HELEN MARJORIE LAVALLEE

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HELEN MARJORIE LAVALLEE Helen Lavallee was born in Cormorant, Manitoba, Sunday, April 22, 1923 and orphaned at a young age. She was raised in The Pas, Manitoba. Helen became ill with TB at age 16 and was infirmed for five years at the sanatorium in Winnipeg. It was there that she first saw a picture of her future husband Edward and she always said that she knew that she was going to marry him. She met him when he was visiting his sister and brother at the sanatorium. Helen and Edward married July 31, 1945 (64 years ago) and lived in Pine Bluff, Manitoba for the first 10 years of their marriage before moving to The Pas due to the flooding at the time and to enroll the older children in school. Life in Pine Bluff was hard but it was a close community that was productive and self-sufficient. Family and family life were the most important to Mom. She and Dad lost their first daughter Florence in infancy due to illness and Annette in 2002. Mom grieved the loss of her daughters. All of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren knew that they were loved and that she cherished the times when everyone was home for holidays and special events. Besides taking care of her family, Mom also worked outside the home. She worked at St. Anthony's Hospital for over 30 years in housekeeping and laundry. Mom became known as Granny or Granny Lavallee to most that knew her. Over the years she had many fulfilling experiences: One year she had to take over coaching Dad's baseball team and won the championship - she was very proud of her effort; she was also the bingo queen and what more can be said about that; she was very skilled at knitting and crocheting; she was a voracious reader and passed on the love of reading to all her children; she was a hockey Grandma to her grandsons and attended as many games and practices as possible; she loved to travel and often accompanied Louise, Orra or her friends on their travels to Winnipeg and Regina or wherever they were headed; all the kids and grandchildren knew to expect pancakes and bacon at Granny's every Saturday morning without fail; and she loved dancing and old time music. Mom was a devout Catholic and regular church goer. Mom had kept the tiniest bible in her purse and in it she had recorded all of the names and dates of birth of all her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Mom had diabetes and many related illnesses. She experienced a number of operations and medical procedures in Winnipeg in the last two years. We could see that the effects were really slowing her down. She died peacefully, with her family at her side, Friday, June 19, 2009 at St. Anthony's Hospital, The Pas, Manitoba, age 86 years. Helen is survived by her husband Edward; children Sonny Lavallee (Orra), Louise Dewar, Jackie Lavallee (Clément Bédard), Delbert Lavallee, Lionel Lavallee; grandchildren Noelle Dorion (Darcy), J.R. Lavallee, Curtis Lavallee (Leslie), Marcel Dewar (Crystal), Réal Dewar (Shawna), Jade Dewar (Kimberley), Laurice LaVallée (Denis), Danielle Bédard, Joöl Bédard, Lori Cook, Albert Cook, Felicia Cook (Randy), Skye Lynn Cook; great-grandchildren Chloe, Jessica, Avery, Joee, Zander, Gabriel, Sean, Matthew, Kaelin, Madison, Joel, Nicole, Leah, Connor, Quinn, Natalie, Denis, Melanie, Dionne, Ruby, Randall, Raenaeia; in-laws Claire Mikkelsen, Marie and George Tetarenko, Gabriel Lavallee (Mary Louise), Ovide and Ida Lavallee. Helen was predeceased by her father Pierre Highway; mother Sara Cholette; daughters Florence Yvonne Thérèse Lavallee, Annette Alma Lavallee; grandson Sonny Joseph Lavallee; son-in-law Keith Dewar; daughter-in-law Ruby Cook-Lavallee. A Christian Wake Service was held Tuesday, June 23, 2009, 7:00 p.m. at the Chapel of Hemauer Funeral Home, The Pas, Manitoba, lead by James Hemauer. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Wednesday, June 24, 2009, 2:00 p.m. at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Cathedral, The Pas, with Rev. Bill Stang OMI, presiding. Music ministry was by Rochelle Rydberg. Memories of the Heart were given by Jade Dewar, Danielle Bédard, Noelle Dorion, Avery Lavallee. Scripture readings were by Jessica Dorion and Chloe Dorion. Active Pallbearers were Marcel Dewar, Réal Dewar, Jade Dewar, J.R. Lavallee, Curtis Lavallee, Joël Bédard. Honourary Pallbearers were Ida and Ovide Lavallee. In keeping with Helen's wishes, cremation has taken place and an interment will be held at Pine Bluff. If friends so desire, donations to the Canadian Diabetes Association, 200-310 Broadway, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 0S6 would be appreciated by Helen's Family. Hemauer Funeral Home, The Pas, in care of arrangements.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jul 03, 2009