Patricia GREGOIRE

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GREGOIRE: Patricia Lauree (nee English), passed away peacefully after a lengthy battle with cancer on September 29th, 2012, at Fort Saskatchewan Hospital, at the age of 51 years. She leaves to cherish her memories, her husband Leonard of 27 years, her daughter Letitia, son Ryan, parents Clair and Beth English, sisters Debbie English, Eileen (Jim) Harrison, brother Brian (Leanne) English and several nieces and nephews. Patricia was born on July 29th, 1961. She attended Bradwardine and Rivers Schools. She graduated as a registered nurse in 1985 from the Brandon School of Nursing. She completed her Bachelor of Nursing with distinction in 2001. She worked in the nursing field for 27 years, working at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Fort Saskatchewan Hospital, and then the Northeast Community Health Centre in Edmonton. Patricia began playing the bagpipes at the age of nine, with the Rivers and District Pipe Band. In 2002, she joined the Clan McNaughton Pipe Band, where she was given the position of Pipe Sergeant. In 2007, she became the Pipe Major for the band, until her resignation in 2012. Patricia also enjoyed playing the piano, and accompanying for many choirs, and individual performers. Patty loved several sports including skiing, curling, baseball and riding horses. She was known for her lovely designed quilts, wall hangings, and table runners. She loved to give a helping hand to her family, neighbors and friends, whether it was organizing a school reunion, family reunion, or various pipe band events. She was a world traveller, travelling to Europe, Australia, Hawaii, as well as four trips to Scotland, where, on one occasion, she led the Canadian Mass Pipeband through the streets of Edinburgh for the Tattoo. In the last year of her life, Patricia formed a charity called “Patricia’s Blankets for Babies”. Through her work at the Northeast Community Health Centre, her primary role was visiting new moms and babies, a job that became her passion. She wanted every family that was experiencing a financial or other crisis in their lives to be given the gift of a baby blanket from the Healthy Beginnings Nurse who visited them. This was to symbolize the idea that someone really cared about them and their baby. A celebration of life was held at the Dow Centennial Centre, in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, on October 10th, with interment later held at St. Matthews Ancrum Cemetery, in the RM of Daly, MB, on October 20th, 2012. Those wishing to make expressions of sympathy may make donations to “Patricia‘s Blankets for Babies”, NECHC - Public Health, 14007-50 St., Edmonton, AB, T5A 5E3.

As published in Brandon Sun on Nov 03, 2012