For Saint John’s Buck family – which is filled with former and current members of the Canadian Armed Forces – Nov. 11 is circled on the calendar for a get-together. “Remembrance Day to me means an awful lot,” says family matriarch Donna Buck. “I just think of the men and women that laid down their lives, and that we are free.” After attending various ceremonies around the Greater Saint John region to mark Remembrance Day, the family always comes together to celebrate the holiday. The elder of the Buck family was just a young girl when her father and his three brothers served in the Second World War. She still has some of the postcards her father sent her, as well as some other memorabilia from his service time. Buck would later join the army reserves before she married and had six children of her own. All six of her kids would go on to be active in the 527 Simonds Air Cadets. Three of them would go on to serve, along with two of their spouses. She also has three grandchildren, as well as other extended family members who have or continue to serve in the Canadian Armed Forces. To ensure those legacies are forever enshrined, Buck creates a display each November to honour and remember her family members. “I just started out with a picture of dad and then his brothers,” Buck says. “And then, gee, first [time] I knew, I had this many pictures.” The display, filled with poppies, includes dozens of pictures of the family during their service time. In recent years she has added a hand-sewn banner that was created by another member of the family that lists relatives who have served. For Buck, it’s important to honour the sacrifice her family has and continues to make. “I have another grandson that is looking forward to getting into the Army,” Buck says. “And I’m sure that these younger children, they see how we’ve served our country, and I’m sure that they’ll do the same, I hope.” The entire family takes pride in the display and looks forward to it each November. Jessica MacNeil drove all the way from Greenwood, N.S., to ensure she was with family for the important holiday. “We’re really proud of our family and what we do,” says MacNeil. “When I tell my friends that my grandmother goes all out for Remembrance Day and she decorates and she has a party, they can’t believe it, but it’s something really special to us.” Marty Arsenault, daughter of Donna and a former reservist herself, is amazed each year when the display starts going up. “It is absolutely fascinating that mom has these pictures,” she says. “And she knows everyone’s story behind these pictures and what they did, what they’ve done and everything else. “We’re very accustomed to it because we were brought up with these where other people might find it fascinating that mom has kept track of everything.” Armed Forces aviation technician Dallas Arsenault is now at least fourth generation service member in his family. To be able to carry on the family’s military legacy is an honour. “I’m quite proud,” Arsenault says. “I think growing up it was always the path I was going to choose, and it was one of those things that you always knew you were going to end up there, and here I am.” Debbie Cyr, who worked in the army’s communication department for four years and is another of Donna’s daughters, is very thankful for the service her family and people around the country continue to do to keep the nation safe. “I’m thankful for the sons that are serving now, and especially thankful that everybody is free to do as they wish,” she says. “And only be do as they wish because of the sacrifices that other Canadians have made.” For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
