16. Ferdinand (Fred) Arsenault

Fred, the sixth and middle surviving child of the family, was born on 26 September 1913. He lived his early years in Maximeville, fishing a variety of catch with his father and several of his brothers. As a young man, he became very interested in the potential of commercializing fresh fish, and was often seen making the rounds of the community selling a variety of fish to his neighbors.

On 28 October 1942 he married Eugenie Mary Gallant, daughter of Peter Gallant and Eléonore Arsenault, of Egmont Bay. Eugenie was a teacher and had taught at the school in Maximeille from 1931 to 1935. She was, therefore, quite familiar with Leon and Marie’s family, and she recalls one year when at least 7 of the 11 student were “Leo D” children or grandchildren. She found them to be very bright and artistic. Eugenie remembers Aunt Aline (a Leon D) as a young student explaining to her a drawing of a circle with little squares in it as “chicken fricot”.

The Fred and Eugénie Arsenault family in 1967. Back row, left to right: Melvyn, Bobby, Billy, Freddy. Front row: Kerry, Fred, Eugénie (holding granddaughter Carol Ann), Thelma, and

Peggy.

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