Two is such a peaceful word
It seems to mean connection
Opposing energies of light
Emerging to perfection
Male and female, light and dark
North and South, no matter
Spark of life, enraging flame
Or ashes that we scatter
Two is just a step from one
Impressions in the sand
Memories of fleeting times
A walk, a kiss, a hand
Two is such a lovely word
It means we're not alone
In spirit, flesh or cloudy sky
In bush or bird or stone
And though we walk
Alone sometimes
With emptiness, life stressing
To have known a time
When there was Two
Truly is a blessing.
Written Especially for Two by Carol Sanders
His job was in exploration as a prospector, claim staker, and line cutter. When "Two" was 21 he decided he wasn't going to be dependent on a company for his living. This decision to quit INCO came about because he overheard his fellow employees discussing their pay. He felt their lives had become about their pay check from INCO, and living from check to check. Soon after Two quit his job he ended up in Lochalsh, Ontario. Little did he realize that he would be dependent on his customers and instead of having one boss to answer to he would have many! The picture above is of "Two" at 19 years old, by this time he had worked for the Canadian Pacific Railroad starting at the age of 14. But since his father was a trapper and prospector, Two also was skilled in these pursuits. At an early age he went to work for International Nickel Company or INCO, as it is commonly known, out of Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. Of course the way he dealt with this stumbling block was to do a good job and to let it be known that he was in charge. Since, Two’s customer’s were from the United States (Yankees), and with the low number of people living in Lochalsh, maybe 50 including children, it wasn't that easy to find someone to do what "Two" did.
Two was predeceased by his father, Gilbert Stanley and his mother Alice Clement. He is survived by his partner of 30 years Sheila Bliesath, his children and their children. Gail Valentine (Neil), Cathy Clement (Glenn), Deborah Clement, Gilbert (Marty) Clement (Sherrie), Sean Clement and Renee R. Clement-Prouse (Phil). Also survived by five grandchildren, Lyn Guindon-Salo (Bill), David, Jennifer, and Andrew Valentine, and Dalton "Jones" Clement.
Of Two's five siblings he was predeceased by his sister Lois Clement-Racicot-Harmon (Norm).
At the time of his death his sister Barbara Clement-McLaughlin-Thompson (Bruce) was still living although she died in 2001.
Two's brother Clifford Claude "Mickey" Clement (Dolly) lives in Wawa, Ontario and both are very active. Mickey and Dolly have 6 children that live in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia along with their children.
Walter "Peter" Clement lives in Kormak, Ontario and runs his tourist camp "Raney River Lodge" and traps furs.
Jacqueline Clement-Corston is living in Sudbury close to her daughter and two grand children.
Two was married to Carol Fletcher-Clement, the mother of his children Gail, Cathy, Deborah and Marty, for 19 years before they divorced. Carol, unfortunately died in 1996 from lung cancer. I am sure there are many stories that family members could provide about the time that Two and Carol were together, and I will have to leave it up to them to provide these memories.
Throughout Two's life he made many friends so these pages are to be a work in progress. It isn't only Two that was a character, a bushman extraordinary, but his whole family has interesting history. So as more stories come to light they will be added to these pages and hopefully in some kind of order.
Ridout was a small "town" along the CPR line between Sultan and Chapleau. I believe the family cabin stood for many years, but vandals burned it down a few years ago. Two's grandfather owned the general store in Sultan down the tracks from Ridout. Catherine Clement-Versage hopefully will help to fill in some blanks here from her early life.
Two's father went to Ottawa to find himself a bride. I am not too sure how he managed to find Alice Cote, but he did. Now Ottawa would have been a cosmopolitan city especially compared to Sultan. Alice's mother died when she was very young and her father was unable to care for his children so they were all sent to the convent for the nun's to raise. Alice told me that the nun's taught her how to work, but they didn't teach her how to chop wood, pregnant and have the children born at home, far, far away from any medical assistance. I guess women were just to know instinctively what to do. She said to me that she knew how to clean and soon learned how to cook. Can you imagine the culture shock coming from Ottawa to the bush of Northern, Ontario? Well she told me her bare wood floor was so clean that it was white. She had to carry any water that was used as there was no inside plumbing. Not to mention that while Gilbert was away trapping and doing mining work that she would have to carry in the wood and keep the fire going. After Gilbert died, as much as possible Alice would stay with Peter in their home at Kormak, a lumber mill town at the time, not to far from Ridout.
Gilbert Stanley Clement lived life as a trapper, prospector, and also did some guiding. His daughter, Lou, married Dave Racicot and in the late 40's early 50's started one of the first commercial fishing and hunting camps, Camp Lochalsh, in Lochalsh, Ontario. Of course they needed people to first build the camp, and then guide the Americans, not to mention feed them, and so the local people and family members pitched in. Camp Lochalsh was a big success. Barbie and her first husband Ivan McLaughlin built Camp 88 at Esnagi Lake in the early 50's. Gilbert would work as a guide, and Alice was head cook at either of the camps when needed.
Barbie's step-son Don McLaughlin purchased a camp that Lou and her second husband built in the late 60's. This was Swanson Lodge, and Don changed the name to Mar-Mac and the rest is history. He bought Camp 88 from his father so he could close it down, and around the same time he purchased White River Air Service from the Deluce family. Rumor, in September of 2002, has it that Don will be opening Camp 88 again this coming year. Swanson Lodge was built in the late 1960's. Now while all this building of camps was going on, Gilbert was trapping and prospecting, but he too had his own dream . . .
To Read "Enjoy the Present" just click on the link below.
