Community sends best wishes to beloved Sharbot Lake pharmacist

Jeff Green | Feb 02, 2022

When Jocelyn and Nick Whalen moved to Sharbot Lake in the early 1990’s to open the Sharbot Lake Pharmacy, they did not know very many people.

But they did know that the community needed a pharmacy. With Jocelyn’s skill and commitment to the well being of each of the people whose prescription she filled, Nick’s business skills, and their joint community spirit, they ran a thriving pharmacy for over 25 years.

In 2017, they sold the pharmacy to an independent pharmacy group based in Guelph. Jocelyn and Nick sold their house near Sharbot Lake and moved to Kingston, but Jocelyn kept working on a part-time basis when needed. She returned to work at the pharmacy on a more regular basis when the current pharmacist, Sarah Swanson, needed some extra help with COVID demands on her time, especially when the vaccination program ramped up a year ago, and Jocelyn drove up to Sharbot Lake on Fridays, and some weekends, to help out.

She kept working until just before Christmas in 2021, when she realised something was not right with her. She was diagnosed with metastatic cancer and the disease has progressed quickly to the palliative stage.

When Linda Gaudet, who worked as a part-time pharmacist for Jocelyn and Nick before she retired, and her partner Charmaine Jones learned recently about Jocelyn’s illness, they remembered that there was a goodbye party for pharmacy staff when the pharmacy sold in 2017, but community members did not get a chance to express their thanks. They thought that it would be nice for people to have a chance to send a message to her.

“I called Wendy Parliament because she does videography and both she and Edie [Cairns] took it on and with us and we set all about organising a video shoot,” she said.

They were too late to get a notice in the print edition of the Frontenac News last week, but it went into the online edition and was posted on the News’ Facebook page.

The response has been overwhelming, with 45 comments on the Frontenac News Facebook page, and many more on the pages where the message was shared.

“Nick has read the comments to Jocelyn, and all the emails that have been sent directly to her, and she appreciates them,” said Charmaine Jones.

The video shoot was scheduled to take place, fittingly (outside due to COVID) at the Sharbot Lake Pharmacy between 1pm and 3pm on both Tuesday, February 1st , and Wednesday, February 2nd .

The Mayor of Central Frontenac, Frances Smith, came out at 1pm on the 1st to send her regards, accompanied by Town Crier Paddy O’Connor.

The comments on social media and the video messages made reference over and over again to Jocelyn’s warmth and kindness, a “true hometown hero” one of the comments said.

Others pointed out that Jocelyn and Nick never said no to a community request for support over the years, and were always the most generous, even in the early years of the business when they were not as well established and were living above the pharmacy.

“Our community is a better place because Jocelyn and Nick chose Sharbot Lake to set up their business. My heart goes out to the family in such a sad time. Prayers and hugs to all,” said Frances Smith.

Anyone who would like to make a donation in Jocelyn Whalen’s honour is being asked by her family to make a contribution to the North Frontenac Food Bank in Sharbot Lake.