New Brunswick Women's Institute

10/14/2026

Eloise P. Craig
1927-2026
Eloise P. Craig

It is with sadness that the family announces that Eloise Pearl Craig, 99, of Rockland, NB passed away peacefully on September 13th at the Upper River Valley Hospital with loved ones by her side.
Eloise was born on July 20, 1927, in Holmesville to Arnold and Laura (Butterfield) Robinson. After graduating high school in Bath, she attended Normal School in Fredericton, obtaining her teacher’s license in 1946. She married George Craig on July 16, 1947. They moved into the Craig family homestead, Rebecca Farm, where they raised their two boys. After taking time to raise her family, Eloise went back to teaching in 1962. She retired from the education system in 1987, but she never really stopped teaching – whether it was tutoring young students in her home or mentoring other teachers.
Eloise was a woman of many talents, although she would not have described herself that way. Her family and friends received many lovingly handmade gifts throughout the years, from cross stitch and quilts to baby outfits and prom dresses. She was known throughout the county for her baking, especially her chocolate fudge cake with boiled icing.
Grammie truly embodied an "attitude of gratitude" and lived a life of service to others. Her former students have shared many wonderful stories of times that she went above and beyond to provide meaningful educational experiences, including one memorable trip to Fredericton to see a play and eat at a restaurant for the very first time. Her passion for teaching certainly impacted on the family, with her granddaughters all going on to work in the public school system and public libraries.
She was a lifetime member of the Coldstream Women’s Institute, and a long-time volunteer at Central Carleton Nursing Home. She also dedicated countless hours to the Hartland Baptist Church. She was honoured to receive the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.
Eloise is survived by her sons Eugene Craig (Heather) and Duane Craig; grandchildren Emily Pitre, Julie Craig and Amanda Craig; great-grandchildren Jonathan Craig, Victoria Belliveau, Jordan Scott, Breanna Cormier, and Ryan Pitre; great-great-grandchildren Chase Craig and Millie Belliveau. Siblings Barbara Fowler, Velda McSheffery, Judy Nixon (Fred), Dianne Hansen, Cheryl King, and Terry Robinson (Rosalind); numerous beloved nieces & nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband George Craig, daughter-in-law Marilyn Craig, granddaughter Laura Scott, siblings Glenna Murphy, Phyllis Robinson, Avis Bruce, Arnold "Junior" Robinson, Alta Jean Robinson.

10/14/2026

10/14/2026

10/14/2026

This & That, Submitted by Elizabeth Rushton, Alberta WI
CANADA’S SWEETHEART

Barbara Ann Scott was born May 9, 1928, in Sandy Hill, Ottawa, to parents Canadian Army Colonel Clyde Rutherford Scott and Mary (nee Purves). She was their only child but had two older half-siblings from her mother’s first marriage.

She began skating at the Minto Skating Club at 7, and at 9 she switched from regular school to tutoring 21/2 hours a day to accommodate her seven hours of daily ice training. At 10, she became the youngest skater ever to pass the “gold figures test” and won her first national junior title at 11. By 15, she became Canada’s senior national champion from 1944 to 1946.

In 1947, with money raised by the community, she became the first North American to win both the European and World Figure Skating titles and is still the only Canadian to win the European title. She was voted the 1947 Canadian Newsmaker of the Year, which also led to her receiving a yellow Buick convertible during a parade, but unfortunately, she had to return it to retain her amateur status and remain eligible for the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz. She went on to become the first and only Canadian in history to win the ladies’ single figure skating gold medal and received a letter from Prime Minister Mackenzie King stating that she gave “Canadians courage to get through the darkness of the post-war gloom.” On her return to Ottawa, she was given back the yellow Buick, along with the Key to the City.

At the time, the press commonly referred to her as Canada’s Sweetheart, and a collectible doll, along with a letter from her, was produced in her honor in 1948. When I told a friend I was writing about Barbara Ann Scott, she said she remembers having a paper doll of her. I wonder if any readers have the collectible doll and letter – if you do, I am sure Angela (who edits this) would love to have a picture of you with the doll to publish in the next issue. According to a figure skating writer, Barbara “brought polish, glamour and feminine delicateness” to figure skating, inspiring Canadian girls to take it up. She was also one of the first skaters to choreograph and musically interpret her free skating programs.

She officially relinquished her amateur status in 1948 and began touring North America and Europe headlining a variety of shows for the next five years, during which she replaced her idol Sonja Henie in the starring role in the Hollywood Ice Revue. However, the grueling schedule took its toll, and she retired from professional skating. In 1955, she married publicist and former professional basketball player Tom King in Toronto, and they settled in Chicago, where she briefly opened a beauty salon, then became a distinguished horse trainer and rider.
She also founded and became chancellor of the International Academy of Merchandising and Design in |Toronto. They retired to Amelia Island, Florida, in 1996, but she remained an influential figure in figure skating; she appeared on TV and in films, published books, served as a skating judge, donated a percentage of her earnings to aid crippled children, and was formally recognized for her educational and charitable causes.

She received numerous awards, carried the Olympic torch in the lead-up to the 1998 Calgary Winter Olympics (marking the fortieth anniversary of her Olympic win), and in December 2009 she again carried the Olympic torch to Parliament Hill and into the House of Commons in anticipation of the 2010 Winter Olympics and was also one of the Olympic flag bearers during the opening ceremonies in Vancouver. She was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1991 and a member of the Order of Ontario in 2008. The City of Ottawa created the Barbara Ann Scott Gallery, displaying her Olympic gold medal, which she donated to the city in 2011, along with photographs, awards, and other items. She received the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s Top Athlete of the Year in 1945, 1947, and 1948, and was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1948 and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1955, among other awards.

Barbara died on September 30, 2012, at age 84, at her home in Amelia Island, Florida, leaving a legacy in Canadian figure skating history. PJ Kwon, a CBC sports commentator, said at the time, “As gracious and charming off the ice as she was fiercely competitive on the ice, she was one of a kind and will be sorely missed.”

10/14/2026

Easy Santa Wreath

Supplies: Foam wreath form, bulky white yarn, scissors, hot glue, red Santa hat, large red pom-pom or foam ball for the nose, and ribbon for hanging.

1. Wrap the entire foam wreath form with bulky white yarn until the foam is completely covered.
2. Cut several pieces of the same yarn to make the beard.
3. Fold and glue, or tie the yarn strands around the bottom section of the wreath so they hang down like a full beard.
4. Trim the beard if needed so the ends look even.
5. Glue a large red pom-pom or red foam ball just above the beard for Santa’s nose.
6. Place a Santa hat over the top of the wreath and secure it with a little hot glue if needed.
7. Add a ribbon loop to the back for hanging.
8. Fluff the beard and hat, then hang it on your door or wall for a cute Christmas decoration.

10/14/2026

Gardening

10/14/2026

We are looking forward to seeing many young Hallowe'eners.

10/14/2026

Coffee tomorrow Oct 14th

10/14/2026

Slowdown this Sunday with another meditation from author Brianna Wiest’s new book titled “The Pivot Year”! Check our Fb page every Sunday for a new quote! ✨

10/14/2026

Who inspires you? It could be a woman in your community, a fellow member, or a society whose work makes a difference to rural women. We invite you to celebrate her, or them, with a short post on social media.