SOEUR ANITA NORMANDEAU

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SOEUR ANITA NORMANDEAU (S. MARIE-BERTHE) Subitement, le 1er septembre 2003 sans avoir le temps de faire des adieux, Anita nous quittait pour un monde meilleur. Elle etait agee de 66 ans et etait entree chez les Missionnaires Oblates au mois de fevrier 1957. Anita etait la huitieme dune famille de dix enfants. Elle vit le jour a La Broquerie, au Manitoba, le 28 juin 1937. Son pere Arsene Normandeau etait fermier et sa mere Alberta Cote en avait plein les bras a soccuper de la maison et de sa nombreuse famille. Les parents se faisaient remarquer par leur attachement a lEglise et aux pretres. Aussi donnerent-ils, une education chretienne a leurs enfants. Voici ce quAnita dit au sujet de sa premiere communion: "Ma premiere communion fut tres simple, mais pieuse, preparee par ma bonne maman." A six ans elle commenca ses etudes a lecole des Soeurs Grises a La Broquerie ou elle completa sa huitieme annee. Elle fut ensuite pensionnaire au couvent de St-Charles pour les neuvieme et dixieme annees. Puis elle quitta lecole pour rester a la maison afin daider sa mere. Dailleurs elle etait plus attiree vers les travaux manuels que par les etudes. En 1950, sa soeur Therese etait entree chez les Missionnaires Oblates et en 1954, sa soeur Aurise embrassa elle aussi la voie de la vie religieuse avec les Soeurs Grises. Le beau reve quAnita formait depuis son adolescence, lui revenait de plus en plus surtout apres ses deux annees avec les Soeurs si devouees et si charitables a St-Charles. Elle ecrit, "devenir Missionnaire Oblate, oui une vraie missionnaire, me devouant dans les petites missions. Je savais le bien quil y avait a faire car ma soeur Therese me parlait souvent de ces cheres petites ames abandonnees. A 19 ans, jai donc tout quitte pour devenir lepouse du Christ." Son ideal etait de se devouer le plus possible pour le bien des ames selon la Volonte du divin Maitre. Sa devise etait: "Pour vous, Coeur de Jesus". Anita sest devouee a plusieurs endroits. Les quinzaine dannees a Duck Bay ont tenu Anita tres occupee. Elle etait cuisiniere et on dit avec un talent "cordon bleu". Les fillettes profitaient des lecons de musique car Anita leur enseignait a jouer lorgue. La preparation de lenseignement de la catechese a lecole et la preparation des enfants a recevoir les sacrements faisaient partie de son travail. Elle apportait la communion aux malades. Les paroissiens de Duck Bay etaient beaucoup encourages par Anita de prelever des fonds pour batir leur eglise. Elle avait une ecoute speciale des personnes qui venaient en visite ainsi quun accueil tres chaleureux. Elle etait aussi coiffeuse. Et voila ce quelle a ete lhistoire dAnita. Voila ce quelle a fait de tout son coeur. Anita laisse dans le deuil sa belle-soeur Rose-Anna Jolicoeur (feu Elphege), sa soeur Emilia (feu Jean Jolicoeur), Lucie et Edmond Gagnon, S. Therese Normandeau, m.o., sa belle-soeur, Lorraine Gevaert (feu Albert), Aurise, Raymond (Louise Kenna), Noellia (Ted Jolicoeur) et de nombreux neveux, nieces, cousins, cousines et sa communaute religieuse. Elle a ete precedee par ses parents, Arsene et Alberta et ses 3 freres, Albert (1996), Ovide (1999) et Elphege (2002). Les prieres auront lieu samedi, le 6 septembre 2003 a 10 h 00 en la chapelle de la Maison Mere a 601 rue Aulneau, Winnipeg, MB, et les funerailles a 14 h 00 le meme jour au meme endroit. Le Pere Albert Bouffard , omi, presidera a la messe de la resurrection. Linhumation aura lieu au cimetiere de la rue Archibald, a St-Boniface. Les arrangements funebres ont ete confies au salon Mortuaire Cropo. SISTER ANITA NORMANDEAU (S. MARIE-BERTHE) Suddenly, on September 1st, 2003, with no time for farewells, Anita left us for a better world. She was 66 years old and became a member of the order of the Missionary Oblate Sisters in 1957. Anita was the eighth child of a family of ten. She was born and raised in La Broquerie, MB, on June 28, 1937. Her father, Arsene Normandeau was a farmer. Her mother, Alberta Cote had her hands full housekeeping and taking care of her large family. The parents were known for their love and respect for the Church and the priests. They gave their children a solid Christian education. This is what Anita said about her First Holy Communion. "My First Holy Communion was very simple, but celebrated with piety. My dear mother had prepared me with all her heart." At age six, she started her schooling at the Grey Nuns school in La Broquerie where she completed grade eight. She was then sent, as a boarder, at St-Charles convent for grades nine and ten. She then stayed home and helped her mother having a natural inclination for manual tasks rather than for studies. In 1950 her sister Therese had joined the Missionary Oblate Sisters and in 1954 another sister, Aurise had also embraced religious life with the Grey Nuns. The beautiful dream that Anita entertained since the beginning of her adolescent years, became more persistent, especially after the two years spent with the Missionary Oblates in St. Charles and who were devoted and charitable. She wrote, "To become a Missionary Oblate Sister, yes a true missionary, devoting myself in the small missions, I knew about the good that could be done there, because my sister Therese often shared with me of those poor dear abandoned souls. At 19, I left everything behind to become a spouse of Christ." Her ideal was devoting herself as much as she could for the good of the souls according to the will of the Divine Master. Her motto was: "For you, Heart of Jesus". Anita devoted herself in many places Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Her 15 years in Duck Bay kept her very busy. She was the cook with a "cordon bleu" talent and was also a hairdresser. The girls benefited from music lessons as Anita taught them to play the organ. The preparation for the teaching of the catechism program in the schools and the preparation of the children to receive the sacraments were all part of Anitas responsibilities. She also brought communion to the elderly. The parishioners of Duck Bay were encouraged by Anita to raise funds to build a church. Anita know how to listen to people and had a way of welcoming people that made them feel at home. And so thus is Anitas Life. This is what she did with all her heart.... Anita was predeceased by her parents, Arsene and Alberta; her brothers, Albert (1996) Ovide (1999) and Elphege (2002). Anita leaves to mourn, her sister-in-law, Rose-Anna Jolicoeur (the late Elphege) her sister Emilia (the late Jean Jolicoeur), Lucie and Edmond Gagnon, S. Therese Normandeau, m.o.; her sister-at-law Lorraine Gevaert (the late Albert), Aurise, Raymond (Louise Kenna), Noellia (Ted Jolicoeur) and many nieces, nephews and her religious community. Prayers will be recited on Saturday, September 6 at 10:00 a.m. in the chapel of the Mother House, 601 Aulneau St., Winnipeg, MB, and the Resurrection Mass will be celebrated on the same day at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel of the Mother House. Interment will follow. CROPO FUNERAL CHAPEL 586-8044

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Sep 05, 2003