Obituary of Evelyn Marie (Melanson) Ayer

Evelyn Marie Melanson Ayer died at home on Thursday, September 12, 2024, surrounded by her family after a battle with cancer.

Evelyn was born on June 23, 1944 in Sackville NB to Mary and Joseph Melanson, in the old farm house on Crescent St. where the town garage stands today. 

Evelyn fell in love with George Ayer when she was just 17 years old, but decided she was not ready to settle down and moved to Fitchburg Massachusetts, where she lived for more than 25 years. She worked for over 20 years at the Asher Company as a sewer of men’s trousers and enjoyed going to large flea markets while living there and returning each year to Sackville/Amherst for her three-week vacation in the summer and for a few days at Christmas. Evelyn moved back to Sackville permanently in the early 1990’s and reunited with George. When she returned to Sackville, she worked for the Red Cross as a home health aide and then privately for Herbert and Ida Purdy of Dorchester until their passing. George and Eve spent over 20 years together enjoying Saturday morning trips to PEI in the big truck, their cottage in Lorneville NS, boating with El on the Tidnish River, attending music shows at the music barn, Mt. Whatley and the pic and grin, as well as family gatherings.

Evelyn will be lovingly remembered by her daughter, Monica Lielasus; her grandchildren, Kyler Paquette and Karisa Paquette; her step-children, Jeff (Wanda) Ayer of Sackville and Shelly (Doug) Haley all of Sackville; her sisters, Ada Ramsay of Riverview and Kathy (Joe) Estabrooks of Wood Point; her brothers, Macolm (Rose) Melanson of Grand Barachois and Dave Melanson of Moncton; her sisters-in-law, Dorothy (Rodney) Smith of Sackville, Jeannine Melanson of Calgary and Barbara Melanson of Ontario, as well as by many nieces, nephews and extended family.

Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her infant daughter, Melissa Lielasus; her husband, George Leander Ayer; her sisters, Ann Kent, Marion Locy and Margurite White; her brothers, Leon Melanson and Ernest Melanson; her brothers-in-law, Hal Ramsay, John Kent, Oscar Locy and Elbert White, as well as by her sisters-in-law, Joyce Ayer and Margaret MacPhee.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Erin Campbell and staff of Campbell’s Funeral Home, 89 Bridge Street, Sackville N.B. (506) 364-8188. The funeral service will take place at the funeral home on Monday, September 16, 2024 at 1 pm with Rev. Dr. Mark Reece officiating,  The burial will take place in the Four Corners Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Evelyn may be made to the Sackville Food Bank, Middle Sackville Baptist Church, St. Vincents’s Roman Catholic Church, Canadian Red Cross or to the charity of one’s choice.

On-line condolences and sharing of memories may be forwarded to the family through our website www.campbellsfuneralhome.com or by visiting the funeral home Facebook page.