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- BIOGRAPHY: KAMOURASKA - July 31, 1966
by Burton Ramsey (Apparently written for the occasion of the couple's 50th wedding anniversary)
This is the story of Estelle and Burton Ramsey. If you listen well you'll be quite certain I've had a very happy life. With my fifty-seven-year-old wife. And if she didn't feel the same, I'd only have myself to blame.
As I've told you several times before, We were married in the house next door. We had a pleasant honeymoon at Niagara Falls and Toronto City, But it was over all too soon Which I considered quite a pity!
We went to live in Cowansville Where I was working in a bank, It had few stores, it had no mill, But it had a lovely water-tank! It was there our little girl was born. On a cold & windy late March morn. The people there were very kind And for three years I didn't mind That the tempo was so very slow, But we decided we should go. (For I'm a city boy at heart), And that we'd better make a start In the metropolis that's Montreal Where I took a job with Beldina-Paul. The change of work was very great, And I started early and finished late, But I saw to it my work was noted And within the year I was promoted.
That was for us an eventful time, And it's hard to tell it all in rime, We began to miss the country air So we bought a house out in Pointe Claire. Then it wasn't very long Before Colin came along, And we felt that we were very lucky To get a brother for our Ducky; But it wasn't so lucky for Estelle As for quite sometime she wasn't well; So we again decided after all We would return to Montreal.
For five years on Decarie I had a pleasant life With one nice job, two fine children and one good wife,
But suddenly we had to trek Back to our old home-town, Quebec.
In 1912 my father did organize A brick company called Citadel, (Beside our summer home at Boischatel). And in 1926 it had grown in size. And so had prospered very well, But things began to happen which made him start to feel His General Manager was developing into something of a heel.
So he strongly urged to me That I join the Company, And try to soon find out What the trouble was about. It didn't take me long To find out things were wrong, And for several years back in Quebec I had business worries up to my neck. With the Depression and some brutal competition The Company reached a rather poor condition. But we put through a successful reorganization Which saved it from possible elimination, And so as I had accomplished all that I could do. I decided then I might as well get through, And as Belding's said they'd like to have me back Pretty soon we again began to pack.
Although in Quebec I experienced many worries and fears In our ten years, we had some very happy years
Especially in summers at Boischatel As Duckie and Colin will agree as well. With swimming off the wharf most every day Then all going back to our tennis court to play. And Sunday picnics to Fairy River Where the icy water made us shiver, But it was a very lovely spot And the gang enjoyed it quite a lot.
In Quebec we joined the-Winter-Club Which then for sports it was the hub, With swimming and skating and badminton We all could get our share of fun, And following my family's well know proclivities, We engaged in many outside activities, In two churches, Kiwanis, Y.M.C.A. And Board of Trade and C.M.A.
But as I said before, we left it all. To return once more to Montreal. We took an old house on Oliver Where evidently we were meant to stay. Because we're living there today.
Of my business life in Belding's l could easily tell you more, But 'tho interesting to me, to you might be a bore, With perseverance, luck, and I hope with some ability I eventually reached a plateau which assured us of stability. I retired in 1962 as Chairman of the Board, So after many ups and downs that was a good reward. If I ended up doing pretty well Much of the credit belongs to Estelle, As when I often came home discouraged and fearful She would always greet me unfailingly cheerful.
I could easily write you another poem About the 30 years in our present home. T'was there in '39 I was taken very sick, And rushed to hospital by ambulance mighty quick, But as it's plain to see I did survive
And was extremely glad to be alive, From there our Colin, seeking knowledge, Went down to Fredericton to college, To there "Pip" Caddell did arrive. In March of nineteen forty-five, Direct from the Second World War slaughter, To marry Duckie, our only daughter; And from that marriage issued four Who regularly pass through our door.
For many years at Christmas Eve Relations and friends would come and leave Between the hours of twelve and four In and out of our front door. We gave this up, much to our sorrow Due to exhaustion on Christmas morrow. From there we often travelled far By train and plane and motor car, This glorious country for to see
From Newfoundland to grand, B.C. But 'tho we dearly love to roam We're always glad when we get home, And very thrilled when again we see Our old brick house at 343. When I retired in sixty-two, And wondered then what I would do, But with tennis, meetings, and watching T.V Gardening, reading and afternoon tea, To Kamouraska and sundry other excursions, Added to many different diversions The time goes by so very fast
We can hardly believe four years have passed.
Now it was here that it all started Fifty years ago to-day, And from here we both departed On our matrimonial way, Now our thanks to you are sincere and hearty For giving us this lovely party, And we'll do our best to reciprocate In the coming years, on this same date.
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