À LA DOUCE MÉMOIRE DE Donald (Don) Rathwell
Passed away at home, on December 16, at the age of 87. Survived by his loving wife of 57 years Joan (nee Edwards), son Scott (Stephanie), daughter Carrie and grandchildren Mckenzie, Martin and Sara. Predeceased by sister Lois Sweeney, brother Alan, and parents Clarke Rathwell and Patricia Johnston. Survived by numerous nieces and cousins.
Family and friends are invited at the Heritage Funeral Complex, 1250 Trim Road, Orleans on Monday, December 29 as of 11:30 a.m. The service in the chapel will begin at 1:30 pm. followed by a reception in the Heritage Funeral Complex reception halls.
For those who can not attend, the funeral will be live streamed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSRKqSWX6Hs
The inurnment will take place in the spring at the Wilson Memorial Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to Navan-Vars United Church (navanvarsunitedchurch@gmail.com), the Cumberland Township Agricultural Society (ctas.finance@gmail.com), or The Salvation Army.
We send our deepest condolances to the family.
Dear Joan and family. How saddened I was to learn of Don’s recent passing. My heart goes out to you at this difficult time. Don was a very kind man who welcomed me at Navan Church many years ago. May all your wonderful memories of Don become treasures as time passes. In sympathy and friendship, Diane Pieters
Love and condolences Joan
Wonderful memories of visits you and Don made to us in Halifax, especially breakfast downtown with both of you, Amy and me just before Hurricane Dorion arrived during one of your bus tours to the Maritimes. Special memories of time together mean so much.
sincere sympathy Joan and family.
Ruth Powell
Joan and family,
Please accept my deepest condolences.”
Sincères sympathies 💐 to the family of Don Rathwell.
Family Etter
My first memory of Don was he and his international tractor at the Navan Fair helping to clean the barns. I was very young but he left an impression to work hard and smart. The Rathwell farm was always pristine. Both Joan and Don worked hard helping to build the Navan community. I always looked forward to seeing Don at Fair events. Cheryl and I offer our sympathies and a prayer to the Rathwell family.
Dear Joan,
So very sorry to learn of Donald’s passing.
My sincere condolences to you and your family.
I know that you and Don had a wonderful and long life together……such memories to cherish.
Lois ( Anderson ) Driscoll Class of ’67
J̌oan I am so sorry for your loss. I extend my sincere sympathy to you and family.
42 years ago i had just graduated with a BA from Guelph University… I was feeling that many lessons remained to be learned in the world, so I applied to work on Don and Joan’s farm for the summer. They took a chance on me. I will always cherish the lessons learned (picking stones,,amongst many others!), the kindness and wisdom gained from that summer. It is a rare gift that I carry with me.
My condolences to Joan and Scott and Carrie for the loss of a lovely husband, father and human being.
Dear Rathwell Family
Our thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of sorrow.
Don & Pat lawlor
Dear Joan,
My heart goes out to you at this difficult time. May your years of married memories give you comfort at this time and the days ahead.
My memories of Don is that he always supported the agriculture community and enjoyed travelling to these events.
His smile stays with me.
Blessings to you.
Lyla
Dear Joan and family, So sorry to hear the news of Don’s passing. You are all in my thoughts and prayers at this sad time. Maureen Pickett (Carter, class of ’67.)
Joan and family
Sincere condolences to you allduring this time.
Mary Jackson
Sandy jackson and family
Our deepest condolences Joan and the family.
Nooyen Family
To both the Rathwell and Edwards families, our deepest sympathy.
Aux familles Rathwell et Edwards, nos plus sincères condoléances.
Pauline Brazeau, Paul et David Gravelle
Sympathy to you and your family Joan on the loss of your husband!
Bonnie (Russell 67) Neville
Sending condolences , Joan , to you and your family at this sad time .
May you find comfort in the memories you have over the years .
Sincerely ,
Carrie Wingfield ( Crozier ) Class of ‘67 .
To the Rathwell Family. I will always have fond memories of working with Don and Scott at the farm. They both taught me lessons I will always carry through life. Dinner time at Don and Joan’s house was just something you didn’t want to miss in the work day. My deepest condolences.
Dear Joan & Family
We are so sorry to learn of Don’s passing. We have so many fond memories of times we shared at numerous family events! Our deepest condolences to you and the family.
Lonnie & Jo-Ann Wright
So very sorry for your loss. Rhonda Leroux
Dear Joan,
Very sorry to hear of your husband’s passing.
Sincere condolences to you and your family.
May he rest Rest in Peace.
Carol Brown (Crozier ‘67)
Our deepest condolences to the Rathwell family
The Molenaar Family
Dear Joan, Scott, Stephanie, Carrie and children,
Our sincere condolences to you on Don’s passing. He always brought joy to any room he was in at our family gatherings. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.
Our deepest sympathies Joan, Scott, Carrie and family. Always loved seeing him and talking about farming, 4-H, country music and friends.
Joan and Family
My prayers are with you. Such a wonderful man to deal with for so many years. Don will be missed.
Our condolences go out to you and your family. He was such a kind and gentle man.
To Scott and family, Please accept my sincere sympathy on the passing of your dear Dad….my prayers and thoughts are with you all.
Joan I am so sorry for your loss and I will miss Dons friendship and
Monthly chats with me as we discussed the other day, We have had a relationship for over 65 years when we started to work together on the farm and my real education started and I owe him and his family a lot. Margaret and I send our condolences to you and your family
Sending our sincere condolences to all the family.
Marcel and Diann Lalande
Scott, my deepest and sincere condolences to you, Stephanie and all your family at this time. May the cherished memories of Don bring you comfort in this time of sorrow.
I found this poem and it speaks of Don perfectly of his dedication as a Farmer, community support of the Navan Fair and Navan-Vars United church – he will be greatly missed.
So God made a Farmer by Paul Harvey
“I need somebody with arms strong enough to wrestle a calf and yet gentle enough to deliver his own grandchild; somebody to call hogs, tame cantankerous machinery, come home hungry, have to await lunch until his wife’s done feeding visiting ladies, then tell the ladies to be sure and come back real soon, and mean it” – So God made a Farmer
God said “I need somebody willing to sit up all night with and newborn colt, and watch it die, then dry his eyes and say maybe next year. I need somebody who can shape an axe handle from a persimmon sprout, shoe a horse with a hunk of car tire, who can make a harness out of hay wire, feed sacks and shoe straps, who at planting time and harvest season will finish his forty hour week by Tuesday noon and then, paining from tractor back, will put in another 72 hours” – So God made a Farmer
God had to have somebody willing to ride the ruts at double speed to get the hay in ahead of the rain, and yet stop in midfield and race to help when he sees first smoke from a neighbor’s place – So God made a Farmer
God said “I need somebody strong enough to clear trees and heave bales, yet gentle enough to wean lambs and pigs and tend to pink-combed pullets; who will stop his mower for an hour to splint the broken leg of a meadowlark. It had to be somebody who’d plow deep and straight and not cut corners; somebody to seed, weed, feed, breed, and rake and disk and plow and plant and tie the fleece and strain the milk and replenish the self-feeder and finish a hard week’s work with a five-mile drive to church. Somebody who would bale a family together with the soft, strong bonds of sharing; who would laugh and then sigh, and then reply with smiling eyes when his son says he want to spend his life doing what dad does” – So God made a Farmer
We send our deepest sympathy to Joan and family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time of loss and sorrow.. Don will be missed by many.
Sincerely Dwayne and Laura Acres
In hearing of Dons passing. I was deeply saddened. It was my misfortune not having had the opportunity to get to know Don better. everything that I have heard was that he was a very special person, a wonderful friend and a loving family man. My deepest sympathy goes out to Joan, their family and to all who were fortunate enough to have had a special relationship with Don. You are all in my prayers.
Joan and family,
My deepest sympathies to you all during this difficult time.
Debbie Perala (Lawlor)
Condolences to Joan and all the family on the loss of a well known community member. Thoughts are with you all during this time.
Dear Joan and family.
Marion and I saddened to hear of Don’s passing.. Unfortunately, neither Gord nor I were able to attend today’s memorial in person but .truly appreciated the opportunity to view it online. Hopefully we will have an opportunity to speak in person before too long.
Sending my sincere sympathy to Joan and family.
Joan, we were so sorry to hear of Dons passing. Please accept our condolences.
On a personal note and I hope this makes you smile….i will always remember our times together on your house remodeling.
Quite sure Don never failed to remind me and I quote “ every time I see you it costs me more money “
Know you are in our prayers
Carol and John
I would like express my sympathies for the loss of Mr Rathwell.