Obituary of Beatrice Vera Sproule
Bea passed away suddenly due to a serious fall that left no choice other than to be returned to Lanark Lodge on palliative care. Bea’s husband Eric of 68 years and their daughter Wanda were with her and she was surrounded by many loving and caring nursing staff ensuring the best of care. The many nursing staff were always referred to as Angels as they were always there helping every day for the full nine months of Bea’s stay. Many times Bea would want to return home so she could care for her husband Eric who never missed a full day of visiting and called it his new home away from home while watching tv, looking through many photo albums and playing cards with his love and soul mate, Bea.
When Bea was 8 years old in 1942 during the depression time and World War II, she got her first job in a bakery bagging bread and gave all of her pay to her mother to help with the groceries. Bea graduated high school with a scholarship. She attended UNB Teachers College earning another scholarship. She taught school in a one room school with no water and no power, then she learned to be a dental assistant before joining the RCAF with her brother John. Bea was a secretary for the CADO at Portage La Prairie who recognized her education and sent her to Officers Training School. She was then commissioned to the rank of Pilot Officer and was posted to a Norad Radar Station near Halifax to be an air weapons controller. It was New Years Eve 1956 on the midnight shift, Bea was the duty officer of a 35 person crew. An airman came in to her observation area where she was keeping an eye on the air traffic for that radars coverage. Bea asked the airman “could I help you” the airman replied that he was selected to give her a New Years kiss so he gave her a new years kiss and that airman has been doing that for the last 69 years. At that time it was frowned on for different ranks to date and Bea’s husband to be was given a speedy posting to Northern Quebec to break them up. Bea resigned her commission and took her release to marry her husband Eric. Their 69th wedding anniversary would have been this August 5, 2026.
Bea enjoyed her many hobbies, collecting figurines, sewing, knitting, ceramics and quilting for her children and grandchildren.
Bea and Eric went on many cruises and bus tours with many friends in Perth, even to pan for gold in Alaska and the Yukon.
Bea and Eric had three children Robert John Eric (Jay Jay), Wendy Carol Ann (Chris Camp) and Wanda Janet Louise Cuda (Jonathan).
Bea had three brothers David Mansfield Graves (Grace), John Harvey Graves (Agnes) and Thomas Clark Graves (Patricia). Bea’s parents were Melvin Mansfield Graves and Dolores Beatrice Graves (Nee Munroe). Bea was the last one living in her family. Bea’s great-grandfather Mansfield Graves was a United Empire Loyalist settling in southern New Brunswick in the 1780’s.
During Bea’s husbands 34 year career they had 12 postings from the Atlantic to the Pacific all during the cold war and they got to live in every province including three years at Fort Custer in Battle Creek, Michigan, USA (Norad Air Force Station). The only provinces excluded were Saskatchewan and Newfoundland.
At every posting, Bea always had a job as a teacher; dental assistant; or receptionist. She was into many sports like skiing, biking, skating, hiking and especially she loved curling at the Perth Curling Club. Bea was also a volunteer in the Perth Kiawanis Club.
On Eric’ retirement from RCAF, Bea and her husband settled in their new home in Pugwash, NS to be closer to both of their parents. Then in 2002, Bea and Eric moved to Perth to be closer to their family in Ottawa.
Bea has many loving and caring nieces and nephews living in Sussex, New Brunswick and the Lethbridge, Alberta areas. They all loved their special Auntie Bea who loved all their visits together. She will be sadly missed by all her family and many friends. Bea’s wishes were to be cremated and interred in her and her husbands cemetery plot next to her parents in Penobsquis, New Brunswick. There will not be a funeral or visitation and donations may be made to Lanark Lodge Recreation Fund or the Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital Foundation.
“Wherever a beautiful soul has been, there is a trail of beautiful memories”
Please view the beautiful tribute that the Perth Legion Banner Program has placed on their facebook page in memory of Bea.
