DOROTHY (DORA) IRENE COURCHENE (SWAMPY)

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DOROTHY (DORA) IRENE COURCHENE (nee SWAMPY) Strong Standing Woman Peacefully at home, surrounded by family, Dora Courchene of Sagkeeng First Nation, Manitoba passed away at the age of 82 years. Wake service will be held Sunday, June 19, 2011 to Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at House 611 Northshore Road, Sagkeeng First Nation, Manitoba. Funeral service will be held at the St. Alexander Roman Catholic Church, Sagkeeng First Nation, on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Dora was born at home on the Sagkeeng First Nation on February 25, 1929. She spent most of her life on the reserve with a few years in Winnipeg. She married Alphonse Courchene and bore 15 children of which eight girls survived, she also raised a granddaughter and niece as her own. She loved spending time gardening, old country music and jigging. Her family will especially miss her bannock that was made with her loving hands. She was a respected elder in her community, and kept her traditional language alive among family and friends. Dora was predeceased by her husband Alphonse Courchene in 1973; companion Guy Lafrance in 2009; parents Alfred and Nancy Swampy; brothers Gilbert, Joe, J.B.D., Louis, Germaine, Edgar Swampy, sisters Helen Fontaine, Margaret, Evangeline Swampy, infant sons Joseph and Randy, daughter Laura and son-in-law Brian Chikowski; grandchildren Guy J. and Shawna H. and great-grandsons Carter and Winston. She leaves to mourn her passing daughters Shirley (Gerald) Morgan, Joyce Pepin, Audrey (David) Henderson, Valerie (Guy) Pereux, Velma (Brian) Fontaine, Theresa (Wayne) Courchene, Penny Courchene, Tracy (Larry) Guimond, and Helen Bruyere; son Dean Courchene; grandchildren Shawn (the late Celina), Kirsten (Pride), Shannon (Fred), Kelsey, Patrick, Jamie, Terry (Tracy), Jacqueline (Scott), Kevin (Adrianna), Maya (Justin), Natasha (Matthew), Alphonse (Maria), Jonathan, Julia, Alexis, Justin, Chasity (Norman), Andrea, Ramie (Jess), Jeremy (Leanne), Corey, Susie, Daniel (Trish), AJ (Stephanie), Craig, Shawna, Larry (Chantelle), T.J., Randy (Gaileen), Jennifer (Randy), Nanci (Rene), and Sam; great-grandmother of Shawn Paul, Kelsey, Stealth, Seth, Courtney, Alex, Meagan, Katia, Emma, Paris, Payton, Piper, Dillan, Jordyn, Diego, Arianna, Jacob, Leilani, Kaden, Israel, Marshell, Sienna, Sidney, Guy J., Brynn, Dawn, Syris, Ariana, Abrianna, Jai, Jaiden, Kenneth, Halle, Dustin, Nicholas, Rylen, Rhaeanne, Jaiden, Anna, Gillian, R.J., Tessa, and Jordan; sisters-in-law Theresa Swampy, Mary (George) Courchene and Margaret (Jules) Lavallee; brothers-in-law Ken (Rose) and Rick (Cecelia) Courchene; special nephew Jerry (Merle) Swampy, special great-nieces Stacy Bunn and Marlene (Bob) Gallagher; numerous nieces and nephews and friends. The family would like to thank Dora's nurse Fredricka and Dr. Lambrechts for their care and kindness they provided for our mother throughout her illness. A tribute DVD in memory of Dora Courchene will be produced and, condolences may be sent to the family c/o Spirit Road Funeral Services Inc., Box 200, Fort Alexander, MB, R0E 0P0, spiritroadfs@shaw.ca or friends may leave a message of sympathy on the Omega Funeral Home web site www.omegafuneralhome.com. Dedicated to those we serve .

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 21, 2011