Joseph Ernest Nazaire Fiola

Joseph is the third child but the eldest son. He attended École Dugas in Sainte-Geneviève and finished Grade 8. He then went to Les Trappists of Saint-Norbert to study agriculture and farming. He married Madeleine Ledet on June 27, 1939 in the Sainte-Geneviève Parish church. He farmed in Rosewood and Sainte-Geneviève. On most Sundays, he managed to go for family outings, but had to milk the cows before church and again after supper. Things got really busy in the 1950's when he cleared and built on his new farm in Sainte-Geneviève. He could always be found in the barn, garage or out in the fields.

P'pa was a Municipality of Taché Councillor while he lived in Rosewood. He got voted in by acclamation for a second term. I remember touring the district with him where new "mud" roads were being constructed and making sure all the ditches were functioning properly. We kids witnessed many neighbours visiting concerning municipal matters.

Joseph was a "Jack of all Trades". I never witnessed him taking his cars to a mechanic for repairs. I recall him taking his Model A apart and put it back together again. If machinery broke out in the field, he had his tools with him and repaired the damage on the spot. He learnt wiring from reading a self-taught book and wired all his buildings (that he erected) on the new farm in Ste-Geneviève. Neighbours would seek him to have their mechanical work done. He could also weld and forge iron (blacksmithing). He had the knack of locating wells. Any job that needed to be done, Jos would execute with ease.

He was also Secretary-Teasurer for École Dugas in Ste-Geneviève. If a leadership position needed to be filled he was elected. He also held the position of Church Syndicate for the Ste-Geneviève Parish.

Joseph loved all his children. About his six daughters, he would sometimes say, "I've got the most beautiful girls...one of each; brunettes, blondes, blue eyes, brown eyes". When came time for the adults to leave the farm, it was expected that they all come for Sunday dinner. If they didn't, he was terribly upset.

He was a devout Roman Catholic and would never miss going to church on Sundays. I remember that he missed on one occasion - he must have been terribly ill.

Jos was a chain smoker. During the night, he would be heard coughing to the end of his breath. In the 1960's, he was diagnosed with lip cancer and related symptoms. He quit cold turkey. In the 1970's he suffered from the onset of emphysema and at his last checkup, his cancer had spread to his throat.

Tragically, at 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 27, 1975, our dear Father, Mother Madeleine, our oldest brother, Aimé, along with his wife, Simone Boily, were killed in a head on collision at the peak of Agawa Canyon, half-ways between Wawa and Sault-Ste-Marie, Ontario. They were on their way to visit M'man's terminally-ill brother, Louis Ledet in Warwick, Québec.

Joseph would have been 59 the next day, Madeleine had just turned 54, Aimé was 34 and Simone was 31. Two of my sisters had just gotten married that year, therefore, there were still three young children under the age of 18 that were left orphaned; Aimé had four young ones under 10 years old. You can well imagine the changes that resulted.

For myself and the rest of my siblings, Sundays, holidays and special events have never been the same since. We miss P'pa's good humour and M'mam's great meals. I also miss playing chess with Aimé.

<Papa, tu nous manques énormément.>

Written by Marie-Paule Lansard née Fiola Edited by Gisèle Fiola 2013 04 30