Pen pals for over 60 years

Two women from different countries have shared their lives together through words.

Emily White of Milton and Jean Feather of West Dearing, New Hampshire started writing as pen pals when they were barely teenage girls. They remain friends to this day.

White - then Emily Oickle - saw Feather’s name in a pen pal listing in the Free Press Weekly, which she believes, but isn’t certain originated in Winnipeg. She picked the name – then Jean McAlister - randomly but the result was surprising, she says. “I wrote her. I was telling her about Queens and she wrote back her family was originally from Queens Co. Now, we’ve been corresponding for over 60 years.”

Feather says her mother was from Queens Co. but was sent to the United States to live with relatives. “She never came back until after her children were born. We came back just about every year to Port Medway.”

Her relatives here include her aunt, Joy Cohoon and her nephew, Sheldon Cohoon.

They started writing near the end of World War II. They finally met in 1949 and became instant friends.

Feather says, “It was a great meeting because we’ve known each other for a long time.”

The American family usually stayed no longer than two weeks because Feather’s parents were farmers. Therefore, they both say they tried to enjoy, and did, their time together.

White still hasn’t visited New Hampshire yet but says, “I hope to make it one of these days.”

Back in the early days, they used to write about their families, the weather, what they were doing as activities and other topics.

Later, they discussed similar topics in addition to their families. White’s family consists of two girls and a boy, who have now grown up to give her four grandsons and two great-grandsons.

She worked at Standard Brand Best Yeast on the current Bowater Mersey property.

Feather had three girls and is a grandmother to two grandsons. She is a nurse.

As for memories, neither can remember relaying sad times, only happy.

Now, Feather visits nearly every year just as her parents did. “I like it here. I think Nova Scotia is great. The people are friendly. To me, it’s a relaxing friendly place to visit. I’d like to stay longer but you just can’t sometimes.”

Besides, she says, they still have their letters. “We just don’t want to quit writing to each other.”

White says, “I don’t even think about something like computers. Just the paper and pen.”