Phoebe Roads

Our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother, passed away on March 8^th, 2024, with family by her side.  She was born on April 18, 1917 at Wahta Mohawk First Nation and the longest lived citizen at 106 and 11 months. 

Phoebe married Frank Roads in 1933 at Wahta and moved to Toronto in 1943 for better employment prospects; they remained in Toronto until 1974. During much of that time, each summer Phoebe and children would travel north to Port Carling where her mother, Cecilia Laforce had a craft shop on the Indian River. In the late 1960s, Pheobe took over the shop and it became Roads Craft Shop. In 1974, Frank retired and they left Toronto to live in Wahta during winter and Port Carling from spring to fall, and both devoted their retirement years to creating art for the shop. 

 Pheobe was a master bead and leather work artist, and Frank made ash and sweet grass baskets. They ran Roads Craft Shop each spring to fall from 1974-1999, when it became too arduous to annually move their household from Wahta to Port Carling and back again. At that point, Phoebe was 82 and Frank 90. Then from 2000-2014, Pheobe ran the craft shop from her Wahta residence. Pheobe’s moccasins, gloves, mittens, purses, and other pieces were shipped around the world. She loved meeting and working with her customers, who would often return each year bringing their families and friends to experience Phoebe’s creations.  

 Phoebe and Frank had four children, Shirley, Doris, Ronald, and Eleanor; 11 grandchildren, Vicki, Randy, Scott, Penney, Karen, Kevin, David, Lori, Jeanette, Stuart, and Ryan; 14 great-grandchildren, and 8 great-great-grandchildren. Frank, her beloved husband of 78 years passed in 2011 at 102 years. She was also predeceased by her children, Doris, Ronald, and Eleanor as well as, her only sibling and sister Elsie and her grandson Randy. 

 We wish to thank the staff at Lakeland Long Term Care, Parry Sound who have provided care for the past few years. We give special thanks to Andy’s House for the attentive, excellent care provided during Pheobe’s last days. Instead of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Andy’s House, Port Carling, Ontario  https://www.hospicemuskoka.com/andyshouse 

 Service: 11.00am, March 18^th, 2024 at Wahta United Church (2260 Muskoka Road 38)  

Reception: 12.00pm at Wahta Administration Building (2664 Muskoka Road 38)

Burial to take place after the service to be attended by Phoebe’s family and friends.