Pearl Colpitts
1931-2023
Pearl Thelma Colpitts passed away peacefully at the Moncton Hospital July 2, 2023 with her family at her side.
Pearl was a daughter of A. Russell Colpitts and Geraldine (Fulton) Colpitts, born at the family home in Colpitts on December 10th, 1931, the fourth of eight children. After graduating from Salisbury Regional High School, she and her sister Carol attended Mount Allison University and went on to Medical Laboratory Technology in Saint John. Her working career began at the old Moncton Hospital, moving to the new facility on MacBeath Ave in 1953. Bermuda, Peterborough, and Alberta Red Cross were her next career stops before returning to Moncton in 1961 to set up the first blood transfusion service (blood bank), retiring in 1993.
Pearl’s involvement in sports was legendary. Women’s hockey at Mount Allison, basketball wherever her career took her. Golf became her passion, club champion at MGCC thirteen times and represented New Brunswick at the Canadian Ladies National Gold Championships numerous times, as an amateur and senior. Curling as a skip and badminton were her winter sports, competing at the local and provincial level.
Caledonia was the weekend retreat for Ski-Dooing, long before groomed trails. Her skills in handling the Ski-Doo took her to New Hampshire, where she refused to enter the "Powder Puff" instead, raced the men and won.
She and Cousin Connie Colpitts found time to be leaders of the 1st Salisbury Boy Scout Cub pack for 17 years.
Beginning in 1976, they were the owners and operators of Little River Ranch, raising champion silver foxes and leading sales at Hudson’s Bay Company. In later years "Birdwatching" became the favoured pastime with annual trip to Grand Manan to watch the migration, recording over 350 species in NB. Partridge hunting and salmon fishing on the Tobique rounded out her sports.
Her family was everything to her. Her nieces and nephews and others reaped the benefit of her love and care by taking them hiking, fishing, camping, skidooing and biking. When night fell it was board games and cards. Her work ethic was legendary and this was passed on as well. Her boss, Dr. MacLellan once said, "Pearl is the only person I knew could herd bears with a switch". She took complete control of her life and we all laugh and say "and those around her as well". She was an imposing pioneer in health care, athletics and business, beloved and respected by all who knew her, a strong female role model for many. For thirty years "My girls", as she referred to her staff at the Blood Bank, celebrated her birthday with her at home, chocolate cake and boiled icing.
She was predeceased by her parents; sisters Barbara and her husband Phil Downing, Carol and her husband Bliss Lowerison, Sandra and her husband Ted Atkinson and brothers Stanley and Max (Marilyn Quaife).
She is survived by her beloved life companion Connie; sisters Pauline Lewis (late Karl), Lillian Forbes (late Reg), and sister-in-law Kay Colpitts (late Stanley).
A private committal service will take place at a later date at Colpitts Memorial Garden. Arrangements are in the care of Salisbury Funeral Home (506)372-4800.
If desired, donations in memory of Pearl to the Colpitts Memorial Garden, the Heart and Stroke Foundation or Friends of the Moncton Hospital would be appreciated by the family.
Online condolences at www.keirsteads.ca