iii; a»? 1: New”

St. sauveur Church, Montreal, December 22, 1935

Uncle Toufic had a difficult and troublesome life. He was the fifth child in the family of seven and the youngest boy. He was 18 years old when he came to Canada. He likely did not have too much schooling in Lebanon and was too old for schooling in Canada. He seemed to be the “problem child’ and early on developed a drinking problem. When he married at the age of 27, his parents and the rest of the family were hoping for a change for the better by taking on new responsibilities.

Unfortunately, the change did not occur. My aunt Hassibi, a beautiful, loving and caring person had a difficult time for the next 10 years trying to save their marriage and bring up their five children.

Aunt Hassibi and my mother got along very well and were best of friends. I remember them getting together and teaching each other cooking and baking. They used to make Baklawa from scratch, even the filo dough. Hassibi was a very good cook and I am sure she was a big help to my sister Yvonne who, at rhe age of 21, married Hassibi’s brother Jim.

About 1946—47 Hassibi was no longer able to cope with the situation and she was granted legal separation and returned with her children to Montreal where her aunt and two brothers were living. About the same time (J an.5, 1946) her brother James Haddad married my sister Yvonne and started a grocery business in Montreal.

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