The Advocate was published under several names (The Morning Advocate, The Evening Advocate, The Fisherman's Advocate, etc.). The obituaries appear here as they appeared in those papers at the time of publication. For the convenience of researchers, they are listed in chronological order starting with the first publication of The Advocate in 1918. Not all the obituaries from this paper are presently included, however, every effort will be made to complete this list, in the meantime. if someone has an obituary which does not appear here, please contact Jim Butler by using the CONTACT button at the bottom of every page.

The obituaries are listed in chronological order.

(The Fisherman's Advocate, January 22, 1926, page 8)

In loving memory of my dear brothers, Norman and Harold Sheppard, who were lost in the President Coaker, sometime in January, 1924, near Shoe Cove, Cape Ballard.

		Admist the roaring of the sea,
  		Oh, how we longed for word of thee;
  		God willed it otherwise and so,
  		We were left to mourn below.

  		Lord all pitying Jesu blest,
  		Grant them thine eternal rest.

	Inserted by
- E. S. Courage                 
	Catalina, Jan. 1926

(The Fisherman's Advocate, March 12, 1926, page 8)

Frederick Russell

The illfated Hillcrest carried six men. The cook, Frederick Russell was a resident of Port Union and the son of Thomas Russell a senior culler in the Trading Co.'s store. Fred was 19 years of age and worked at the plant since he started work. He was a fine type of boy, intelligent, obedient, honest and loved by all.

He landed from the Hillcrest with the other five of the crew, but was wet through before landing by a sea which swept the deck of the vessel. He had no oil clothing on and had no time to secure a cap. He was soon chilled by the wind and as no fire or shelter was available, ashore in the cliff or on the hills he soon felt the effects of the exposure. He lived through the night until about 6 o'clock Thursday morning, and walked in company with other men of the crew about half way to the settlement of Red Island. Capt. Rideout kept with him and did all possible to help him and to keep him moving. He, after seven or eight hours exposure, became blind and all being nearly worn out with the night's exertions having carried him for quite a distance in an unconscious condition, rested, and he soon passed away. He went to sleep and slept his last sleep on Earth. His body was carried by the good people of Red Island to the settlement, a distance of two or three miles from where he died, and it was properly cared for and coffined by the residents. Others of the crew had a severe struggle to reach the settlement as the crew had no food and no matches to make a fire. It took them all night a ascend a cliff which is about 250 feet hight and almost perpendicular. A kind providence watched over the crew that night for had there been a severe frost or snow worst none would have lived to reach the settlement.

Fred Russell's body accompanied the crew to Port Union and was buried on Tuesday. The business at Port Union was closed. The Port Union band of which Fred was a member attended the funeral and played appropriate hymns as the funeral procession passed along in the Methodist Church and from thence to the cemetery.

The funeral was probably the largest ever seen at Catalina or Port Union. The L.O.A. members attended in a body as the deceased was a member of that Association, as well as a member of the F.P.U.

Catalina residents attended in full force and made the funeral procession probably the largest ever seen in this locality. The service at the church was conducted by Rev. Coppin and he preached a very fine sermon appropriate to the occasion.

The deepest sympathy is extended to the bereaved father and mother and family of the deceased young man and this intense sympathy was visible expressed in the large number of citizens who composed the funeral procession.

The young man was well liked and possessed a charming and genial disposition which endeared him to all in the town. Capt. Rideout was too moved to attend the funeral, but the other men who formed the crew followed their bereaved comrade to his last resting place. After the funeral service ended the band played a farewell hymn and the casket soon disappeared from view and all that was mortal of this splendid young man was lost beneath the soil and the snow.

Seldom has a young man's death as affected a community as has this event. He was taken, but the people shutter with the thought of what twelve other men forming the crews of the two ships had barely escaped and thankful hearts exclaimed that it might have been an awful tragedy, and rejoiced in the realization that it was no worse.

The Advocate extends its sincere sympathy to the bereaved family.

(The Fisherman's Advocate, Jan 7, 1927, page 4)

(Editorial)

The community received a blow that it will take many weeks to recover from, when on Friday evening it realized that John Pardy's spirit has passed to the Great Beyond. At five o'clock he spoke to Sir William Coaker on the first fish store flat as he rushed towards the elevator tower to adjust an elevator trouble, and twenty seconds after he lay at the well of the elevator with his legs crushed. He fell 15 feet. Soon after being picked up he opened his eyes and when taken to the office of the Provision Department he became conscious and knew what had happened and what his fate was. The doctors soon arrived and administered morphine and he passed into his last sleep. When the injured legs had been attended to he was taken on board the Senef and she was headed towards St. John's within two hours after the accident. Two hours after the spirit of this splendid man left its physical abode for realms beyond. He had been the Trading Company's chief grader of codfish for eight years, and was during that period in charge of the indoor work in the fish store. He possessed a valuable training and was an excellent director of labor. His work was performed with ability and wisdom. Capable and untiring in his devotion to his duties, his place will be hard to fill. The saddest part of the tragedy is he leaves behind a helpless family unprovided for. His widow, who was a most devoted wife, now has the full care of six little children, the oldest is twelve - the youngest, and only son, is but nine months old. The citizens expressed their deep sympathy for the bereaved and their highest regard for the deceased by turning out on Sunday almost as a unit to escort the remains to its last resting place. That such a fine young man in the prime of manhood, possessing a sound physical frame, happy in the love of a devoted wife and his six beloved little ones, should be called away so suddenly and so young, makes it hard to say "Thy will be done". The Company which he served so faithfully will see to it that the little ones do not want, and in doing so will meet with the general approval of the community.

The Advocate respectively and sincerely tenders it sympathy to all the bereaved.

(The Fisherman’s Advocate, March 30, 1928, page 6)

OBITUARY

MRS. MARY JANE LODGE

The Angel of Death has visited Port Union again, and claimed for its victim an elderly and highly respected lady of this place in the person of Mrs. Mary Jane Lodge, beloved wife of Mr. George Lodge. She was hale and hearty up to a short time before her death, when she was taken with a paralytic stroke, from which she never recovered, and on Feb 22nd at 11 p.m. she passed peacefully away, at the age of 63 years.

She leaves to mourn a loving husband, four sons, three in the U.S.A., and one, Mark, at home; also two daughters in Somerville, and one living at Bloomfield, B.B. She is also mourned by five sisters, two in Boston, and three living at Elliston, and two brothers, both living at Elliston.

She was laid to rest on Sunday, Feb. 24th, in the United Church Cemetery by the Rev. G. L. Mercer, who preached a most appropriate sermon to a very large congregation. All that loving hands could do was done to render her last hours as comfortable as possible.

SYMPATHIZER

Port Union, March 28, 1928