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Away from her high profile duties as a judge, Mabel Van Camp (centre) is seen here relaxing at home in Blackstock with her sisters, Jessie Gunter (left) and Wilma Drinkwater. maps and books, Mabel would enjoy the day with Aileen driving her around all the back roads to see the countryside, and then they would come home for supper. “That was her favourite way to pass the time,” Aileen recalled. Mabel always came back home to Blackstock for Christmas and other special occasions, such as the annual Van Camp family reunion. She liked her tea and cookies, enjoyed playing euchre and bridge, and she was a big fan of hockey and baseball games. In her younger days, when the other children in the family went to the CNE, Mabel and her dad would head off to watch a baseball game instead. Mabel didn’t like shopping — except for books. She passed along her love of reading by Mari-Ann Britt, pp Port Perry Fax: 905-982-2088 14500 Simcoe St., Unit 2 (McDonald’s Plaza) 905-982-208 buying books and getting them from the children’s library for her nieces and nephews. They always looked forward to her visits. Then she'd be back to the big city where it was a whole other world, a world where things happened like Queen Elizabeth sharing her bathroom at Osgoode Hall, a world where former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau called to congratulate her for her appointment to the Supreme Court of Canada, a world where Madame Justice M.M. Van Camp presided as the judge over some major trials. But we don’t talk about that. Instead, another funny story. Asa circuit judge, Mabel travelled exten- sively, and she was usually picked up at the train station. One time, no DENTURE CLINIC Your Smile Makeover Specialist + Private Waiting Room ¢Teeth Whitening » Implant Retained Dentures + Same Day Repairs & Relines * Mouth Guards ¢ Full/Partial Dentures ¢ Permantly Retained Dentures 7 SS After she retired, Mabel continued her quest for knowledge by going back to school. one came to collect her, so she took a taxi, barely arriving in time for court to be in session. When she got to the courthouse, it was bedlam at the front desk. Mabel kept trying to get the attention of the staff, but they waved her off, saying that she would have to wait because they were “busy trying to track down the damn judge.” Mabel retorted, loud enough to get their attention this time, “I am the damn judge!” After retiring, Mabel continued in her quest for knowledge by going back to school. A lifelong Anglican, she studied Philosophy and Ancient Greek in order to reach her goal of being able to read the original version of the Bible. Although Mabel passed away on Thursday, April 19, 2012 at the age of 91, her positive influence as a mentor and role model to women lives on. Like many other women. she blazed the trail for, Mabel’s great niece (Jessie’s granddaughter) Jessica McLaughlin plans to be a lawyer. Having a second extended fam- ily member with a law career is yet another first in the Van Camp fam- ily. By Lynn Campbell Focus on Scugog 08.FOCUS, AUGUST.32 pgsindd 15 FOCUS - AUGUST 2012 15 12-07-23 9:05 AM