Obituary of Joseph William Savage

What would it be like to experience almost a century of living? Joseph (Joe) William Savage did just that, passing away quietly on March 26th, in his 97th year. Joe spent most of his life on the property on Westville Road in Pictou County where he was born. The son of immigrant parents, John (Jonas Talavinskas) and Annie (Ona Almonaitis) Savage, he learned the value of hard work. Growing up on a small family farm, as a child he experienced the years of the Depression, and as a young man served his country during the Second World War. Later he trained as a plasterer and mason. Always a hard worker, Joe was recognized as a master plasterer and worked in Halifax/Dartmouth and throughout Pictou County. His last working years were at Maritime Steel. He relished being outdoors and there was no Pictou County stream that his fishing rod had not touched, or woods that were not explored looking for game. The camp in Trafalgar was a favourite place to be each Fall. While he might on occasion forget something, he could recite every detail of each hunting or fishing trip and loved nothing more than to share those stories with anyone interested in listening. His garden was a source of pride and you would be hard pressed to find a weed growing anywhere near the perfect rows of healthy vegetables and beautiful flowers. Visitors to the property would be entertained with a game of horseshoes, or a round of mini golf on his little nine-hole course. When Joe married his Cape Breton sweetheart, Beatrice Hopkins, they built their home next door to his parents on Westville Road. There they raised their three daughters, Trudy Johnson (Doug Masters), Joanne MacIvor, and Cindy Pettipas (Gerry). Joe maintained the family property with pride until he could no longer manage its upkeep. Joe's last years were spent on 5-West at the Veterans Memorial Hospital in Halifax where he received wonderful care and was affectionately known as Joe-Joe. Joe is survived by his three daughters, grandchildren Andrew (Keisha) and Ann Marie Johnson; Murray (Kelly Cromwell), Caleb (Yeaji) and Taylor (Andrea MacGregor) MacIvor; and Jillian (Geoff Torning) and Brittany Pettipas, as well as six great grandchildren. Joe was predeceased by his wife Beatrice, brothers Adam, John and Anthony; sisters Adelia, Ann, and Margaret and son-in-law, Ron MacIvor. A private family service will be held at a later date. In honour of Joe’s memory, please take a few minutes to enjoy the natural beauty we have around us or consider making a donation to any charity that promotes animal wellness or the preservation of our natural environment. Arrangements are under the direction of Eagles Funeral Home.www.eaglesfuneralhome.ca