Last sibling honours P.E.I. family's wartime service

As the last survivingsibling from a family of nine children,Lucy Helen Peck wanted people to remember her family who lived on the Gray family farm in Alberton, P.E.I.

The 94-year-old helped make that happen one year ago by placing a memorial bench in a cemetery that bordered the farm.

Now she has donated another benchin memory of four of her brothers and a sister whoserved along with her in the Second World War.

The bench, located near the cenotaph in Alberton, P.E.I., will be dedicated Thursday.Peck, who lives in Ontario, will not be in attendance.

Peck said at her age she doesn't feel like travelling anymore but said, "I'm happy that it's there."

Leave a mark

"I just wanted to leave my mark on my hometown," she said. "All my brothers and sisters are gone and I'm the only one living so I asked the town of Albertonfor permission and they were quite in agreement."

GarthDaveyhas been working with Peck to ensure the bench and plaque are in place near the cenotaph that sits next to the former train station from which Peck said they all left home.

"Towns veryrarely receive such a wonderful donation," he said, adding it's madehim think of doing more with the former train station, which now housesthe local library.

Daveysaid a Vimy oak will also be planted at the dedication ceremony and he was preparingto plant 400 red tulips in front of the station so they will bloom next spring.

"I guess it's important for many people who were in the First and Second World War, [it] would have been the very last thing that they saw before serving overseas of home. It's very representational."

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