Mildred Jean Black

Black, Mildred Jean (nee Weatherbee)
Jean passed peacefully at Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital on March 2, 2022, in her 94th year. She was predeceased by her husband Edward (Ted) and her mother Marion and father Harry Weatherbee. She is survived by brothers Lloyd and Stewart Weatherbee, her daughter Jennifer Hicks and son James, grandchildren Landon and Leah Hicks. Jean was born and raised in Springhill Nova Scotia. She graduated from high school and received her teaching permit from Normal College in Nova Scotia. She taught school in Springhill and met the love of her life, Ted at a dance at Dalhousie. He was in the Royal Canadian Navy, so they moved to Shearwater navy base, and she continued to teach, even throughout the number of moves that they had. In May 1955, she gave birth to her first child, Jennifer and stepped down from teaching. They were at Shearwater for 3 years until Ted was transferred to Ottawa. With the help of his navy friends, they found a house in Carleton Place where they settled in quite comfortably. Jean received her Ontario teaching certificate and supply taught in Carleton Place. James was born just before Ted was reassigned back to Shearwater, Nova Scotia in 1960. They settled in a new bungalow in Dartmouth. Jean did not teach in Nova Scotia, but was involved the Choral Society as she loved to sing. Ted was ultimately transferred back to Ottawa in 1964, where they once again settled in Carleton Place. Jean resumed supply teaching at Caldwell Street Public School and also worked in the library there. She really enjoyed library work and initially volunteered at the town library, but later decided to make a career of it, so she took several courses in Kingston and became the assistant librarian specializing in children's books at the Carleton Place Public Library. She was in Halifax, Nova Scotia at a reunion of the teacher's college when the Carleton Place library was targeted by arsonists in 1972. She assisted Janet French, the head librarian at the time, to rebuild the library. She worked at the library until 1995 and continued as a volunteer until 2019. Jean was also active in the choir for St. James Anglican church spending over 50 years with them. We wish to thank Dr.Walker and all the wonderful staff at CPDMH for their wonderful care. Friends may call at the Alan R. Barker Funeral Home, 19 McArthur Ave, Carleton Place on Thursday, March 10, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9. Funeral Service will follow on Friday in St. James Anglican Church, Carleton Place at 11 a.m. Inurnment at St. James Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital Foundation.