MARIE-LOUISE HUOT

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MARIE-LOUISE HUOT 1951-2015 Marie-Louise, or ML as she was known, very peacefully passed on Dec 2, 2015 with her immediate family by her side. Predeceased by her father Dr. Jean-Marie Huot, mother Lucille Davis Huot and brother Claude. Survived by her husband Doug, son Rémi, brothers Gerard (Maria), Jean-Marc (Angela), sister Yvonne (Brian), nephew Marco, as well as in-laws Stan, Joyce and John Mazur. Initially diagnosed with breast cancer in 1995, the disease started to resurface 13 years later causing ML to eventually stop work in 2011. She did however continue her three favourite activities: travelling, shopping and cooking. She was fortunate enough to be accepted into a clinical trial by Roche Pharmaceutical, led by the legendary Dr. Karen Gelmon from BC Cancer. Initially excited by the prospect of helping other woman by pioneering a new drug trial, the drug did prove to be very beneficial to her, adding several years of life in comparison to others with the same diagnosis. Born and raised in St. Boniface (now Winnipeg) Manitoba, Marie-Louise attended Ecole Marion, L'Académie Saint Joseph, Institut Collégial Louis Riel and graduated from University of Manitoba. She started teaching in St. Vital in 1973, becoming one of the youngest female vice-principals in the division and later on becoming a principal. She truly loved working with children and teachers. While on medical leave in 1995, she volunteered with Angus Reid's growing market research firm creating training programs. This experience was her first exposure into the world of business which she loved and subsequently stayed on, embarking on her 2nd career in human resources, eventually relocating her to Vancouver. In 2001, IPSOS acquired Angus Reid Group where she became Chief Human Resources Officer for all of North America. She loved the west coast too much to move, so she continuously commuted to New York, along with travelling around the world for business. ML was incredibly devoted to her careers, as well as her family. She thoroughly enjoyed travel from the sun and beaches of Mexico, to the cuisine and history of Europe. She loved entertaining with fabulous cooking, good times and great conversation. She also loved being by water! She spent her childhood summers at Cass Lake, Minnesota, then built a cottage on Black Sturgeon Lake in Ontario and always loved a glass of wine beside her back yard creek in North Vancouver. She believed everyone had some good in them and was a very trusting person. There were many key people in ML's life: colleagues, friends, relatives and caregivers, all were important. She was very happy about her re-connection with her close circle of high school friends and appreciated those who kept in touch, came by to lunch or for a visit. She would want anyone who was a part of her life to know that you all influenced her in some way, and would hope that she had inspired you as well. Her unparalleled spirit and will to keep living touched many people and kept her with us way beyond what was expected. She was a true "outlier" We would like to thank: her very supportive employer IPSOS, nurses 6th floor BC Cancer, North Shore Palliative, all the doctors and medical staff she saw, her brother Jean Marc and sister Yvonne for their visits and calls, Don Pratt for continuous texting, Dr. Tamara Shenkier, Dr. Lisa Gaede, Dr. Karen Gelmon and nurse Rosie Serpanchy. A very special thanks Didi (Dianne Strome). A Celebration of Life will be Tuesday December 15, 2015, 4:30p.m. at Capilano Golf and Country Club. 420 Southborough Drive, West Vancouver. A second Celebration of Life will be held in Winnipeg, spring 2016. Marie-Louise supported Convent House Vancouver, Salvation Army and any Breast Cancer initiatives.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 12, 2015