Memories of Pam Ireland-Mason of Malcolm Campbell High School
Update
The 1968 photo of Pam Ireland and Bob May (below) is from Fred Benedikt, who also has a recent comment at the end of this post. Fred writes, “I have a picture to include with my recent post Re: Pam Ireland. It is the picture discussed by her friend Irene …the prom with Bob May.”
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Pam Ireland-Mason and Irene Moodie-Johnson at the Grad Dance 1968. Source: Irene Moodie-Johnson
MCHS Alumna Pam Ireland-Mason died on July 7, 2015.
At the Malcolm Campbell HS Class of ’68 Facebook Group, her long-time friend Irene Moodie-Johnson has shared her memories of Pam.
With Irene’s permission, I have created this post, so that I can share her memories of Pam, at the MCHS 2015 website:
Irene Moodie-Johnson’s memories of Pam Ireland-Mason
Pam and I met on the first day of school in 1967. We were both in Mrs. Norman’s class in room 211 on the second floor. Pam was a couple of years older than me but that was due to her having missed a few years of school due to illness and broken legs. We became best friends that day even though she lived in St Laurent and I lived in Montreal North.
I spent a lot of time at Pam’s apartment. Her place was always so calm and quiet compared to my house. Pam lived only with her father and I with my mum and dad and two sisters. My father would drive me to her place and then he would pick me up when it was time to go home.
Pam Ireland and Bob May, 1968. Click on photo to enlarge it. Photo source: Fred Benedikt
We were both very involved in school activities. Pam was the president of the Red Cross and I was the class rep. One of my poignant memories was when I was nominated for school queen. Pam was among those who counted the votes and let me know ahead of time that I wasn’t chosen. I really appreciated that.
Pamela Ann Ireland. Source: Obituary for Pamela Ann Ireland
We went shopping downtown together and went to school dances together. We went to the movies – two that I remember were Godspell and Georgie Girl. We even had a few double dates. The only one I really remember was the Grad Dance. We didn’t have dates with the boys from our year so we went outside of our class. Pam went with a boy named Bob May and I went with Mike Feinsinger. We had a great time and I have a couple of pictures I will include with this note if I can get the technology right.
After graduation I went away for the summer and when I came back we picked up our friendship right where we left it. I can’t remember the exact timeline but the funniest story I can think of was going to Pam’s apartment for dinner. We decided to make spaghetti and meatballs. It turned out pretty good but was so hot that we could barely eat it. We would take a mouthful of spaghetti, a drink of water, wipe our brows and blow our noses. It was hot, but good and we ate it.
Over the years we would lose touch for a time, years even, but we always managed to find each other. Pam was a true friend whom I could rely on and did on more than one occasion.
I saw Pam more often when she moved to London. I would stop in to see her on the way to visit my mother and father in Hamilton or on the way back home. Sometimes I would spend the night and we would spend hours drinking coffee or tea, talking and catching up on each other’s lives.
In 2000 Pam and I met up in Montreal for the Y2K Reunion and shared a room at the hotel. Again, we had a great time seeing old friends and sharing a few drinks together. We got together again in 2008 when we went to our Class of ’68 reunion again in Montreal. I saw Pam a few times after that but I hadn’t been back to Ontario since the death of my mother. I wish I had. I will miss my friend.
I wish I could remember more specific things that we did together but so much time has passed. What I know best is that I loved her and I will miss her.
Irene
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I knew Pam Ireland. I also knew where she lived when a gust of wind took her off the top Floor balcony and plummeted her to the ground breaking both of her legs and putting her in hospital for more than a year. I visited her there and drew a piece of art on her leg cast. Of Irish roots, she always had a smile for everyone and endured her pain without question.
I met her through my sister who had known her since childhood…I seem to have known her forever. She had a smile that would just draw you in every time. That day changed her life forever but not her smile and I will always remember that.
Lives part but friendships remain. It was my sister that told me of Pam’s Death the other day. She and Pam had stayed in touch over the decades even as my sister’s life took her to Switzerland, the Netherlands, Zambia, back to Canada and then finally back to the Netherlands with her husband where she settled for the past 40 years. Pam’s obituary notice and attached photo can be found at this location:
Pamela Ann Ireland
I could be wrong but I seem to think that Pam was the maid of honour at my sister’s wedding in Montreal….it was a long time ago. There are wedding pictures ….. somewhere? Pam was just one of those people with a smile for everyone, a willingness to give of herself and I do not think she had an enemy in the world. Although she was born in England, her Irish roots of long ago tell you where she came from.
The Irish, like my own London Eastenders were Irish labourers who generally moved to London, England for day-labour work on the London docks. Over the generations that followed the families eventually settled elsewhere in England.
The Irelands were early comers to England. So, early in fact that wherever they first landed they became established as the family who were known by their cultural roots. Then again, it was not difficult to see the Irish in Pam…it seemed to radiate. By nature of Pam’s surname we can tell that the family had been in England for many, many generations, back to a time when she would have been known as Pam of Ireland in lieu of an established surname of some other sort. Pam of Ireland. RIP…you will always be remembered.
I also knew Pam at the time of her terrible accident. I spent a lot of time with her and a few others every summer around the pool of her apartment complex. I am very sorry to hear of her passing. My sympathies to her family.
Pam and I were close friends during/after high school. My husband I attended her wedding to David, and her son Sean was born exactly one week after I had my daughter Jenn. We got together several times after we both moved to Ontario, but sadly lost touch once our kids were grown. The strangest thing is that Bill and I were talking about trying to reconnect with Pam just a couple of weeks ago… our deepest condolences to David and to Sean.
I was saddened to discover of Pam’s passing today. For the past 4 or 5 years, I was periodically trying to reconnect with her and perhaps others who lived in Carterville (Grenet St.) and later the house in Ville St. Laurent.
Background
My history with Pam, aka Sam, goes back to the early 1960’s through an initial contact with Bob May, Ray Cornell and Gord Carisani. We would hang out together and go to house parties …or later visit her in the Sacre Coeur Hospital due to her fall. I recall the Carswells and a few parties at their house in Saraguay … BTW sorry about the spilled soft-drink on the record player!! Pam’s circle of friends always grew ever larger.
Lost Friends
I remember Irene who made the initial post and a few chorus’ of “Good Night Irene”. Irene – did you make it into the military? I’m still in close contact with Bob May and have contact information for Ray Cornell. I think Gord is somewhere in the Toronto area. Who knows the whereabouts of Joanne Butcher or Denise Brumby also for the same area. I will include, somehow, a better picture of Pam and Bob at the prom
I lost touch with Pam in the mid-1970’s when I had a family of my own.
Rest in Peace Pam. Condolences to her family and all who knew her.
It’s really good to read your message, Fred. The memories that you have shared are so good to read, these many years later.
In the event you have any photos that you’d like to send to me, that I could add to this post about Pam, please feel free to send them as attached jpeg files to jpill@preservedstories.com and I will be pleased to add the photos.
Update
Thank-you Fred, for sending in the photo. I’ve added it to the main post (above) and also to your Comment. I’ve also posted it at the MCHS ’60s Reunion Facebook page and at two other MCHS Facebook pages. That’s a beautiful photo. I’m so pleased that we’ve been able to share it.