- Cora Yuill made friends all over the world without leaving Lanark County. A prolific writer who at one time kept in contact with close to 100 pen pals, she enjoyed giving of herself while expecting nothing in return. It's this warm and generous spirit friends and family now recall. Cora died peacefully at Almonte General Hospital with her family present Oct. 18, 1995. She was 90. Born Aug. 17, 1905, at Halls Mills, Ont., Cora was the daughter of the late Robert Munro and his wife the late Ida Watchhorn. She attended Halls Mills Public School and then went to write her entrance exams in Lanark Village in 1920. On Nov. 18, 1931, she married the late Arthur Yuill. They farmed for many years in Darling Township before they moved with their family to Ramsay Township in 1947. It was during the early 1940s that Cora began reaching out to others through letter-writing. A "friendship book" she sent to a friend made its way to Nova Scotia, initiating her first pen pal. An advertisement placed in the old Winnipeg Free Press sparked another 36 pen pals in 1948. From there, her hobby blossomed as more and more people contacted her. Until the early 1980s, she'd built up long-distance relationships with more than 100 people, most of them in North America but many in England, Ireland and even Australia. Mary Cook. Cora also loved writing poetry. Her works were featured regularly in Gazette. She also had her favourites placed in booklets which she as she generously offered to friends. She often used her talent to look back with fondness on her life ? her childhood, time spent at school in the one-room school house, growing up with her brothers and sisters, raising her own family. These were what she often referred to as "the best old days." One person who knows Cora's warm heart is Stephen Cotnam. He befriended her several years ago while visiting her brother-in-law on a church outreach program. Over the years, he said, they developed a friendship which just grew stronger. "She was a peaceful lady, a lady full of grace," he said. She realized her dream of traveling "through her writing. I think that gave her some distant connections." Cotnam said Cora was always generous with her time. "I found I enjoyed the visits as much did, maybe more," he said. During his eulogy, he referred to three of her poems. The third entitled "End of Summer" ends with the lines: We must make the best of the life we've been given And maybe some day we'll have a place up in Heaven. "I had felt, in a sense, she'd been able to bring a little Heaven on earth," Cotnam said. Cora was a devoted mother and loving friend. She was a member of the United Church in Clayton where she enjoyed singing in the church choir. Her last five years were spent in Fairview Manor after moving out of her log home on the Old Perth Road. Her daughter Dorothy Legree said she "truly enjoyed" singing in the choir and enjoyed many a happy day at the manor. Cora is survived by her five daughters Dorothy (Randolph Legree), Blanche (late Lawrence Desjardins), Alma (late Stuart Malloch), Eilleen (Dan Boothby) and Della (James Graham). She is also survived by her brother, Wilbert (Florence) of Clayton, Ont., sister-in-law Olive, 14 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her sisters Eva Fulton and Florence Watt and by her brother Earl Munro.The funeral took place Oct. 21 in the chapel of Alan Barker Funeral, Home, McArthur Avenue, Carleton Place, at 2 p.m. Rev. Eilleen Heppwhite officiated. Honourary pallbearers were Dave Cleary, Donald Miller, Eldon Munro, Delmer Munro, Bernard Fulton, and Logan More. Pallbearers were Cora's grandson Richard Legree, Dale Boothby, Kelly Graham, Donald Malloch, Paul Desjardins and her great-grandson Daniel Boothby. I am going home to Heaven, To the many mansions there, Going home to be with Jesus, Free from sorrow, sin and care.
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1905 - 1995 (90 years)
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