SCOPE
Fall 2002
Vol. 9, No. 3

Those were the Good Ol’ Days!

by Sophie Dagenais, Communications Officer

Meet Alcide and Antoinette Schryburt—residents of Villa Marguerite! Both Antoinette and Alcide grew up in the market area—known back then as Lowertown, Ottawa’s oldest neighbourhood. They’re certainly quite familiar with the huge railyard, which marked the birth of Lowertown in the 1850s and ended in the 1960s when the railyard was shut down. Their leisure activities in those days often included walks by the old General Hospital—now the Élisabeth Bruyère Health Centre—on Waters Street, which was later renamed Bruyère Street. They’d go swimming at the Champagne Bath on King Edward Street in the summer and skated during the cold winter months on a local outdoor rink where the city lights would flicker on and off at around nine o’clock to let them know it was time to go home. “The good, old, simple days,” reminisces Alcide.

Alcide and Antoinette met in 1936, they fell in love a few years later, and then married on August 27, 1940. They’ve never been apart and they’re really happy about being together at Villa Marguerite. “Moving to Villa Marguerite was like coming back home,” says Antoinette. In their 62 years together, they raised four children—Gérald, André, Carmen, and Ronald. They’ve also been blessed with seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Alcide comes from a family of 10 children—three brothers and six sisters—two of whom serve with the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa (Sister Albertine Schryburt, 93, and Sister Georgette Schryburt, 81). Antoinette comes from a family of seven children—three brothers and three sisters—and still keeps in close contact with one of her sisters who calls each and every day to check up on them both.

Alcide worked for Canada Post for 35 years where he was in charge of the library and the archives—he retired in 1975. Antoinette filled her days at home taking care of the children and her husband. They have lived in Ottawa all their lives, and in the 1980s, spent the winter with their son Gérald, and the summer months at the cottage. They loved the peaceful outdoors—fishing on the river, walking in the woods, and enjoying weekend visits from their family. They did this for years before moving to Villa Marguerite in 2001.

Alcide has been at Villa Marguerite for almost a year now—since October 2001, and Antoinette has been here for a little over a year—since August 2001. They don’t share a room at Villa Marguerite, but they’re close neighbours! “Every morning I wait for my wife and we walk down the hall to have breakfast together,” says Alcide. They enjoy one another’s company and the care they receive at Villa Marguerite. “We’re very well treated here—the staff gives us excellent care,” says Antoinette. Each day, after their morning talk and their communion, they participate in activities organized by the Villa Marguerite staff such as bowling, Bingo, movie night, picnics, Saturday mass, and excursions to the casino and restaurants. Every evening, Antoinette and Alcide also receive phone calls from family members—they chat and keep up-to-date with their children’s lives. They also have many weekly family visits where their children and grandchildren join them for strolls down memory lane in their old neighbourhood, remembering how life was in the good ol’ days!

SCOPE
Autumn 2002
Vol. 9, No. 3