Beatrice Marie was born on Wednesday, September 15, 1926 to parents Harry and Elisabeth (Weppler) Karn. She and nine of her siblings were born on the Karn Homestead on 6th Concession of Sullivan. Her two youngest siblings, the twins, were born in hospital. In total there were six boys and six girls and living quarters were tight as the home had only four bedrooms upstairs. Beatrice attended school at Kinghurst/Mooresburg where the Karn family acted as caretakers and even boarded some of the teachers.
Her usual day began at 6 a.m. with chores around home and then off to school to start the fire. She also helped milk the cows, clean stables, fed and bedded the animals, and worked in the garden, in addition to her house chores like mopping floors, moving beds and churning butter to name a few. Beatrice loved this period of life, and recalled many fond childhood memories through her later years.
At the age of 15, Beatrice moved to St. Catharines with Gordon, Viola and Dorretta to work at a factory that made anti-aircraft shells. When that job ended she moved on to Toronto and commuted by train to Malton where she worked as a riveter on the wings of the Lancaster Bombers until the war ended. Her next move took her to Kitchener where she worked at the Arrow Shirt Factory until she was married.
Beatrice often travelled home on weekends to help clean. On one such occasion she ran into Lorne Murray Hatten at a neighbour’s. It was love at first sight and the young couple soon eloped to Kitchener to be wed. Harold and Violet were the only ones who knew of the marriage which took place on March 20, 1945 at Kitchener’s City Hall. They returned home the following day and told their families.
The young couple started their life together on a farm on the 14th of Bentinck. In time they welcomed their four children, Judy (1951), Rick (1955), Cheryl (1960) and Connie (1965). In 1957 the family moved a little farther up the 14th to their new home. This 200 acre piece of property had experienced a recent fire and the Hatten’s built their new home on top of the old foundation. Beatrice often helped Lorne in the fields and at the barn too! Their property had a pond and Beatrice always had a large garden. Her kids often joked it was not a garden but instead another field! 🙂 Here she grew a variety of produce with peas, corn and cucumbers being some of her favourites. In fact for a year or two the family grew cucumbers for Bick’s. Her large garden allowed her to excel at other passions, cooking and competing at Fall Fairs. She would enter canned goods, pickles, jams, vegetables and of course baked goods. Some of her specialties included her pea soup, potato salad, homemade donuts, chocolate chip cookies and who could forget her graham wafer cream pie! Nobody could make macaroni and cheese like hers – just ask her grandchildren.
Beatrice was very active in her grandchildren’s lives. She often cared for them in the summer months and after school and always commented on how fortunate she was to have them so close, getting to know each one of them so well as they grew up. She was so proud of them all and so appreciated their love and visits. (And they were all there for her at her bedside when she passed.) In time, she was happy and eager to welcome the next generation of the Hatten family whereby she became a great-grandmother twelve times over. Loving, generous, compassionate, strong and hardworking were just a few words that come to mind when describing this incredible woman.
In their younger years Lorne and Beatrice loved to dance, often attending dances at the Louise Hall. She was very much family oriented and loved to attend all family gatherings. She enjoyed indulging in sweets, especially a good date square, and her children all recall lunch being served at 1 p.m. Why you ask? Well, All My Children began at 1 p.m. This tradition continued on with the grandchildren, however, she renamed her favourite soap to “The Story” for them. On Sunday mornings Beatrice would faithfully tune into church programming on the television. She enjoyed her crafts and was well known to keep everything, just ask her kids. She also loved her pets. It didn’t matter if it was a bird, chipmunk, cat or dog, Beatrice always made time and some food available to them. She was so generous with some of her pets (and grand pets) that on more than one occasion she warmed their food for them. Imagine! Her pets, especially Blackie (her black lab), became a real comfort to Beatrice when she lost her beloved Lorne in 2005. In fact, Blackie became an extension of her family. Beatrice remained on the farm until 2015 when health issues led to a move to Elgin Abbey Lodge.
Sadly, Beatrice passed away at South Bruce Grey Health Centre, Chesley on Monday, June 5, 2017 in her 91st year. She was surrounded by her loving family, which is a testament to the legacy of love and strong family bonds she leaves behind.
Beatrice is now in her heavenly garden with her much loved Lorne. Cherished mother of Judy (Larry) Charlton of R.R. #1 Chesley, Rick (Donna) of Mooresburg, Cheryl (Scott) Barfoot of Chesley and Connie (Doug) Mills of Breslau. Beatrice will live on in her grandchildren, Alicia (Craig) Rogers, Matthew (Crystal) Charlton, Sarah (Terry) Rogers, Crystal (Brian) Heenan, Rob (Lynn) Hatten, Nicole (Stephen) Alexander, Dustin Barfoot and great-grandchildren Abbie, Keegan, Ethan, Allie Bea, Chloe Belle, Hannah, Hunter, Blake, Lucas, Parker, Benjamin and Lennon. She will be fondly remembered by her brothers Harold (Violet) Karn of Hanover and Lawrence (Ruth) Karn of Powassan, sisters-in-law Bernice Sachs, three Betty Karns, June Fritsch, Shirley Doerr and brother-in-law Alvin Zister. Beatrice was predeceased by her brothers Alvin, Dean, Gordon, Wilmer, sisters Dorreta Phillips, Lorraine Nesbitt, Luella Kuhl, Alvena Kuhl and Viola Jackson.
Visitation will be held at Rhody Family Funeral Home, Chesley on Thursday from 5 – 8 p.m. where a funeral service celebrating Beatrice’s life will be held on Friday, June 9, 2017 at 11 a.m. Interment in Chesley Cemetery.
Memorial donations to the Canadian Diabetes Association or Desboro Agricultural Society, to support her beloved Fall Fair, would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy.
