Obituary of Bernice Logan

RUTH “BERNICE“ (MASON) LOGAN (90) of Tangier, NS died peacefully Saturday, January 29 in Halifax. Born on June 19, 1931, she was one of sixteen children of the late James Edgar Mason and Myrtle Victoria (Beaver) Mason. She attended the Nova Scotia Normal College (Teacher’s College) in Truro. This was the beginning of a lifelong dedication to teaching elementary school children including teaching in Indian Residential Schools in Saskatchewan and Ontario. In recent years she devoted much of her time to writing and compiling a photo history of the positive experiences of students and staff in the residential schools. As a young woman she received a commendation from the Governor General for her part in helping to rescue drowning swimmers at Clam Harbour Beach. She spent a summer working for the Sunday School Caravan Mission of the Anglican Church providing religious education to children in rural communities. On a visit to New Ross, the Sunday school van broke down and the Rector, the Rev’d Winfred Logan, and his mother offered hospitality. After a short engagement, they married in 1958 and went on to serve in the parishes of Louisbourg and Clementsport. In 1964, Winfred died suddenly leaving her with three children (aged 3, 4, and 5) to raise on her own. She moved back with her parents in Tangier where she built a house for her young family and spent many years teaching primary school. After retirement, she received her Bachelors of Child Study from Mount Saint Vincent University. She was a devout member of the Anglican Church, learning to play the organ in a time when there were no organists in the seven-point parish of Tangier. She continued playing until recently and offered piano lessons to local children. She was an Associate of the Sisterhood of St. John the Divine in Toronto. Affectionately, referred to as a "half a nun” by her family. She was well known along the Eastern Shore for taking an interest in people and their welfare. Her home was open to everyone. She was never shy to take up unpopular causes if she perceived an injustice. In the last years of her life she kept up with many people through an active ministry of letter writing and phone calls and had 90 children on her Sunday School mailing list. Bernice is survived by daughters, Lucille (Patrick) Curran of Vienna, Austria, Mary (Stan) Mason of Dartmouth and son, James Logan of Tangier; five grandchildren, Catie, Victoria, Alexandra, James and Sean, and five great-grandchildren, Desmond, Noah, Finn, Magnolia and Lionel as well as four siblings, Frances “Bunny” Hardy, Toronto, ON; Noreen (Otto) Fischbuch, Pincher Creek, AB; James (Barbara) Mason, Malagash, NS and Patricia Mason, Yorkton, SK. She was predeceased by her husband, the Rev’d Winfred H. Logan, as well as 11 siblings; Elsie, Eric and Grace (all in infancy) and Verna, Cyril, Cashman, Keith, Florence, Fergie, Terry, and Juliana.” The family would like to express their gratitude for the kind and professional care she received while in hospital on the 4th floor of the Dartmouth General and the 9th floor of the Abbie Lane. They would also like to express their gratitude to Fr. Peter Harris, a former parish priest of Tangier, for braving a snow storm to come to the hospital to offer final prayers. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Tangier, NS Due to current Covid restrictions, a private family funeral and burial will take place in Clementsport, NS. Arrangements for a memorial service in Holy Trinity, Tangier are currently being made where friends and family will be welcome to come celebrate her life.