The many careers of Leonard d'Eon

The fact that he just celebrated his 90th birthday does not prevent Leonard A. d’Eon of West Pubnico from keeping busy and leading a full life.

For Leonard, whose daughter Erica lives in the Kentville area, it all began during the Depression years fishing for lobster with his father, rowing a double-ender dory near shore and hauling all traps by hand. This was in the hungry ‘30s between the world wars and like many others in the village, he would raise chickens on the family farm for an overseas market. This venture did not show much profit and he also took part in the Annapolis Valley’s apple harvest.

In 1938, Leonard d’Eon enrolled for a two-year course at the Agricultural College in Truro to further his education. Early in the war he was called by the army to serve his country, but for some reason he did not pass the “A-One” test.

That year he worked at the airport and training base in Truro and was later hired by the Pictou Shipyards. There he found the calling that would change his life forever; he learned the art of welding. More than half a lifetime later he was still working in his welding shop and conducting classes for welding students from time to time.

Before the war intervened, d’Eon’s plans had been to attend the Agricultural College in Guelph, Ontario for another two years after Truro. This never materialized. Instead, he worked one year at Westinghouse in Hamilton Ontario and returned home to build and operate his welding shop in 1947.

However, farming and agriculture were never far from his mind. He kept a few Corriedale sheep for wool, a bit of cattle and crops, plus the Agriculture Society left the village bull in his trust for about 10 years. In those days the production of offspring was still being done the old-fashioned way and every village had its prize bull.

Bought a boat shop, too

Farming and welding were certainly not enough for a man as restless as Leonard d’Eon. In the 1950s he bought a boat shop from boat builder Oliver d’Entremont, who was retiring, hired men experienced in boat-building and began making lobster and other kinds of boats.

Some of the customers were local and some were from as far away as the United States. Many of the boats were delivered to the States piloted by Leonard d’Eon himself. On some of the trips across the Bay of Fundy he only had a compass, a kitchen clock, a road map (instead of a nautical chart) plus tons of luck to guide him to Maine.

One of the people from the United States who had a sport boat built by d’Eon was Ralph Meyers, a New York lawyer. Meyers was impressed by the quality of wooden boats that were built in this part of the province. Later he joined with Leonard d’Eon and formed a boat building company called D’Eon’s and Meyers Boat Works Ltd. The firm kept on building sport and fishing boats for a number of years. It was only a few years before Ralph Meyers died in 1961 and Leonard d’Eon was once again on his own. But another career change was already looming on the horizon; welding and teaching would carry him into old age.

In the early 1960s, some longliners were built for Basil Blades, a fish plant owner and fish dealer from Cape Island, Shelburne County. The last boat was built in 1967 and was sold to a concern in Charlottetown Prince Edward Island. This was Centennial year and as Canada was celebrating the first 100 years as a nation, the Queen made her visit to the Island province and was treated to a harbour cruise in the Pubnico-built boat.

Took a bit of lead, Dodge City-style

Although Leonard didn’t know it at the time, his boat-building days were over. In 1968 he was hired by the Shelburne Vocational School and instructed welding courses for three years. While in Shelburne one day, he was surprised to see his pick-up truck speed by with the local police hot on its tail and firing real bullets at the tires. Some of the “Boys” from the “Boys’ School” had borrowed Leonard’s truck without asking and it took a bit of lead, Dodge City-style, before the joy ride was over.

After three years of teaching Leonard d’Eon was transferred to the Yarmouth Vocational School, as it was known then, and taught welding courses there until he retired in 1984 at 66 years.

Sadly, in 1992, Leonard d’Eon’s wife Annette, who was 10 years younger than Leonard, died suddenly at home. Leonard later remarried and keeps busy with a bit of welding, some gardening and is involved with the Acadian Museum and anything that tickles his fancy. Taking life one day at a time, Leonard d’Eon is not ready to fully retire yet. Old age may catch up with him someday, but it will have to find him first.

[email protected]