Melvin Douglas Goddard of Blenheim passed away on August 13, 2026.  Born in Sudbury 86 years ago, Mel is survived by his wife of 24 years, Joan (MacDonald) Goddard, his daughter Allison (Matthew Campbell) and his son Michael Goddard.  He was the grandfather of Gavin and Owen and will be remembered fondly by his sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law of the MacDonald Clan.  He was predeceased by his parents Betty and Douglas Goddard as well as his twin brother Donald.

Mel trained as an airplane mechanic and enjoyed a successful career with Bombardier.  He had the ability to identify any model of airplane that flew by with great accuracy.  He was also an avid hiker who taught beginners how to be prepared and successful on their treks.  It was through hiking on the Bruce Trail that he met Joan.

Mel could often be found attending events at the Chatham Airport and was a keen supporter of Hope Air, a charity that provides free flights to people in need of medical assistance.  He was a supporter of the new Blenheim Health Hub and also a member of the Blenheim Legion.  He was a strong supporter of his community.

A Celebration of Life for Mel will be held at the Blenheim Community Funeral Home on Sunday August 23, 2026 starting at 1:00 p.m. with words of remembrance shared at 2:00 p.m.    In lieu of flowers, those wishing to remember him with a memorial donation are asked to consider the Blenheim Health Hub https://www.bmhf.ca/donate-now, Hope Air https://hopeair.ca/ways-to-support/ or War Amps https://www.waramps.ca/home/.

Jerry Kenneth Roseblade passed away at the Copper Terrace Nursing Home on March 8, 2026.  He was born in Toronto on August 31, 1950 but spent a good part of his life in Erie Beach.  He enjoyed landscaping, gardening and listening to Green Day music.  It was his wish that this chapter of his life be quiet and uncomplicated.  Cremation has taken place.

Many thanks go to Jerry’s Erie Beach neighbours, the staff of Copper Terrace Nursing Home and his good friend Bill Stephens for their presence and your support over the years.

Friends wishing to remember Jerry with a memorial donation are encouraged to consider Hope + Me, a peer support and counselling service that offers hope to individuals living with a mood disorder http://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/mood-disorders-association-of-ontario/

Jerry Roseblade will be laid to rest in the Evergreen Cemetery, Blenheim, on August 25, 2026 at 1pm.

Bob passed away peacefully at home on August 9, 2026.  He is survived by his wife the former Dianne Dempster and two daughters Cheryl (grandson Eli), and Lori & Alex Toplak, his brother Jim & Judy and his sister-in-law Jeanette (predeceased by George).  He was predeceased by his brother Jack (Jean) and his sister Marilyn.  He will be remembered by many nieces and nephews.

Bob and his brother George worked together for years in their cement business.  Joining them later was Bob’s nephew Brad.  The three of them enjoyed what they did and shared a lot of laughter.  Bob’s woodworking skills were truly amazing.  He enjoyed watching his vast collection of old VHS tapes.

Bob will be cremated and the family will respect all of his wishes.

Janet Anne Cox (née Holdaway), age 79, of Chatham, Ontario, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 7, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family.

Janet was born on April 2, 1947, and grew up on a farm in the Blenheim, Ontario area. In the mid-1960s, she followed her passion for helping others and graduated as a Registered Nursing Assistant (RNA). She dedicated the early years of her career to nursing, later bringing her warm personality to her work as a medical receptionist and as a product demonstrator at local grocery stores.

On March 8, 1968, she married her beloved husband, James Cox, with whom she built a beautiful life and family over 58 years of marriage. Janet was a tremendous cook, often hosting incredibly lavish dinners for the whole family which were always a hit and something to look forward to. Janet was also an avid gardener who brought beauty and flavour into the lives of everyone around her. She will be remembered most for her sense of humour, her quick wit, and her fierce dedication to her family.

The family wishes to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at Copper Terrace Nursing Home for the amazing palliative care and comfort they provided to Janet.

Janet was predeceased by her loving parents, Keith and Jean Holdaway.

She is survived by her devoted husband, James, who stood steadfastly by her side through an incredibly tough battle with her illness. She was the cherished mother of Julie Rogers (Jim), Randall Cox, and Brian Cox (Bridget); and the incredibly proud grandmother of four grandsons: Evan Rogers, Nathan Rogers, Bradley Cox, and Brandon Cox. She is also survived by her loving brother, Jim Holdaway (Sandy), and leaves behind several dear nieces and nephews, extended family members, and friends.

A private family service will be held at the Blenheim Community Funeral Home in the coming weeks.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that expressions of sympathy and memorial donations be directed to the Chatham-Kent Hospice (CK Hospice).

Noel Andre Loyson passed away on August 5, 2026 at the age of 75 years.  Born in Belgium to the late Andre (1985) & Josephine (2024) Loyson, Noel came to Canada in 1957 at the age of six.   He is survived by his wife Marnie, sister Lisa Gehl, sister-in-law Beth Lachine, nephews Joshua Gehl, Robert McLaughlin and Kevin McLaughlin, niece Alisha Lachine, step-sons Sean Lamb (Liz) and Jason Lamb (Jen), grandchildren Owen and Avery Lamb and his step-grandchild Peyton Slaughter.  He is also survived by many aunts, uncles and cousins in Europe.

Noel worked in tobacco at an early age as well as in many factories in Chatham until his retirement in 2021.   He was a member of the Imperial Club for many years.  His greatest passion in life was training and practicing karate.  He shared his skills with many children who he taught over the years.

Noel’s wish was for his family to remember him privately.  Friends and family wishing to remember him with a memorial donation are asked to consider the C-K Hopsice https://chathamkenthospicefoundation.com/donations/ or the C-K Animal Rescue https://ckanimalrescue.com/

Lawrence Fulkerson passed away on August 1^st, 2026 at the Chatham-Kent Hospice.

Fifty-Six years ago, Lawrence married Wendy (Lehman).  He was a proud parent of Shawn (Diana), Melissa (Gerry) and grandfather to Nate, Nick, Karlee and Abby & Austin.  Predeceased by Tyson Fulkerson.

Lawrence is survived by his sister Joann.  He is predeceased by his mother, Theresa, his father, Rod and his brother, Cameron (Nancy).

Being the adventurous type, Lawrence decided to move to Alberta, retiring after 27 years at Syncrude Canada Ltd.  He then decided we should move to a small northern Village in Saskatchewan (Buffalo Narrows) where we spent 8 years before moving back home to Ontario.

In the summer months, Lawrence’s happy place was fishing on his pontoon boat.  During winter we enjoyed our time in Barbados, meeting up with cherished friends that we got to know over the years.

A special thank you to the Chatham-Kent Hospice, the nursing staff and volunteers.  Your care and kindness will forever be remembered.  Friends wishing to honour Lawrence’s memory are invited to make a contribution to the C-K Hospice or a charity of their choice.

Visitation will be held at the Blenheim Community Funeral Home on Thursday August 6, 2026 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.  A private interment will take place in Evergreen Cemetery.

Wendy, Shawn and Melissa

A full obituary for Mr. Quiring will follow shortly.

Gary Wright of Chatham passed away on July 24, 2026 knowing just how deeply he was loved by his family.

Fifty-seven years ago, Gary married Ann (O’Phee) Wright.  Although their lives led them in different directions over the years, their friendship endured, becoming one of the great constants in both their lives.  Ann passed away just four weeks ago on June 25^th.   They were the very proud parents of two daughters Kelly and Jennifer (Gary 2.0) and grandparents to Keegan and Bryden.   Gary was predeceased by his mother Jennifer (Sadowski) and his brother Michael Wright.

Anyone who knew Gary also knew this:  he loved hot rods; he loved talking about hot rods and he loved building hot rods.  That passion brought him lifelong friends from all over Canada and the USA.  Known as “Gabby Gary”, he was always the first to arrive and the last to leave at a hot rod show.  When he wasn’t touring hot rod shows, he could always be found putzing around in his prized shop.   Everyone who visited knew enough just to go to the garage.  Saturday mornings were reserved for trips to the “old boys club” at the Shady Pine where he loved dissing jokes with his car buddies.

As a dad, Gary instilled in his daughters a love of nature, boating in the summers and snowmobiling in the winter.  He filled their young lives with endless adventures and left them with many stories to tell.  He loved his girls with all his heart and was so proud of them when they in turn gave him love and nurtured him in his later life.  He kept telling them that they were “good women”.

As a husband, he and Ann spent many winters touring Florida and Mexico in some of the most hideous vehicles they could find and spruce up.  Again, “Gabby Gary” made friends wherever he went and always had a story to tell.

Gary was a special man who worked as a millwright at Navistar.  He was gifted with the ability to fix almost anything.  He had a compassionate heart for animals.  Over the years he had a few pets that each took a piece of his heart when they passed away.  His greatest joys in life were his cars, his tools, his friends and most importantly his daughters.

A private family interment will take place on Friday July 31^st in Evergreen Cemetery where Gary will be laid to rest next to Ann.  Following the interment, at 1:00 p.m., family and friends are invited to gather at Dog Day BBQ, 400 Queen Street, Chatham, to celebrate a life well lived.

For those wishing to honour Gary’s memory, donations to the Leukemia Society https://www.bloodcancers.ca/?form=donate  would be deeply appreciated, as the organization held a special place in his heart.

Mary Elizabeth “Mary Beth” Speller passed away at home on July 23, 2026. She will be missed greatly by her husband of 36 years, Brian Massender; their daughter, Erin Marie Elizabeth Massender, of whom she was incredibly proud; her dog, Buddy; and her grand-dog, Remi.
Born in 1965 to the late Clayton Beverly and Betty Jean (Lister) Speller, Mary Beth grew up in Charing Cross with her three brothers, where she was well known throughout the community. She is survived by her brothers, Mike and Paul Speller, and was predeceased by her brother Bill (William) Speller. She was the much-loved niece of Diana and Frank Lewis, John Speller, and the late Earl Speller, and will be missed by all of her Lewis/Lister, and Speller cousins and their families. Mary Beth was the cherished aunt of Brandon, Mark, Sarah, James, Anna, Kelsey, Kody, McKenna, and Cole.
Mary Beth worked incredibly hard and spent most of her free time with one too many projects on the go at her happy place, the farm. She loved animals, especially her English Springer Spaniels, as well as gardening and building things. In recent years, she found joy in travelling to warm places and creating memories with those she travelled with.
Friends and family are invited to a graveside service at Evergreen Cemetery on Saturday, August 1, at 12:00 p.m., where Mary Beth will be interred with her mom. Following the service, everyone is invited to the home of Sarah and Brennan Ramboer, 18708 Erie Shore Drive, Erie Beach, for the celebration Mary Beth would have wanted. Resort-casual attire is encouraged. Bring a lawn chair, if you’re able, and enjoy some time on the water.
Friends wishing to honour Mary Beth’s memory are invited to make a contribution to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, CK Animal Rescue https://ckanimalrescue.com/ , or a charity of their choice.