ARMANDE MCKENNA (CORMIER)

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ARMANDE MCKENNA (nee CORMIER) August 29, 1923 - March 26, 2007 It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Armande McKenna, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend to many. Armande was predeceased by her beloved husband Jim; her brothers, Camille, Aime, Ben and Alain; her sister Therese; her sisters-in-law, Diane Cormier, Lucy Cormier; and by her brothers-in-law, Arsene Girardin, Ray Rochon, Jacques Laurin and Armand Durand. She leaves to celebrate her life her children and grandchildren, Jennifer (Bob Brown), Paul (Sandra Brown), Miguel and Hannah, Charles (Elaine), Ryan and Kaitlin, Ed (Andrea Labossiere) and Jesse; her sisters, Agathe Rochon, Monique Laurin, Pauline Durand, Andree Lemoine (Jean), Gisele Isabey (Amedie); her brothers, Edmond Cormier and Lucien Cormier (Cecile); her sisters-in-law, Anita Cormier and Agnes Cormier; and numerous nieces and nephews. Armande was born on August 29, 1923, in LaSalle, Manitoba, the eighth of 13 children to Charles and Sophie Cormier. She grew up on the family farm and, as an adult, moved to Winnipeg where she met Jim McKenna. They married in 1951 in Flin Flon, Manitoba, where Jim worked as a prospector for Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting. Shortly after the birth of their fourth child in 1958, Jim died tragically of medical complications. Armande courageously raised her four children on her own, though not without the help of friends and family and, in particular, our beloved Uncle Ben, whose brilliant wit, compassion and storytelling so often set our table at a roar. Mom provided us with a good home, always encouraged us to do well in school and at work, and her talents in the kitchen made our suppertime a daily treat. With her children in school, Mom returned to the workforce full-time and spent many years doing various jobs with Transport Canada. She retired after 17 years of service with the Government, and continued, until very recently, to enjoy good health and well being throughout her sunset years. Mom loved first and foremost her husband, her children, her grandchildren, and her large extended family and friends, but she also treasured opera, classical music, traveling the world over, thunderstorms, gardening, dancing, good literature, lively conversation, family parties, laughter, long walks, movies, her trips to the lake, volunteering for her community, Portugal, ice cream, efficiency, sucre a la crème, the blue skies of the prairies, Placido Domingo, and chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. A fearless traveler, she visited many of the exotic places of the world and loved, when home again, to talk about what she had seen and learned and marveled at when abroad. Armande was a great believer in serving her community in a volunteer capacity and these are some of the agencies for whom she donated her skills and efforts: Ecole Henri Bergeron, Age and Opportunity, Winnipeg Harvest, and the Agape Table soup kitchen. She also spent 15 years volunteering with the Palliative Care Program at St. Boniface Hospital, offering her companionship and comfort to many, many people. Mom and her family are so thankful to the Palliative Care Program who, throughout the last year of her life, made it possible for her to live independently at home. She spent her last few weeks at Riverview Health Centre, where the excellent staff so skillfully and gently helped to prepare her to make her final journey comfortably and with dignity. Thank you for all you've done for us, Mom. That you are at peace now brings us the greatest comfort. Home is the angel home from the apple tree and the farm girl home from the field. A memorial service will be held at Desjardins Funeral Home at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, April 2. In lieu of flowers, donations in Armande's name can be made to CancerCare Manitoba Volunteer Services, 675 McDermot Ave., Room ON1160, Winnipeg, MB R3V 0V9, or: donate@cancercare.mb.ca

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 31, 2007