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Nancy Aston is the daughter of Edith Bechtel Reed, a niece of Roxa Bechtel Watson.Nancy recalls the funeral of Homer Watson. She also remembers a story of Homer's ghost being sighted years later by a friend of the author Jane VanEvery.
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Nancy Aston 127 May 2005
Kitchener, Ontario
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My name is Nancy Aston, I am the daughter of Edith Bechtel Reed, who was a niece of Homer Watson. Her Aunt Roxanna was Homer Watson's wife, so that's how I am related. I don't have many memories of Homer Watson while he was alive...4
Nancy Aston 227 May 2005
Kitchener, Ontario
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"I just have a vague memory of an old gentleman, in this studio, rather austire. That's just a vaugue memory, but I did attend the funeral. My strongest memory is of attending his funeral in 1936. I would have been thirteen years old at the time.6
Nancy Aston 327 May 2005
Kitchener, Ontario
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At that time, I was living with my Aunt Jane here in Kitchener. She thought it important that I should attend the funeral, and so I had the day off from school. The funeral was very impressive and I remember that Uncle Homer was lying in his coffin in the gallery, surrounded by his paintings.8
Nancy Aston 427 May 2005
Kitchener, Ontario
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He looked very noble in his coffin. It was raised up on what would be called a bier. The eulogy was given by Sir Wylie Grier. I didn't know who he was at the time, but I knew that this was a very important and impressive occasion.10
Nancy Aston 527 May 2005
Kitchener, Ontario
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I am related to Homer Watson through his wife, Roxanna Bechtel. She was a sister of my grandfather, Byron E. Bechtel, my mother's father. Her mother was Anna Taylor of Waterloo. My mother came from a family of seven...12
Nancy Aston 627 May 2005
Kitchener, Ontario
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She had five sisters and one brother. They were all influenced by Homer Watson. Three of the sisters became artists.Aunt Jane VanEvery told me of an incident when she was painting at Doon with a friend of hers, a lady who was rather psychic.
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Nancy Aston 727 May 2005
Kitchener, Ontario
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