SOEUR RACHEL CROTEAU (S. MARIE FRANCOIS DE PAULE)

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SOEUR RACHEL CROTEAU (S. MARIE FRANCOIS DE PAULE) Le 30 septembre 2005 Soeur Rachel Croteau passait paisiblement a la maison du Pere. Elle etait agee de 90 ans dont 67 de vie religieuse chez les Missionnaires Oblates de St-Boniface. Elle laisse dans le deuil deux belles-soeurs, Margaret Croteau de la Floride et Rose-Irma Beaudoin-Croteau du Quebec, les membres de sa Congregation religieuse et de nombreux neveux et nieces. Elle fut precedee dans la mort par ses trois freres, Archie, Lionel, Claude et par ses deux soeurs, Yvonne et Soeur Yvette, m.o. Elle vecut plusieurs annees a l'infirmerie de la Maison Mere ou elle fut source de joie pour toutes avec son sourire accueillant et son souci du bien-etre de ses compagnes. Rachel est nee a Thetford Mines, QC, le 20 juillet 1915. Elle etait la 5e d'une famille de 6 enfants dont 3 filles et 3 garcons. Son pere Theodule Croteau et sa mere Rebecca Pinette etaient natifs de St-Ferdinand d'Halifax, QC, et ils elirent domicile a Thetford Mines. Le pere mourut lorsque Rachel n'avait que trois ans et sa mere le suivit alors que Rachel avait 9 ans. La famille fut alors dispersee et Rachel habita chez des cousins, M et Mme Paul Beaudoin. Elle fit ses etudes chez les Soeurs Grises de Thetford. Rachel caressait toujours le reve de devenir institutrice comme sa mere. Secretement, elle fit sa demande d'entree chez les Missionnaires Oblates de St-Boniface parce qu'elles etaient educatrices enseignantes. Apres sa profession elle enseigna a Giffard, QC. Elle se consacra a l'education pendant 41 ans dans les ecoles privees de la Congregation. Ce furent des annees de contentement et de bonheur. Les eleves lui rendaient en consolation ce qu'elle leur donnait en devouement. En plus d'etre enseignante et educatrice Rachel possedait un rare talent d'artiste. Elle savait capter la beaute des lignes, des couleurs et des ombrages pour en faire des oeuvres qui elevaient l'esprit et le coeur. Et voici comment elle parlait a Marie, sa mere en envisageant la mort, Marie, je vous appelle maintenant pour ce moment redoutable. A l'heure de ma mort, O Marie, toi que j'ai tant de fois invoquee, sois pres de moi. Sois-y comme y serait ma mere, si elle vivait encore. J'espere, je crois, j'aime! Les prieres auront lieu mercredi, le 5 octobre a 10 h 00 en la chapelle des Missionnaires Oblates au 601 rue Aulneau, Winnipeg. Les funerailles auront lieu le meme jour au meme endroit a 14 h 00. Le Pere Albert Bouffard omi, presidera la celebration. L'inhumation des cendres aura lieu au cimetiere de la rue Archibald a St-Boniface jeudi le 6 octobre a 10 h 00. La direction des funerailles est confiee au salon Mortuaire Cropo. SISTER RACHEL CROTEAU (SISTER MARIE FRANCOIS DE PAULE) On September 30, 2005 Rachel peacefully left for the house of the Lord. She was 90 years old, 67 years of religious life as a member of the Congregation of the Missionary Oblate Sisters of St. Boniface. She leaves to mourn her passing two sisters-in-law, Margaret Croteau from Florida and Rose-Irma Beaudoin-Croteau from Quebec, the members of her religious Congregation and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her three brothers, Archie, Lionel and Claude and by her two sisters, Yvonne and Sr Yvette, m.o. She stayed a number of years in the Infirmary where she greeted everyone with a smile. Rachel was always concerned with the well-being of her companions. Rachel was born at Thetford Mines, QC, on July 20, 1915. She was the fifth of a family of six children, four girls and three boys. Her father Theodule Croteau and her mother Rebecca Pinette were born in St-Ferdinand of Halifax, QC and they chose to settle in Thetford Mines. Her father died when Rachel was three years old and her mother passed away when Rachel was nine. The family was then dispersed and Rachel lived with her cousins, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Beaudoin. She attended school with the Congregation of the Grey Nuns in Thetford. She dreamed of becoming a teacher like her mother. Secretly, she requested entrance to the Congregation of the Missionary Oblate Sisters of St. Boniface since they were educators and teachers. After pronouncing her first vows she taught at Giffard, QC. She devoted 41 years of her life as educator and teacher in the private schools of the Congregation. They were years of contentment and happiness as she was very devoted to her students. As well as being a teacher and educator, Rachel was gifted with a rare artistic talent. She combined colours, lines and shadows to create works of art lifting the heart and the mind. This is how she spoke to Mary her mother as she faced death: Mary, I now am calling on you, at the hour of my death, O Mary, you to whom I have prayed to so often, be close to me. Be as my Mother would, were she still alive. I hope, I believe, I love! Prayers will be recited on Wednesday, October 5 at 10:00 a.m. in the chapel of the Missionary Oblate Sisters at 601 Aulneau St., Winnipeg. Funeral service will be held on the same day at the same address at 2:00 p.m. Fr. Albert Bouffard, omi will preside the celebration. Interment of the ashes will take place on Thursday, October 6 at 10:00 a.m. in the cemetery on Archibald St. CROPO FUNERAL CHAPEL 586-8044

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 03, 2005