Obituary of Charlotte Matilda French

The family celebrates the life and mourns the loss of their mother, grandmother, great- grandmother and sister, Charlotte (Lottie) French, who passed away quietly at the Drew Nursing Home in Sackville at the age of ninety-eight. Lottie was born in Joggins, Nova Scotia to Johann Kaluza and Anna Paulina (Czock) Kaluza of Silesia, Germany on December 2, 1913. She is survived by three daughters, Claire (John) Peterson of Shrewsbury, MA, Joan McEwen (Allan) and Lois Doncaster of Sackville; son Brian French of Toronto (Katherine); grandsons, John Robert, Ty Burgess and James McEwen of Dallas, TX and Neil Payne of B.C.; step-grandson, Will Dandie and step-granddaughter, Natasha Kwiatkowski of Toronto; brother Darold Kaluza of Pugwash and sisters-in-law, Reta Helen Kaluza and Reita Mae Kaluza of Moncton; son-in-law, Fred Girouard as well as her cousin, Christian Kanth (Erika) Kaluza from Berlin; nieces and nephews in Montreal, Que. and Brenda Landry, who was her caregiver. In addition to her parents, she was pre-deceased by her husband, Oswald Bateson (Bus) French; three brothers, Paul, Joe, Ed and Vic; sister, Anne Petrosky; daughter, Wanda Girouard; son, Tony French; grandson, William John Peterson; granddaughter, Julie Doncaster and son-in-law, Ted Doncaster. Lottie was as fine a chef as Toronto ever saw, creating masterpieces of every form for her family and friends and for many years at the Drew Nursing Home under Chef Rene. At one time she was the pastry chef of choice in Sackville for wedding cakes. She also loved bingo and was well known and liked at both the Fire Hall and Lions Club. She was a member of the Main Street Baptist Church and the Pythian Sisters for many years. She was also one of the founders of the Seniors’ Drop in Center in Sackville. Lottie loved her family and gave her love and friendship to everyone she ever met. In keeping with Lottie’s wishes, there will be no visitation and a private service will be held for her family. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Kidney Foundation or to the charity of one’s choice.