Eulogy to Our Sister

Our sister Frances was born January 7^th, 1941.  She was also known as “Nana” and/or “Nancy Maude” because our eldest sister Peggy believed everyone should have a nickname, being from Cape Breton and all. 

Frances was married to Burnel Cusack for forty-four years.   They had six children: Terry, Pat, Cliff, Karen, Gerry and a little girl who was stillborn.  Frances always remembered and missed her deceased little girl’s birthday every year when it rolled around and could tell you exactly how old she would have been had she survived.

Frances had ten grandchildren and loved every one of them.

She had many friends; one special friend she loved was Betty Murphy.  They were friends for many years and they helped each other through good and bad times.

Frances was the glue that held her family together.  It was important for her that her children grow up healthy, well adjusted and with as much education as they could get.  She always advised her children to “treat your wife like a queen and she’ll treat you like a king.”

Frances had a pet cat named Simba for many years and she loved him like he was her baby.  He was never allowed to be off leash and the one time he happened to escape he was killed by a car.  She was very sad to lose him just before she died.

When Frances was little she was the tough cookie in our family.  In the winter there was lots of ice outside our home; in particular a pond right next door.  If a kid wanted to skate on the pond they knocked on our door to get permission first.  When my mother told them to go ahead they always insisted that she ask Frances first.   Nobody crossed Frances!

One of the memories Dorothy will always keep of Frances was one particular night when she was feeling pretty bad after having received her chemotherapy and radiation treatments.  She was in the bathroom and Dorothy put her arms around her and said, “You know I love you Frances” and she looked her straight in the eye and said, “I know you do and I love you too”. You can’t buy memories like that.

Her sister, Karen, says that Frances was not only a sister but a friend and mother to her.  When Karen was sick, Frances looked after her; she cured her toothache, filed off a ring from her swollen finger and always had spending money for her when she worked at the bakery.  She also always had ten cents for our little brother Gerry’s ice cream when he got up in the morning.  One of her special memories of Frances was when they were little and of course we always wet the bed when we were little; Frances wet the bed but had the presence of mind to get up, change her panties, crawl back in bed and blame Karen when they got up in the morning.  She confessed to this crime many years later.

Betty remembers the time when she and Frances lived with their sister, Peggy, in Halifax.  Frances and she went out every night dancing.  When they got home they had to take their shoes off and walk through the house because their feet were so sore and swollen.  Betty remembers in particular the time when Frances and Peggy came down to Nova Scotia for a trip a couple of years ago.  Frances, who is a great lover of lobster, gorged on a feast of lobster which Betty provided.  She loved to see Frances eat lobster because she loved it so much.  They had a ball going to visit Irene Dauphiny and spent the whole day drinking and remembering old times.  After eight hours of drinking they emptied Irene’s liquor cabinet and went on to have supper at Derek and Amanda’s place for supper.

My sister Peggy remembers Frances as loving to go to parties, dancing and singing.  She remembers Bernie, Frances’ husband, as saying, “Frances could make a pot of soup out of a stone” and so she could.  Along that vein, our sister-in-law, Gerri remembers the time when she invited all Ray’s sisters and brothers over to her place for a barbecue.  When they arrived she was just stepping out of the shower and nothing was ready.  Gerri says that within half-an hour steaks and potatoes were on the grill and a salad was made.  She was a whiz around food.  Gerri says that Frances told her, never, never say sister-in-law again Gerri.  You’re our sister. Remember that! 

Dorothy’s children and I know all the other nieces and nephews, remember Aunt Frances’ deep voice and laugh.  As Frances was always fond of saying, “Sexy, Sexy”. No matter what was happening in her life she always had a smile and enjoyed her nieces and nephews.  She preferred to talk to them rather than to the other adults.  She

will always be remembered as the “cool” auntie who pierced ears and always talked to them about “teenage issues”.

Bobby, our brother remembers a moment that sticks out in his mind when they were kids.  Since Frances was the tough kid in the neighborhood it was decided that she would take on David Naudisty to see who was the toughest.  After building the boxing ring and making all the preparations Frances decided she was going to be a “girl”.  

I’m sure if Ray and Jimmie were alive they would have had their own stories to tell.

And what a girl she was. She made a real difference in a lot of peoples’ lives.   Here’s to you Nana!!

The sisters and brother of Frances would like to thank Bernie and all the children for helping to support and make our sisters’ last year as good as it could possibly be.

We will remember her in our hearts forever!!