AUCOIN
Marie Therèse Aucoin, age 85, of Cheticamp, passed away peacefully on Friday, April 3rd, 2026, in the Foyer Père Fiset Guest Home, Cheticamp. She was a daughter to the late Eddie Joe and the late Elizabeth Ann (Deveau) Chiasson. Marie Therèse was born on April 17th, 1940, in Cheticamp. She was the eldest of six children. She leaves behind her husband, Joseph Arthur; her eldest son, Brian George; her granddaughter, Clarisse; and her great granddaughters, Mallory and Danielle; as well as her sister, Cecile. Besides her parents, Marie Therèse was predeceased by her son, Bernie; brothers, Charlie and Bernie; and sisters, Nancy and Nettie. A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, April 22nd, at 11:00 a.m. in St. Peter’s Cemetery, Cheticamp with Father Daniel Gustave officiating. Memorial donations may be made to Foyer Père Fiset. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Cheticamp Funeral Services Ltd. Condolences may be made to: www.cheticampfuneralservices.ca.
BERNARD
We regret to announce the sudden passing of our beloved son, brother, uncle, dad and nephew, Desmond John Bernard, aged 39, of We’koqma’q First Nation on April 9th, 2026. He is survived by his mother, Sandra “Draw”; two sons, Drake and Drayvon; sisters, Alichia (Was), Cecelia (Alck), Sondra; brothers, Donnie and Steve (Tiff); nieces, Jazzalene, Martensia, Aleksandra, Tijana and Anastasja; nephews, Danilo, Daxton and Vukasin; aunts, Catherine, Mary Johnson, Jessie, Mary Ellen, Shelia, Lillian, Vivian and Kalolin; uncles, Martin, Bertram (Muin), Daryl and Gabriel. Desmond had four godchildren, Landon, Katerra, Tessa and Tijana; godparents, Josephine and Brian Googoo. Desmond was predeceased by his father, Donald John; brother, Diamond; best friends, Charles (Quessey), Curt and Mike; uncles, Terry, Frankie, and Noel (Chiefie); aunts, Cecelia and Glenda; cousins, Jason and Francesca; maternal grandparents, Alex R. and Pauline Googoo; paternal grandparents, Jacob and Bertha Bernard. Desmond had a big, loving heart, earning many nicknames such as Tender Heart, Subdivision Chief, and Dez Arnez. He loved palying softball for his home team, the We’koqma’q Warriors, and his favorite hockey team was the Boston Bruins. He was also a big fan of the Toronto Blue Jays and wrestling. Desmond and his friends even created an amatuer wrestling league. Desmond was a talented carpenter and highly skilled in installing metal roofs and solar panels, as well as building cabins, sheds and houses. He was the supervisor at We’koqma’q Contracting under the Housing Department and worked with Winmar for many years. He had dreams of creating his own construction company and had secured many housing repair and ballfield maintenance contracts beyond his regular job. Desmond was a funny and light-hearted soul with many funny stories to share. He was always willing to help or volunteer his time and proudly maintained the ballfield in We’koqma’q. Desmond had many friends and family with fond memories of him being happy and laughing. He will be sadly missed by many people. The visitation for Desmond will start on Thursday, April 16th, at 2:00 p.m. for family and 5:00 p.m. for the public at 64 Subdivision Road, We’koqma’q. Funeral mass will be on Saturday, April 18th, from Blessed Kateri Parish, We’koqma’q at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be held at a later date. Words of comfort may be forwarded to the family at www.haverstocks.com.
DOUCET
It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Kenneth Joseph Doucet, 75, of Inverness who passed away on Friday, April 10th, 2026, after a brief illness at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Sydney. Born May 21st, 1950, in Inverness, he was the son of Willie Joe and Clara (MacIsaac) Doucet. For over 30 years, Kenneth worked for the Strait Regional School Board. He later worked for Cabot and especially enjoyed those years meeting and chatting with so many people. Kenneth is survived by his wife, Josephine; sons, David and Kenneth (Jody); grandson, James, his pride and joy; and also his favourite little girl, Olivia. He is also survived by his brothers, Eric, Keith, and Redmond, and his only sister, Claire (A.R.) Fraser – Kenneth had a special place in his heart for all four of them. I know that his vibrant spirit is felt by them as well; nieces, Cara Lynn, Julene, Norma Lee, Clara, Melissa, Laura, Barbara, Erika and Felicia; and nephews, Eric, Keith, Redmond, Ryan, A.R., Edward, Kirk, Kristian, and Jason, all of whom he loved dearly. Kenneth was predeceased by his parents and sisters-in-law, Joan (Chickie) Doucet and Patricia Doucet. Kenneth provided strength and support to his family and never wavered from his responsibilities and love for them. He enjoyed the little things in life and loved being home with his family. Our dog, Maggie became a very close friend to him. They truly enjoyed their time together. Home will never be the same without him. We will always love and remember him. Visitation will take place at Stella Maris Catholic Church, Inverness on Saturday, April 18th, from 10:00-10:45 a.m. followed by a funeral mass at 11:00 a.m. with Fr. Jaison Cheriya officiating. Interment will take place in Stella Maris Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Inverness Food Bank or the SPCA. Words of comfort can be sent to the family at www.sydneymemorialchapel.com.
HART
Brian Lewis Hart, 83, passed away peacefully on April 12th, 2026, in Inverary Manor, Inverness, with family by his bedside. Born in St. Catharines, Ontario, he grew up in the village of Mabou, a place he remained deeply connected to throughout his life. Brian was a machinist by trade and spent 20 years working as a carpenter in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. He worked throughout Canada, as well as in Ireland, England, and Japan. He was a loyal member of Carpenters Union 1588 and was known for his strong work ethic, craftsmanship, and attention to detail. Outside of his professional work, he built family homes in Hillsborough and his retirement home overlooking the river in Mabou. Brian is survived by his wife of 58 years, Ann (Ainsworth); his children, Susan Campbell (Bob), Tracy Harris (Shawn), Warren Hart (Melanie), John Hart (Naoko), and Joanne Hart (John); as well as 16 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, his brother Roger Hart, and his nieces and nephew, Debbie, Beverly, Bradley; and his special niece, Maudie. He was predeceased by his parents, Lewis and Maud Hart; his brothers, Kirk and Murray; and his sister-in-law, Rona. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Inverary Manor Auxiliary or Inverary Manor Staff Fund. The family of Brian Hart would like to thank the staff of Inverary Manor for the exceptional care he received. A celebration of life will be held in the Rodney Fiddle & Bow Room at the entrance of Inverary Manor on Wednesday, April 15th, at 1:00 p.m. Online condolences may be made to: www.invernessfuneralhome.com.
LeBLANC
Clarence LeBlanc, age 77 of the Foyer Père Fiset Guest Home, Cheticamp, formerly of St. Joseph du Moine passed away peacefully on Friday, April 3rd, 2026, in the Guest Home. Clarence was the son of the late Etienne and the late Jeannette (Boudreau) LeBlanc. Clarence was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, whose life was deeply rooted in family, hard work, and the outdoors. He began fishing at the young age of 13 alongside his father, a passion that stayed with him throughout his life. Clarence was never more at peace than when he was on the water. He always found great joy in the outdoors, spending his time in the woods, ATVing, and snowmobiling. He took pride in the simple things as well, and was well known for keeping his cars clean. He will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him. He will be fondly remembered for his smile, his patience, and the quiet kindness he showed to everyone around him. Clarence is survived by his wife, Jeanne (Haché) LeBlanc; his daughter, Gisèle (Dale) Larade; grandson, Grayson Larade; brother-in-law, Georgie; and Keith AuCoin, who was as close to him as a son. Besides his parents, Clarence was predeceased by his son, Cyrille LeBlanc; brothers-in-law, Roger, Paul Joe, and Alfred; and sisters-in-law, Elizabeth, Ethel, and Marie Marguerite. A private family graveside service will be held on Tuesday, April 21st, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, St. Joseph du Moine with Father Bedford Doucet officiating. Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Nova Scotia or the Foyer Père Fiset. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Cheticamp Funeral Services Ltd. Condolences may be sent to: www.cheticampfuneralservices.ca.
LeVERT
Robert “Bobby” LeVert, age 76 of St. Joseph du Moine, passed away on Tuesday, March 31st, 2026, at the Sacred Heart Community Health Centre, Cheticamp. Bobby was a son to the late Patrice and the late Doris (AuCoin) LeVert. Bobby worked in the woods and was a fishermen’s helper for 33 years. He liked trout fishing, gardening, and four-wheeling, and he loved shining his Ford truck. He enjoyed spending time with his two granddaughters, Violet and Victoria, when they would come to visit. Bobby is survived by his wife, Lucie (Chiasson) LeVert; sons, Clayton (Kim), Lucasville, Halifax, and Joël LeVert, Beaver Bank, Lower Sackville; his brother, Marcel (Paulette), St. Joseph du Moine; sisters, Nicole, Halifax, Yolande, Sydney, and Jacqueline (Bruce), Halifax; and granddaughters, Violet and Victoria. A graveside service will be held on Saturday, April 18th, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, St. Joseph du Moine with Father Daniel Gustave officiating. Memorial donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society of Nova Scotia or the Sacred Heart Community Health Centre. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Cheticamp Funeral Services Ltd. Condolences may be sent to: www.cheticampfuneralservices.ca.
MUISE
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Gerald Roger Muise of Cheticamp on April 5th, at the age of 72 at the Sacred Heart Community Health Centre, Cheticamp. Gerald was predeceased by his loving wife, Eveline Aucoin in 2009. He was the son of the late Denis Muise and Marie Louise (Boudreau). He is survived by his sisters, Claudette (late Jean Paul Gaudet), Thelma (Patrice), Diane (Ken), Paulette (Andrew); brothers, Simon Pierre (Ethel), and Aurel (late Valerie); sister-in-law, Sylvia (late brother Bernie); and predeceased by brother, Roger in infancy. He is survived by his in-laws, Gerald Aucoin (Lyse), Lucille Lelievre (Clifford) and Yvette Carroll (Alex), Yolande Aucoin, Monique Aucoin, Joanne Aucoin, and Loretta Aucoin. Also survived by his godchildren, Kirk Muise, Rachelle Aucoin and Joanne Poirier; and many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews. Gerald was predeceased by his brothers-in-law, Gerard Poirier, Yvon Aucoin, Didace Aucoin, Wilfred Aucoin, and Raymond Aucoin; sisters-in -law Claudette (Onil Labrie) and Bernice (Teddy Carroll). Gerald was a meatcutter at the Cheticamp Coop, then a fisherman until an accident at sea changed his career path. He then worked as a sales representative for Irving Oil. He was devoted to any job he undertook and took great pride in doing his job. Gerald enjoyed fishing, hunting , berry picking, and card playing. He loved a good game of cribbage. He and Eveline were always up for a good party, especially in the summertime when family was visiting, and dressing up as Santa Claus at Christmastime. Gerald was a devoted Catholic. He attended church for as long as his health permitted him. A special thank you to the staff and doctors of the Sacred Heart Community Health Centre, to Darlene Poirier for the great care she provided him while he was at home, and to the homecare staff who were so good to him. A special thanks to his brother-in-law and friend, Patrice who was by his side throughout his illness. Visitation was held on Sunday, April 12th, 2026, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Cheticamp Funeral Home. Funeral mass was celebrated on Monday, April 13th, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. in St. Peter’s Church, Cheticamp with Father Daniel Gustave officiating. Burial followed in the parish cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to L’Acabie. Condolences may be sent to: www.cheticampfuneralservices.ca.