[Welland Tribune, January 3, 1945]
Funeral service for the late George Herbert, caretaker of St James Anglican church and guild hall, who died in Welland County hospital early Saturday morning was held in the chapel of the Dell and Merton funeral home, 50 Clarence street, Port Colborne, yesterday afternoon and was largely attended by friends and relatives.
Rev. H.G.L. Baugh conducted the service.
Among a number of beautiful tributes testifying to the esteem in which deceased was held were those of St James’ Anglican church, St James’ Women’s Auxiliary, Central United Ladies’ Association, the staff of the H.E. Fretz garage and Iota chapter, Delta Kappa Phi sorority.
Interment at Overholt’s cemetery was deferred until a later date because of road conditions resulting from the storm. Paulbearers will be Wilbert Lewis, Fred Dunham, W.W. Crow, K.C., Daniel Berry, Joseph Bates and Robert Blackhall.
[Welland Tribune, January 2, 1945]
The death occurred at her residence Camelot Beach, Wainfleet township on Saturday night, December 30, of Alice Fyetta Busch, wife of John A. Busch, in her 65th year. Death followed an illness of some 18 months.
The late Mrs. Busch was born at Caster and had resided in Wainfleet township for the past 45 years. She was a member of First Lutheran church.
Surviving are her husband John A. Busch, two daughters, Mrs. Grant Bell, Port Colborne and Miss Gladys Busch at home; a grand-daughter; two brothers, George Crick of Fonthill and Norman Crick of Niagara Falls; three sisters, Mrs. Omer Dilts, Fonthill; Mrs. Robert Hall, Welland and Mrs Burton Udell, Niagara Falls. She was predeceased by a daughter Pearl in 1927, by a brother Charles Crick Jr. Of Welland and by a sister, Mrs. John Kells of Niagara Falls.
The funeral will be held from the Dell and Merton funeral chapel 50 Clarence street, Thursday afternoon to First Lutheran church, Humberstone for service at 2.30 o’clock. Rev. Theo A. Iseler conducting the services. Interment will be in Oakwood cemetery.
Funerals Mrs. John A. Busch
The funeral of the late Mrs. John A. Busch whose death occurred at her residence, Camelot Beach, Wainfleet township, on Saturday, Dec. 30, in her 65th year, was held yesterday afternoon from the Dell and Merton funeral chapel, 50 Clarence street, Port Colborne, to Oakwood cemetery. Rev. Theo A. Iseler conducted the service which was largely attended by relatives and friends among whom were those from Toronto, Niagara Falls, Fonthill, Welland and Wainfleet.
During the service, Mrs. Joseph Wetherup sang, “Face to Face.”
The pallbeaers were Mark Vaughan and Kenneth Maclean, Welland; J.C.S. Wilson, Frank Vasbinder and Ira D. Barnhardt, Port Colborne; and William Reichmann, Humberstone.
Among a number of beautiful floral tributes were those of the employes of Bell Marine Supply and Bell Electric and F. Woods and Son.
[Welland Tribune, January 27, 1947]
Fonthill, Jan. 27-A wedding of local interest took place Saturday at Christ church, Hamilton when Vera Kitchen of Dundas was united in marriage to Verdon Horne of Hamilton. The bride and groom were attended by Mr. and Mrs Thos. Walsh of Hamilton. Following the ceremony Mr. and Mrs. Horne and Mr. and Mrs. Walsh went to Fonthill where they spent a few days with Mr. And Mrs. William Horne.
First recorded meeting in 1845
By Joop Gerritsma, Tribune Reporter
[Welland Tribune, 25 May 1979]
Glad Tidings Church of God will celebrate its 75th anniversary the weekend of May 22-27 and the week of May 30 to June3 with a series of special services, during which former pastors of the church will speak.
But the work of the Church of God in Canada actually began before Confederation, the current pastor of the church, John Hearp, said.
The first recorded meeting took place in Bouk’s School House in 1845 in Fonthill. Thirteen years later in 1858, the congregation built a church just east of the Village of Fonthill and church gatherings were held in this building until 1890, until it was sold.
In 1891 the congregation moved into Fonthill itself, when meetings were held in Dalton’s Hall, a building now occupied by Howey’s Jewelry Store on Pelham Street.
It was not until 1904 that the congregation saw a need for a full time pastor and F.L. Austin was called to serve both the Fonthill church and the Church of God located in Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Records show there were 25 members of the church in Fenwick, who, however, did not formally affiliate with the Fonthill church until 1908.
PROPERTY BOUGHT
In the fall of 1908 construction was started on a new church building in the centre of Fonthill. It was dedicated Feb. 14, 1909. The cost of building the church was $3,500, a phenomenal sum in those days, but the debt was paid in 1910. The building became known as “The Church in the Heart of the Village,” located as it was on Highway 20 in the core area. The building is now used by Frontier Sport and Marine.
During the years that followed, various departments were incorporated into the church. The first choir director was appointed in 1915. A junior group was started in 1923.
In 1931 Clyde Randall became minister of the Fonthill church. He was to remain in this position until 1948, when he retired. Recently, however, he was the editor of the Restitution Herald, the international publication of the Church of God General Conference, with headquarters in Oregon, Ill.
NEW EXPANSION
The next expansion for the church was the purchase of a permanent parsonage on Church Street in 1942 at a price of $4,500. A major expansion followed in 1948 when the congregation at Niagara Falls, N.Y. transferred its membership to the Fonthill church. However, records are silent about the number of people joining the Fonthill church on that occasion.
In the same year the Dorcas ladies society was formed by church members to serve as a community organizations.
Some much added additions to the church building were completed in 1951 and 1952, but opportunities for real expansion and an increase in parking space were non-existent and the congregation started looking for another location. This was found and purchased in 1961, when three-and-a-half acres were acquired on Hillcrest Road, later renamed Pancake Lane. The first sod was turned in March of 1968.
In 1961 Rev. Edward Goit took over the congregation, but he left the following year and was succeeded by Pastor Emory Macy, who was the church’s pastor during the years it struggled to get its new building on Pancake Lane. Mr. Macy left in 1971.
Also during Mr. Macy’s tenure, the Fonthill Church of God had accepted an invitation from the former Ohio Conference of the Church of God to join them and they formed the Church of God Northeast Conference.
In the same period of time the Mary Marthas women’s group was formed. The funds raised by this group during the years have been donated to the church for its many projects.
NEW BUILDING
The first service in the new church building was held Sept. 1, 1968, and members staged a parade from the former church to the new one that day. At this time the new building was, however, only partially completed. The present church was dedicated the following Nov.17 and in 1973 the debt on the new building was paid for. This was marked by a ceremonial bond-burning May 27.
Growth continued and junior church services were started in 1975 as part of the organizations of a nursery to better minister to the entire family. In the same year a memorial fund was established, which has resulted in many gifts of lasting duration for the Lord’s work, Mr. Hearp said.
In 1976, a women’s fellowship group was formed and a new public address system was installed in the church, followed by the purchase of a new digital computer organ in the fall of 1977. It was dedicated at a special service Dec. 11.
Construction of a new parsonage adjacent to the church was started April 23 and was completed later in the summer of that year.
This year saw the introduction by the Glad Tidings Church of God of a new busing program, offering transportation to those who were unable to get to the church by themselves.
Mr. Hearp said it was impossible to name all the people who labored in carrying on the Lord’s work through the channel of the Glad Tidings Church.
“We look to the past with appreciation,” Mr. Hearp said. “The present is bright with opportunities to service to God and others,” among them, the approximately 100 active members and about 60 others who are inactive.
Easter is late coming in April this year
And for good weather don’t bother to cheer
Children carry a basket of paper or straw
Yes the crowd may be bigger than we ever saw
They’ll look for Easter eggs hidden in many places
Upon finding them a smile will brighten their faces
The Easter egg hunt is for what the children await
Yes most are ready to start without being late
Some eggs are eaten and others are decorated too
In different designs and colors like red green and blue
The Easter bunny looks for carrots and other things
So he can show his friends that he is still king
Flowers are starting to come but not outside for a while
And to see lilies and other flowers they’ll give us a smile
Daffodils are coming and soon will be in full bloom
But for other flowers we must wait until at least June
No need to get excited for spring its not here yet
As we wait until early June then it good weather you bet
Some folks may wear a lovely Easter bonnet
Yes they sure are nice with all the frills upon it
In the warmer areas they’ll have an Easter parade
But here to watch we stay in the sun not the shade
Good Friday is the start of our Holy celebration
As Christs resurrection is celebrated across the nation
He wore a crown of thorns as he went to Calvary
But the sins he paid for belong to you and me
He rose from the grave as he said he would do
And if his blood covers our sins we will too
Remember summer is short and soon it will be fall
So I just wish to say Happy Easter to you all.
Winston E. Ralph
Bancroft, ON
[Welland Tribune January 27, 1947]
Fonthill, Jan. 27-A wedding of local interest took place Saturday at Christ church, Hamilton when Vera Kitchen of Dundas was united in marriage to Verdon Horne of Hamilton. The bride and groom were attended by Mr. and Mrs Thos. Walsh of Hamilton. Following the ceremony Mr. and Mrs. Horne and Mr. and Mrs. Walsh went to Fonthill where they spent a few days with Mr. And Mrs. William Horne.
[Welland Tribune, February 28, 1947]
The funeral of Shirley Rose Smith, daughter of Mrs Lulu Smith and the late William Smith, whose death occurred at the family residence Steele street, Humberstone, on Tuesday in her 27th year was held yesterday afternoon from the Dell and Merton funeral chapel, 50 Clarence street , Port Colborne, to Overholt cemetery.
Rev. H.G.L. Baugh, rector of St James; Anglican church, took charge of the service. The pall bearers were Richard Smith, Merton Smith, Albert Smith, Robert Smith, Merritt Shours and Donald Young.
Floral tributes were received from the Humberstone Fire Department, St James; Anglican church Ladies Auxillary and the neighbors.
Friends and relatives attended from Dunnville, Fenwick, Welland, Albion and Buffalo, N.Y.
[Welland Tribune March 1, 1947]
Fenwick, March 1- Funeral services for the late Elizabeth Cox, beloved wife of Thomas Cox, was held on Tuesday, at 2.30 p.m., from the Lampman funeral home. Rev. W.A. Dempsey, of Fenwick United church, officiated.
Mrs. Cox, who was in her 75th year, passed away on February 23, at the Devonia Convalescent Home in Fonthill following a severe fall, suffered eight weeks ago.
Born in Luton, Bedfordshire, England, the deceased came to Canada 43 years ago, and previous to her marriage, had resided for six years in St. Catharines. She resided in this district for 29 years. Mrs Cox was a member of Fenwick United church. Surviving are her husband; one son, James of Vineland; one brother, David Day of Hespeler; and one niece, Mrs Jones, also of Hespeler.
Interment was in Hillside cemetery with the following neighbors as pallbearers; Walter T. Robbins, Edward Elliott, Archie Benallick, Elmer Haist, Verne Kappler and William Roepke.
[Welland Tribune, March 1, 1947]
Friends and relatives yesterday afternoon attended the funeral services for Alfred Salter whose death occurred at his home 1 Cady street last Tuesday in his 88th year.
The funeral was held from the Sutherland-Thorpe Funeral Home, 152 Hellems avenue, with Rev. A. H. Davis rector of Holy Trinity church officiating. Mrs Hazel Skinner was at the organ. There were many beautiful floral tributes. Interment was at Woodlawn cemetery.
Pall bearers were J. MacAroy, A. Davies. J. Grant. Don Walker, Earl Stevens and Steve Hughes.
[Welland Tribune February 5, 1947]
Port Robinson, Feb. 5-President of the Women’s Institute here for several years and active in Red Cross work, Mrs. Reginald Best died at her home in the village last night, after a prolonged illness of about two and a half years. She was in her 47th year. Deceased was the daughter of Wilson Griffith of Owen Sound and the late Mrs. Griffith.
Surviving besides her husband is one daughter, Mrs. Harold (Viola) Doerr, Port Robinson; two sisters, Mrs. Albert Baker and Mrs. Eric George; and one brother, Leonard Griffith, Owe Sound; two aunts also survive, Mrs. F.W. Dean, Alliance, O, and Mrs. Millicent Jalbert, Port Robinson.
The funeral will be held from her late residence on Friday at 2.30 p.m. Interment will be in Fonthill cemetery.
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