Gertrude Marie Cecile Desnoyers Caouette

read at her funeral by her son-in-law, Terry Clements

I’m going to talk about Gertie Caouette today and the first thing I would like to tell you is that she didn’t leave things to chance. In fact, she wrote and left several notes for her children about today’s funeral. These were not vague notes . . . she named names. Mine came up as her eulogist and I’m honored to have this opportunity to talk to you about my wife’s mom with whom, contrary to the content of an infinite number of mother-in-law jokes out there, I got on with very well.

The Gertie I am going to remember for all of you is not the one of recent years, hurt, struggling and angry, suffering from a disease more confusing and frustrating each dreary day. She is the straightforward, pragmatic lady who, along with Maurice, welcomed me into their family with open arms. The strong woman who was always there for Florence and I as we learned the hard lessons of parenthood and the joy of having a willing Grandmere to help us along the path.

She is the hard working wife who had deeply rooted family values, kept her house clean, her kids in line and the accounts of the family Feed Mill business up to date. She was a prototype of all the multi-tasking women who would follow the lead of her and her friends as they stretched the limits of male dominance in the workplace. In fact she had some notable success in that area. When Maurice retired and decided to do care-taking and maintenance at the Seniors’ Centre across the road from their home, Gertie quickly applied for, won the Matron’s position and, became his boss..

The Gertie of my memory loved games and was a good athlete. She was my partner in endless rounds of a card game called five hundred. We were always paired against Flo and Maurice and I remember that she was a gracious winner . . not quite so gracious a loser. She loved golfing and curling and was good at both, winning more than her fair share of bonspiels and tournaments over the years. In her late fifties and early sixties she learned and taught Tai Chi to many of Barrhead’s seniors and practiced that healthy discipline herself for many years.

Gertie and Maurice grew up in large, french speaking families on their parent’s farmsteads. The big catholic church at Morinville was as much a part of their lives as the homes they lived in and they carried the faith learned there with them to Barrhead. They virtually lived their religion, offering help to the needy, volunteering their time and money where it was needed. Gertie was a long time CWL member, a cook at Catholic Kids summer camps, a Meals on Wheels volunteer, a Brownie leader, a worker for the Barrhead Figure Skating club to name just a few. She ferried anyone without transportation to Mass or on shopping trips. She never expected to be recognized for her volunteer work, choosing to stay in the background and help without fanfare.

She loved babies, the newer the better. She loved being French in an English community and would willingly teach any Anglais around how to hug and kiss on both cheeks, the way its done by good French Canadians. She wore her clothes well and banged her heels a little when she walked. She slammed cupboard doors when she was angry. She had a little shyness about her but enjoyed being the center of attention. She loved to laugh and she did it a lot. She loved her Maurice, her church, her kids and her community. She was a classy lady.

Gertrude Caouette (nee Desnoyers) passed away on June 25, 2006 at the age of 83 years. She was born on a farm at Morinville, AB, the middle child of nine children to Henri and Eva Desnoyers on April 24,1923. She is survived by sons, Paul of Surrey, BC, Dan (Tina) of Swan Hills, AB, daughters, Florence (Terry) Clements, of Vernon, BC, and Yvonne Smith of Spruce Grove, AB; four sisters, Sister Therese Desnoyers of Edmonton, AB, Jeanne Hebert of Morinville,AB, Eugenie Fritz of Castor, AB, and Agnes Desnoyers of Edmonton, AB; two brothers, Jean-Louis (Marie) of White Rock, BC and Gabriel (Connie) of Fort Saskatchewan, AB. Also surviving are eleven loving grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Gertie was predeceased by her husband Maurice in 1991; her second husband Nick Mayer in 1999 and her youngest daughter Leona Zaverucha in 2003, her brother Gerard Desnoyers, and sister Denise Pelletier.

A Prayer Service will be held on Thursday June 29, 2006 at 7:00PM from the Rose Garden Chapel in Barrhead, AB. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, June 30, 2006 at 11:00AM from the St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Barrhead, AB.

Donations are gratefully accepted to the St. Anne’s Parish Box 4536 Barrhead, AB T7N 1A4 or the Good Samaritan Society in Stony Plain, AB c/o 5600 50th Street Stony Plain T7Z 1P8.

Arrangements entrusted Rose Garden Chapel of Barrhead, AB 780-674-4644

An Honoured Provider of Dignity Memorial

Condolences may be sent to www.mem.com