Died peacefully on January 1, 2005, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Widow of Raymond Martin, Helen is survived by four of her five children, Laurie and Dick of Bridgewater, NS, Frances (husband Michael) of Yarmouth, NS, and Rachel (husband Donald) of Halifax, NS. She was predeceased by her daughter Paula (husband Gordon) of Edmonton, AB. She was "Grammy" to her eight grandchildren (Heather, Holly, Sarah, George, Sydney, Alexandra, Oliver, and John Paul) and "G.G" to her three great grandchildren (Suni, Henry and Keegan). She is also survived by her sister Eileen McDonald of Washington, DC, her brother Gerard (wife Gladys) of Maugerville, NB and four nieces, Mary Burns, Cynthia Anthony, Suzanne Murphy, and Micheline Fortier.

Helen was born to Walter Lawrence Burns and May Haughton on March 18, 1915 on the family farm in Maugerville where her brother Gerry and his wife Gladys remain to this day. She had many happy memories of a tight knit family being raised by a widowed father, and she and her sibling remained close throughout their lives. She left Maugerville for high school in Campbellton, and was there that she formed the roots that would tie her to this community for most of her life. After attending Normal School in Fredericton and short stints instructing in Maugerville, NB and Glencoe, NB, she returned to Campbellton to teach. There she met Raymond Martin, and the rest, they say, is history. Helen continued to teach after her five children had gone to school. They remained in Campbellton until 1991.

Throughout these years, Helen was active outside the home serving at various times as District Commissioner for the Girl Guides of Canada, and as president of the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Women's League. She made an impact on many lives through this work and was very active in her local community. She will be remembered as a loving mother and wife, a gifted teacher, and involved and well-know figure in her neighborhood, and a warm and caring grandmother. She will be greatly missed by all those who love her.

The funeral mass will be held at St. Mary's Basilica, Halifax on Friday January 7th, at 2PM. Internment will take place next summer in Campbellton. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation to the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundations or other charity of Choice.

Helen's family would like to extend their thanks to the staff of The Berkeley Halifax, which has been her home for the past thirteen years, Ansom Caregivers, RJF Healthcare, and to the doctors and nurses of the Palliative Care Program of the QEII Hospital.

Raymond Lavoie

Raymond Lavoie, husband of Theresa Lavoie of Moncton, NB, passed away at the age of 82, at the Dr. George Dumont Hospital on Tuesday, January, 4 2005.

Born in Edmundston, NB, on November 17, 1922, he was the son of the late Alphonse and Marie (Levesque) Lavoie. He retired as district manager from Rena-Ware in 1994 after 30 years of service.

He is survived by his two sons Andrew Lavoie of Moncton, NB, and David Lavoie of Toronto, ON. Sabine Lavoie, wife of Andrew, and Grandchildren Katja and Derrick. Brother Germain and wife Laura and sister-in-law Ramona Lavoie of Dalhousie, NB.