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Muriel Marguerite Sponagle Bent

Birth	:	29 Apr 1893 West Dublin, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada
Death	:	5 Mar 1960 Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia, Canada
Burial	:	Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate	:	44.6599700, -63.6223300
Inscription	:	BENT IN LOVING MEMORY OF MOTHER MURIEL MARGUERITE 1893 - 1960
Description	:	Muriel Marguerite Sponagle was born April 29, 1893 in West Dublin, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada. She was one of three children born to Capt. James Newton Sponagle, a Master Mariner, and Emma Selena Remby. Muriel married John Willard Bent, son of Herbert Willett Bent and Alice Jane Whitman, on June 13, 1916 in West Dublin. The ceremony was performed by Rev. W. Harry Rackham, brother-in-law of the bride, at the Methodist Church immediately adjacent to the Newton Sponagle family home. Official witnesses were Myrtle Remby, cousin of the bride, and Florence V. Rackham, sister of the bride.... Read More	Muriel Marguerite Sponagle was born April 29, 1893 in West Dublin, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada. She was one of three children born to Capt. James Newton Sponagle, a Master Mariner, and Emma Selena Remby. Muriel married John Willard Bent, son of Herbert Willett Bent and Alice Jane Whitman, on June 13, 1916 in West Dublin. The ceremony was performed by Rev. W. Harry Rackham, brother-in-law of the bride, at the Methodist Church immediately adjacent to the Newton Sponagle family home. Official witnesses were Myrtle Remby, cousin of the bride, and Florence V. Rackham, sister of the bride. At the time, John was a 25-year-old clergyman-in-training who had enlisted as a private in the Army three months earlier to the day. Muriel was 23 years of age. Both were residents of West Dublin and neither of them had been married before. John and Muriel would have seven children together: four sons, John Lorraine "Larry", Allison "Al" Willard, Harry Sponagle and (private, living); and three daughters - twins Ruth Remby and (private, living), and Lois Verne Whitman. Following their marriage, John served in the CEF overseas in the Forestry Division. While he was away, Muriel, who was pregnant, lived at times with John’s parents in Belleisle and at others with her family in West Dublin. John was still overseas when their first child, son Larry, was born. Following the war, John enrolled at Mount Allison University to complete his theological training, during which time Muriel appears to have lived with her parents in West Dublin. After John's ordination as a Methodist minister in 1922, he was supplied to River Hebert where the family remained, growing by another two sons, until 1925. In that year the family moved to Amherst, where John had been assigned to minister at Immanuel United Church. Of interest is a notice in the August 11, 1926 edition of the Bridgetown Weekly Monitor giving a brief account of an auto accident involving John and Muriel: The many friends of Rev. J. W. Bent and Mrs. Bent will be sorry to learn they were victims of a serious auto accident one day last week. Their car was overturned by a large one just out of Truro. By 1930 John had decided to shift his career. Although he continued to preach on occasion, he gave up the full-time ministry and took on a job as an agent for the Children's Aid Society in Amherst. On April 29, 1942...Muriel's 49th birthday…a fire in the chimney flue next door produced sparks that set the roof of John and Muriel’s house on fire. The Halifax Chronicle-Herald reported the occurrence in the May 1st edition: A roof fire at the residence of Rev. J. W. Bent did considerable damage when a spark from a nearby house landed on the shingles and fanned by wind immediately developed into a blaze. The fire worked through the roof into the attic but the department was able, after a short time, to bring it under control. The chief damage to the lower floor was from the water. It is understood there was insurance on the building owned by John Hum, but none on the furniture. In the immediate aftermath of the fire, the children were temporarily scattered to various friends and neighbors. Within a very short time John had secured new rental accommodation where they lived until the following year. By May 1943 son Herbert had enlisted in the Air Force. He was the last of their sons to enlist, Al, Harry and Larry having done so in 1941 and 1942. Just weeks later, on June 3rd, John resigned from the ministry and, as far as can be determined, he also left the employ of Children's Aid around the same time (by September 1943, and perhaps earlier, a Mrs. Frazee had become the agent). During the ensuing months he may have been seeking new employment because he appears to have removed to Halifax, probably in November 1943, where he took employment with Wartime Housing Limited, a government agency that built and renovated homes for war workers. It appears that he and Muriel separated at this time, or possibly earlier in the year. The three girls remained with Muriel and by 1944 Muriel had moved to Halifax with her daughters. In 1950, and possibly beyond, Muriel was a saleslady in mens and ladies wear at N. Heinish & Company at 233 Gottingen Street in Halifax. Following that she was a saleslady in the ladies wear department at Kline's Department Store on Gottingen Street for at least 5 years up until December 12, 1959. Following an operation on December 15, 1959 Muriel was diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas, for which she was under her doctor's care until her death a few months later. She died, at age 66, on March 5, 1960 at 26 Ralph Devlin Drive in Halifax, where she was residing with the family of her son Larry, who was the informant for her death registration. Her funeral was held on March 7, 1960 at Cruikshank's Funeral Home in Halifax, with Reverend Milton Fraser conducting the service. Interment took place the same day in Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax. Muriel's obituary was published in the Halifax Chronicle-Herald on Mar 8th, pg 18: Bent - On Saturday, March 5th, 1960. Mrs. Muriel Marguerite Bent, 26 Ralph Devlin Drive. The late Mrs. Bent is resting at Cruikshanks Funeral Home, 416 Robie Street, Halifax, where funeral service will be held Monday at 2 p.m. Reverend Milton Fraser officiating. Interment at Fairview Cemetery.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Muriel Marguerite Sponagle Bent's memorial?
Muriel Marguerite Sponagle Bent's memorial is located at: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Halifax County, Canada.
When did Muriel Marguerite Sponagle Bent death?
Muriel Marguerite Sponagle Bent death on 5 Mar 1960 in Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia, Canada
Where are the coordinates of the Muriel Marguerite Sponagle Bent's memorial?
Latitude: 44.6599700
Longitude: -63.6223300

Family Members:

Parent

Spouse

John Willard Bent

(1890 - 1977)

Siblings

James Enos “John” Sponagle

(1882 - 1961)

Florence Verne Remby Sponagle Rackham

(1888 - 1980)

Children

John Lorraine “Larry” Bent

(1917 - 1999)

Allison Willard “Al” Bent

(1920 - 2008)

Harry Sponagle Bent

(1922 - 2014)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery
Halifax, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6599700, -63.6223300

2. Baron De Hirsch Cemetery
Halifax, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6598900, -63.6201300

3. Shaar Shalom Cemetery
Halifax, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6594000, -63.6197900

4. St. John's Cemetery and Columbarium
Halifax, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6621900, -63.6254600

5. Mount Olivet Cemetery
Halifax, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6490800, -63.6262500

6. Royal Navy Burying Ground
Halifax, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6613310, -63.5915740

7. Tufts Cove Cemetery
Dartmouth, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6785600, -63.5960900

8. Saint Georges Anglican Cemetery
Halifax, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6559100, -63.5855600

9. Deadman's Island Cemetery
Halifax, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6349860, -63.6100250

10. Saint George's Round Church
Halifax, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6534480, -63.5828180

11. Camp Hill Cemetery
Halifax, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6430550, -63.5856895

12. St. Paul's Cemetery
Dartmouth, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6667800, -63.5737200

13. Cathedral Church of All Saints Columbarium
Halifax, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6400750, -63.5805580

14. Mount Hermon Lawn Cemetery
Dartmouth, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6727715, -63.5750046

15. Saint Paul's Church Cemetery
Halifax, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6474540, -63.5745810

16. Holy Cross Cemetery
Halifax, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6389100, -63.5769100

17. Dartmouth Public Cemetery
Dartmouth, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6698000, -63.5698800

18. Old Burying Ground
Halifax, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6435300, -63.5726800

19. Fort Massey Cemetery
Halifax, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6397200, -63.5747300

20. Christ Church Cemetery
Dartmouth, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6690900, -63.5681800

21. Jollimore Cemetery
Jollimore, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6242500, -63.5926389

22. Halifax Memorial
Halifax, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6191063, -63.5655212

23. St. Phillips Anglican Cemetery
Purcells Cove, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6067327, -63.5645560

24. Woodlawn Cemetery
Dartmouth, Halifax County, Canada
Coordinate: 44.6796000, -63.5264200