Bathurst – Claude "Tidi" Willett, 97, formerly of Murray Ave., Bathurst, passed away surrounded by his loving family on Saturday March 11, 2017 at the ChaleurRegionalHospital, Bathurst.
Born in Bathurst, he was the son of the late Thomas and Ethel (Kenny) Buraglia.
During his early years in East Bathurst, his love for travelling "up river" started. He would take a horse or the jitney railway up to Grand Falls and often spoke about pitching a tent or polling a canoe on the Nepisiguit.
He graduated from the SacredHeartCollege, Bathurst and went away to study at St.FrancisXavierUniversity in Antigonish, NS. He was a part of the Canadian Officer Training Corps with the Royal Canadian Army. Tidi captained the hockey team all 4 years winning the Maritime University Championship two of those years. He graduated in 1944 with a BSc and returned to Bathurst to work with his brother Emmanuel in a transport business. He also helped with the family business of Bosca and Buraglia Bottling Works, played hockey with the Bathurst Papermakers and enjoyed the outdoor life up river.
Tidi met Connie and they were married in 1949. This began a love story that lasted a lifetime strengthened by their religious faith. Children soon followed bringing with it the joy and challenges of family life. A trip to Rome during the 1975 Holy Year was a highlight in their religious lives and gave them the chance to explore Claude’s Italian heritage. Tidi was a part of the staking rush of 1953 with the discovery of Brunswick Mines No. 6. This love of prospecting continued to be the focal point for the rest of his life. It took him to many locations across Canada performing geophysical surveys and staking mineral claims.
Tidi made a choice early in his career that family came first and made Bathurst his home base. He worked with Canada Employment and Immigration 1961-1984 as an employment councillor. Although Claude enjoyed his work as a Public Servant his true passion remained in prospecting. He continued this parallel career and became a very successful prospector in New Brunswick. His significant mineral discoveries at Nine Mile Brook, Belledune, Middle River and Tetagouche helped maintain exploration activity in the Bathurst mining camp and were an inspiration to other prospectors throughout the province. Tidi was awarded Prospector of the Year several times by the Prospectors and Developers Association of New Brunswick. He was recognized as a Life Member of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada and travelled annually to the International Conference in Toronto until 2014. He was especially pleased in his later years to go prospecting with his son George. This kept him active well beyond the age most prospectors hang up their boots and rock hammer.
Claude was a proud St. FX Alumni returning to campus on several occasions for Homecomings and the 2014 graduation of his granddaughter which also marked 70 years since his own graduation. He was an active volunteer at Sacred Heart Cathedral and enjoyed singing in the choir. He volunteered in the community and served on the Chaleur Regional Hospital Board.
Tidi remained active all his life and could be seen walking daily around Bathurst no matter the weather. He was a regular jogger in the 1960s and 70s and eventually switched to biking. When he wasn’t enjoying daily swims at YoughallBeach he was doing laps at the Bathurst Aquatic Centre and more recently at Le Royale. He was a founding member of the Bathurst Cross Country Ski Club and loved skiing well into his 90s. Tidi was walking and swimming right up until his brief illness.
Nothing made Grampie happier than being surrounded by his family enjoying the cottage at YoughallBeach. Walks on the sandbars, a swim in the bay followed by dinner on the deck were pleasures he enjoyed the most. Tidi will be remembered, especially by his grandchildren, for the way he lead by example with his faith, approach to lifelong learning and active living. He will be greatly missed by his friends and family.
He was pre-deceased by his wife, Constance "Connie" Willett in 2011 and is survived by four sons: Harris (Gwen Kelly) of Moncton, George (Alma) of Bathurst, Charles of Saint John and Claude Jr. (Jane Dearing) of Halifax, NS. Two daughters: Mary Stephenson (Mark) of Moncton and Anne Blackmore (Robert) of Hampton.
11 grandchildren; Shannon and Andrew Willett, Ian and Alanna Willett, Natalie and Lauren Willett, Kate and Christopher Stephenson, Matthew, Samuel, and William Blackmore and one great-granddaughter, Vivienne.
One brother, Mario Buraglia (Gladys) of Bathurst. Brother-in-law, Bert Demmings (Marg) of Bathurst. Several nieces and nephews.
He was pre-deceased by an infant son, Thomas; brothers and sisters; Marguerite, Lillian, Carmella, Emmanuel, Constance, Reginald and Roger; sisters-in-law Laura and Helena.
The family will receive relatives and friends on Friday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Elhatton's Funeral Home (www.elhatton.com), Bathurst. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday March 18, 2017 at 10 a.m. from the Sacred Heart Cathedral. Donations in memory of Claude may be made to the charity of your choice.
The family would like to thank Dr. Marc-André Doucet, his colleagues, and the staff of the Palliative Care Unit of the ChaleurRegionalHospital for their compassionate care during his final days.
