Humane Society.
The last man to emerge from a shattered Nova Scotia mine 60 years ago has died. Herb Pepperdine was 95 years old when he passed away Friday in Springhill, N.S.
His obituary says Pepperdine mined coal all his life and spent eight days trapped in the Springhill mine after an underground convulsion on Oct. 23, 1958.
Pepperdine was among 174 men underground when the No. 2 mine operated by the Cumberland Railway and Coal Co. was jolted by a resounding boom, trapping them and killing 75. Scores died instantly.
In a 2008 interview, Pepperdine described crawling along the floor of the pitch-black mine in search of food and water, three days after the world learned of an unfolding tragedy at North America’s deepest coal mine.
“I was feeling around, looking for something,” he said, recalling his desperate bid for survival 50 years previously. “I could smell a chocolate bar in a lunch can.”
Hunger gnawing at his shrunken stomach, he could have eaten it there in the gloom. But, the 35-year-old miner instead shared the sweet treasure with six other trapped men.
“I split it between us, best I could,” he said at the time. “That little bar of chocolate was good Herb Pepperdine, 85, reflects on the Springhill Mine disaster of 1958, in his kitchen in Springhill, N.S. on October 19, 2008.
after three nothing.”
The violent shifting of strata rattled dishes and windows throughout Springhill. Some residents were knocked off their chairs as they watched “Don Messer’s Jubilee” on TV.
The seismic shrug was felt in Amherst, 25 kilometres away.
“We were standing there talking, and she bumped,” Pepperdine said. “It just knocked you out, the concussion . ... Just like someone fired a shotgun near your ear.”
Through swirling curtains of coal dust, Pepperdine eventually found six other men where the coal seam was precariously held open by a mangled roof support.
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A service of celebration for the life of Reta Spence, beloved wife of the late Trevlyn Spence, of Charlottetown, was held on Saturday, September 8, 2018, at Central Queen’s Funeral Home Chapel, New Glasgow. The service was conducted by Reverend Mark Buell, who offered prayer and words of comfort. Scripture readings included Psalm 23, which was read by granddaughter, Heather Toole. Heartfelt words of remembrance were shared granddaughter, Elizabeth Younker-Ramsay. The music included the hymns, “In The Garden” and “In The Sweet By and By”, led by Edith Ling and Rev. Buell. Other musical selections played were audio recordings “Flying On Your Own” and “Higher Power” by Rita MacNeil, and an audio recording of “For Those Tears I Died” by Justin Ryan. Pallbearers were grandsons, Jamie Toole, Terry Younker, Matthew Spence, Lucas Younker, Shawn Spence and Kent Toole. Flower bearers were granddaughters, Elizabeth Ramsay, Heather Toole, Crystal Ettinger, Kelly Payzant, Robyn Birt and Angela MacDonald. Interment took place in Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, where Reverend Buell conducted the committal service.