Today I was looking to find some more information on the Carleton Place daredevil Jerry Armstrong and I came across George Raeburn’s obituary. I live in the home that once belonged to George and May Raeburn on Lake Ave East and have written many stories about it.
Last year Blair White gave me a folk art oil painting that George Raeburn did of his home The Morphy Cram House/ High Diddle Day home. He had given it to Blair a good many years ago. When I die I want it to go back to the White family and have Blair’s son Ben look after it until he can pass it on. I met May Raeburn once and also met Burt when she passed on.
The far second floor room is still called Bert’s room, and George’s painting hangs with pride in my dining room. I never complained when the C.P.R. train once came down that track because Mrs. Raeburn once told me:
“Every time I hear that train I know it’s my families bread and butter coming down the track”.
October 13, 1977 George W. Raeburn – Obituary
George Williamson Raeburn died at Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital on October 13, 1977. Mr. Reaburn was born in Dalhousie Mills, Ontario on June 26, 1893. He first worked for the Bank of Ottawa and the Bank of Commerce at Parry Sound, Ontario and later at the Canadian Pacific Railway, Chesterville and Winchester and since 1938 at Carleton Place. In 1922 he married Lucinda May Finlayson of Almonte and they had one son Bert, presently in Yellowknife, NWT. Mr. Reaburn was very active in the Chesterville United Churchand Zion-Memorial United Church of Carleton Place and was clerk of session for many years. His other interests included the Carleton Place Scout Group Committee and he was a driver for the Cancer Society. He was a member of Chesterville Lodge No. 302 A.F. and A.M. and was Worshipful Master in 1923. In Carleton Place he was active with St. John Lodge No. 64 and Maple Chapter No. 116 RAM. The service was held from the Barker Funeral Home, Carleton Place with interment in Boyd’s Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, May of Fairview Manor, a son Bert and daughter-in-law Marion of Yellowknife and two grandchildren Stephen and Sarah Leigh, also, of Yellowknife and by a brother-in-law, Edgar Findlayson of Carleton Place. Pallbearers were Andrew Dickey, Wilf Hogan, H. B. Montgomery, George Nobes, Renhart Springer and Stewart White. Honorary pallbearers were Lloyd Allen, Stewart Cavers, Hub Dopson, Jim Hammond, Mac MacCauley, Frank Moon, Mervyn Morris, Cecil Ruttle, Eric Simpson, Herb Sinclair and Earl Willows.
lindaseccaspina 
My dad Rinehart (Ryan) Springer, a pallbearer, was a great family friend and I remember Christmas cards from Marion and Bert from Yellowknife, NWT. Many other names mentioned I know.
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I bet Bert at his Mother’s funeral. I still call the far bedroom Bert’s room in my home as that is where he slept:)
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His last name is spelled “Reaburn” on his gravestone.
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