Mom was born on August 16, 1920, on her father’s homestead about seven miles south-west of Willow Bunch, SK. In a few years, grandpa (Joseph Bourgeois) purchased some land closer to Willow Bunch and the family moved there. Mom was the first-born, so when she turned six, grandpa thought they lived too far from school for mom to go there on her own. Sometime after she turned seven, grandma’s sister from Regina came to visit. She offered to take mom with them and look after her so she could start school in the city until her little sister Anita was of school age. At that time, she returned to the family farm as now there would be two of them travelling to Grace School and grandpa thought the two of them would be able to handle it. However, a short six years later, another hurdle appeared. Grace School only went to grade 8! It just so happened that grandma’s younger sister, Elizabeth, had just come back from fighting TB at Fort San and would need some help to manage at home and to operate the movie theatre and dance hall. Great Aunt Elizabeth offered to take mom in and guarantee her further education. So mom sailed through high school, enjoying it and being very good at several sports. She had excellent grades and was proud of graduating with a bilingual grade 12. For her high school achievements, she received a gold medal from the ambassador of France, which she kept all of her life. Mom could write and speak equally well in both French and English, and her handwriting was a model of perfection. As long as great aunt operated her theatre, mom was her secretary and she would handle all correspondence for her. After graduating from grade 12, mom continued to work for great aunt and somehow started to go out with dad, 11 years older than her and one of several eligible bachelors hanging around after the Great Depression.
The story goes that dad was not fast enough to commit, so mom let it be known that she was considering joining the CWACs, Canada’s female contribution to World War II. They were married on Sept. 15, 1941! Mom never had a regular job, staying home and raising the six of us. It was quite clear that she always thought she could have had a career. Mom was only 61 when dad passed away suddenly in 1982. She always made her own decisions and when she looked forward and saw a future where she would need more care, she decided that Georgette, in Yorkton, was in the best position to look after her interests. She spent some years at Fisher Court and encountered culture shock (no more small town life where a person knew every other person) and eventually Yorkton District Nursing Home. On May 6, 2020, she passed away peacefully at the age of 99 years and 9 months in the presence of our dear sister Georgette who had spent so much time looking after our wee tiny mother. May 6 is the birthday of her youngest son, Guy, who had passed away just two months before. Mom is survived by her sister Delvina Martin; her brother Georges; her children and their families: Maurice (Myra) - Lara (Todd): Sharayah, Tristan, Cayole; Angele; Chantal (Dean): December, Dominick; Celeste (Tarrant): Jaira, Kinley, Jayvin, Jarrett: Paul (Kathy) - Colinne (Shane): Olivia; Guylaine: Omer (Dale) - Roxanne (Cody): Alicia: Louise (Bert) Lambert: Georgette (David) Kluk - Michelle (Aaron): Sutter; Lindsay: Anika, Ryder; Eric: Guy (Diana) - Jean-Guy; Luc. She was predeceased by her parents Joseph and Virginie Bourgeois; husband Jean; brother Claude; sister Anita LeRuyet; son-in-law Bert; youngest son Guy; grandson Jean-Marc; great-grandson Cameron. Funeral Mass was celebrated Tuesday, May 12, 2020 in Ross Funeral Chapel. (video streaming was provided due to Covid-19 nationwide health crisis) Father Gerry Bauche celebrant. Family participated in readings and pallbearers. Interment followed at St. Ignace Roman Catholic Cemetery, Willow Bunch, SK. Arrangements entrusted to Ross Funeral Service, Assiniboia, SK.
Please join us in remembering Jeanne by visiting our memorial at www.rossfuneralservice.com. Through this site, we invite you to share your thoughts, pictures and fond memories with the Champigny family.
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