Mignonne Lian (Morin) Beauvais

Mothers never really die,

they just keep the house up in the sky,

They polish the sun by day,

and light the stars that shine at night,

keep the moonbeams silvery bright

and in the heavenly home above

they wait to welcome those they love.

[~ unknown poet]

Mom was born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, on April 24, 1949, joining the ranks of many wonderful siblings and 5 more after her. She is part of a large French

Canadian catholic family of 20 children. You don’t see that anymore!! We imagine it was a hard time for them, but these life experiences built strength and courage, fostering love, resilience and unity among them. Their bonds are strong. Mom loved all her brothers and sisters: Aurèle, Irène, Rhéal, Gaetan, Fern, Arthur, Marcel, Gerry, Françoise, Ivan, Roland, Jeannine, Jimmy, Norman, (Mignonne), Roger, Collette, Paulette, Robert, and Ryan. She loved all of their partners, and families as well, speaking fondly of her nieces & nephews, & great nieces & great nephews.

She lived with uncle Ivan and aunt Nicky when she met our father. The sparks flew and they were married on May 4, 1968. Mom and Dad had 4 children, Raquel, Leslie (who left us at the tender age of 9 months), Angela, and Lindsay.

Mom had a special bond with her sisters-in-law, our aunt Claire and aunt Frances. She was close to Dad’s family and treated everyone like one of her own.

Earlier this month, Mom and Dad celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary. Such a symbol of mom’s dedication to her husband and unwavering loyalty to her family. It was her greatest joy.

Mom had quite a few interests, which also brought her joy:

- She loved NASCAR races, going to one in New Hampshire to cheer on her favorite driver: #24, Jeff Gordon. And boy, did she cheer him on! We knew that

Sunday races were sacred and we were not to visit during those hours. Funny but true story. We were happy to see her so excited about a sport she loved.

- Mom loved boating, spending time with her family on the mighty St. Lawrence River or the Rideau River. She would bring snacks for everyone, feed the ducks, and make a day of it until the sun set.

- Mom had a creative side, dabbling in ceramics, and making cards and crafts with her grandchildren. She was always open to trying something new, like painting. This grew into a love of online painting, growing a collection of countless colourful masterpieces. It brought her comfort and calm.

- Mom also had a business side, honing these skills in the first children’s amusement park in the Long Sault/ Cornwall area: KiddieKars! She managed the canteen with Edna, the track, the purchasing of new child-sized electric cars (& repairing those that were enthusiastically enjoyed by pint-sized Mario Andretti’s), scheduling parties and events, and you name it! Busloads of children would go for their school trips and many birthday parties were celebrated there. People still talk about KiddieKars to this day.

- Mom loved to travel, having enjoyed overseas adventures to England and France, island time in the Bahamas and Cuba (to name a few), a handful of trips to Florida, and a fun time in Alberta at the Calgary Stampede. She also traveled to the East Coast for some camping with dad.

- She loved a good board game and was always up for a challenge. These included pichenotte, Scrabble, Yahtzee, and her all-time favorite, Rummikub! She excelled and knew her way around a colourful set versus a monochromatic run.

Many laughs and tears were shared in this final chapter, countless episodes of “Grace & Frankie” were binge-watched, and dreams of Cross-Canada travel with dad by train, as well as a girls’ trip to Hawaii, filled our discussions.

Our mother was a woman of strong faith. She went to church until she couldn’t, taught us how to say grace before each meal, and recited her prayers each night. There were blessed crosses in each home, and angels in her Christmas tree every year. She and dad arranged for our baptisms in the Catholic Church, and attended each of their grandchildren’s, godchildren’s and many nieces and nephews’ christenings as well.

A little more than a decade ago, mom was diagnosed with lymphoma non-Hodgkin cancer of the stomach. It was her first experience with cancer. After enduring chemotherapy, she fought hard and won! She was a survivor and a warrior! To honor her battle, she participated twice in the Relay for Life. It was such a proud and overwhelming experience. You’ll see some of her photos and items on the memory table as a testament of her strength and resilience… an experience some of her brothers and sisters also sadly battled. We think of them today and know Mom joins them in heaven.

During her years in remission, she focussed on her growing family, attending every event and celebration with her grandchildren, Élyse, Brianna, Nadya, Kylee, Nathaniel, and step-grandchildren, Hayden, Emily and Ashley. Mom dressed up, ate the cake, did the dances, attended the sporting events, and smiled through all the photos. She loved them dearly. She also supported us and our spouses. (She ate the cake at our things too)!! She never missed a beat.

Then she eased into retirement with dad when the time was right. They still worked in the yard, trimmed trees, stripped copper, kept busy, and indulged in the longest Netflix series we’ve ever known: Ertugrul!

In November of last year (2022), we learned that mom had cancer once again. This time, it would be different. It has been an emotional and exhausting 6 months. Angela and Raquel had the honour of providing care to mom at the hospitals and in their homes. Lindsay provided support to Dad during this trying time. We all felt Dad’s pain and worry for Mom. Alain was a constant support to Raquel and the whole family. Uncle Ryan offered in-home concerts to mom, and visited her daily at the hospice. Aunt Jeannine was a constant friendly face for her sister. Many family and friends came to comfort mom during this time. She cherished these visits and it made her happy to see each and every one of you. We are grateful for all your love and support.

We also want to acknowledge the wonderful care mom received while at the Cornwall Hospice. Their pain-management knowledge, level of care and compassion, and daily family support are beyond compare.

Our mother was a compassionate soul and a great listener. Always curious, she loved hearing about people’s experiences and adventures. The time has come for mom to head forward on her next journey, hopefully towards a sunset on a beach, with wild horses running free, the scent of magnolia floating on the breeze that is cooling her rosy cheeks, and the colour of the ocean mirrored in her most piercingly beautiful blue eyes, the Morin eyes! 💙

Rest in warmth and comfort Mom, with Leslie by your side. You two have so much to catch up on. We can just imagine how full your heart must be. Thank you for being our mother.

Till we hold hands again. xo

* * * * * * * * * *

BEAUVAIS, Mignonne (née Morin) - It is with great sadness the family announces her passing at Cornwall Hospice on Thursday May 18, 2023 at the age of 74 years old. Beloved wife of Bernard Beauvais. Loving mother of Raquel Beauvais-Godard (Alain), Angela Beauvais-Perry (Matthew), and Lindsay Beauvais (Shanna). Cherished grandmother of Élyse, Brianna, Nadya, Kylee, Nathaniel and step-grandchildren Ashley, Emily and Hayden. Predeceased by her infant daughter, Leslie, and her parents, Justien and Laurence (née Roi) Morin. Also missed by many loved brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews.

Resting at the Lahaie & Sullivan Cornwall Funeral Homes, West Branch, 20 Seventh Street West (613-933-8482) on Thursday May 25, 2023 from 10 a.m. until the time of service. A funeral service will be held in the chapel of the funeral home on Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 12:15 p.m. Interment at Notre Dame Cemetery to follow. If so desired, memorial donations to Hospice Cornwall ( https://carefor.ca/donate/?fund=7 ) would be appreciated by the family. Messages of condolences may be left at www.lahaiesullivan.ca