Caroline Marshall-Hobbs, a Mi’kmaq cultural and community leader, is being remembered today.
Marshall-Hobbs died on Christmas Eve at the age of 86 in Sydney, N.S.
Her family remembers her as a loving wife, mother and grandmother dedicated to her community.
“She lived her life the way God wanted every one of us to live our lives and she was a true Catholic. She enjoyed doing things around the community, the church, and she would help in the church on Christmas,” her daughter, Roseanne Sylvester, told CBC News.
Marshall-Hobbs was the matriarch of a large family, including 13 biological children, many grandchildren, and countless others in the community who looked up to her.
Caroline Marshall-Hobbs (right) with her daugher, Rosanne Sylvester. (David Burke/CBC)
“She was funny and she was always hard working and very proud. One thing I always remember, she was always so well dressed — she always looked her best,” said granddaughter Laurianne Sylvester.
She was the mother of the late Donald Marshall Jr., whose wrongful conviction as a 17-year-old for a murder he didn’t commit brought scrutiny to the province’s justice system.
“My mother never gave up and that’s the reason why Junior got out when he did, because she would not give up. Many times I felt like telling my mother, ‘Forget it Mom, nobody is listening.’ But she was persistent, she said ‘I’m going to get my son out,’ and she did,” said her son Dave Marshall.
He said his brother’s incarceration was hard on the family. Marshall said when his brother was released, his mother “got her life back.”
“It was hard to see her go through that.”
Laurianne said her grandmother’s influence reached across the country.
“She was known all over the Mi’kmaq territory, all across New Brunswick and everywhere, all throughout parts of Canada,” she said.
Her family says Marshall-Hobbs was also a source of support for her husband Donald Marshall Sr., who served as grand chief for almost three decades.
“She was well respected because she was the grand chief’s wife but she was also respected on her own merit. She had earned that all her life,” said Dave’s wife, Terry Lynn Marshall.
The funeral will take place at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in Sydney’s St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish. There will be a spiritual event at the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre afterwards.
