July 15, 1938 – July 18, 2017
Peacefully on July 18, 2017 Raymonde Aline Marie Pelé passed away at the age of 79 years.
She will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 60 years Lucien Pelé; her children Diane Thiessen (Jake), Guy Pelé (Cara), Lorette Pelé Evans (Wayne), Lynn Ogg (Richard), and Sylvia Labelle (Marcel); grandchildren Cheryl King (Terry), Micheal Thiessen, Melissa Bernauer (Michael), Tiffany Payjack (Darren), Nick Pelé (Vicky), Amanda Boguski (Adam), Colin Evans, Jill Evans, Brodie Ogg, McKenna Ogg, Garrett Labelle, Taryn Labelle, and Rayden Labelle; great-grandchildren Nathan Payjack, Everett Payjack, Carter Bernauer, and Lyla Boguski; siblings Léo Danais (Georgette), Réal Danais (Adele), Cécile Jones (David), and Carol Labossiere (Jules); in-laws Yvonne Pelé, Colette Pelé, Cécile Bazin, Alice (René) Badiou, and Suzanne (Harold) Turnbull; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
She is predeceased by her parents Louis and Antoinette Danais, sister Evelyne Danais; parents-in-law Constant and Lucie Pelé; in-laws Therese (Jean) LeNéal, Constance (Albert) Julien, Joseph Pelé, Agnes (Leon) Comte, Simone (Albert) Monchamp, Meinrad Pelé, and Roland Bazin.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 AM on Monday July 24, 2017 from Holy Family Catholic Church, 778 Archibald Street. Interment will follow at Green Acres Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in Raymonde’s memory may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Raymonde Aline Marie Pelé – Our “RAY of Sunshine” as we referred to her when people would ask how to pronounce her name.
What a special day on July 15, 1938 when Raymonde was born in Cardinal, a small community in Manitoba. She was the first of six children born to Louis and Antoinette Danais, so pretty and tiny like her Mother and had a special bond with her Father that nobody could deny. Raymonde was caring and loved each one of her siblings as they arrived. (Leo, Real, Cecile, Evelyne and Carole) Mom always put others before herself. She continued this trait throughout the years, caring for her parents as they grew older.
She moved from the small community of Cardinal to the big city of Winnipeg with her family and worked in various office environments such as Great West Life. During this time she had caught the eye of a very handsome man three years older than she. It wasn’t long before she knew she would marry that man, Lucien Pelé from Notre Dame de Lourdes. They wed in Winnipeg on May 11, 1957. They were the perfect couple and complemented each other well. She was 19, he was 22! In 2017 they celebrated 60 years of marriage! When asked in 2014 by one of the nurses what the secret to a long marriage was she replied “understanding and lots of forgiveness.”
Shortly after getting married, Raymonde and Lucien would have five children of their own, Diane, Guy, Lorette, Lynn and Sylvia. They moved around meeting many special people along the way, living in Swan Lake, Somerset, Roblin, Gravelbourg and Ste. Rose du lac. They traveled to mixed curling bonspiels, played cards and visited the large family. They did everything together. Mom stayed home to raise the kids during the early years, returning to work at the local Pharmacy, Ste Rose Catholic Church and the Rural Municipality of Ste. Rose. Although busy with five children within 9 years she still found time to grow a large garden, can the excess, make preserves, sew our clothes, matching pyjamas and skating outfits, knit, prepare full course meals, and bake. Us kids tried her patience at times, there were always threats when we misbehaved, but in the end she just shooed us to our rooms. In hindsight I think maybe this was her way of having some quiet time as there was little of that in the small mobile home that we were raised in.
She always said that family was important and made everyone feel special. As each of her children met their partners she welcomed each one like her own, she was not one to judge. And as each of her children had their children her heart grew larger, she has a special bond with each of her thirteen granchildren. She made everyone feel like they were her favorite. She spoke highly of all of them, their accomplishments whether they were big or small. Mom would attend all the recitals, performances and grads that she could. She kept all their artwork, letters, cards, photos, displaying them wherever she could in her trailer. Mom would write notes to them and sent birthday wishes on Facebook. She didn’t care if their friends saw how much she loved them. She would read to them when they were little, take them to Bingo when they got older, bake them buns and other favorite desserts, played with and against them in Bocce Balls, took them camping and many trips across the country. Her favorite sayings were “whatever”, “ah bien” and “mon doux”. She could not tell a lie.
Mom learned in 2014 that she was going to become a great grandmother and looked forward to building a special bond with the next generation. She sewed or shopped for something specific for each baby and now has three great grandsons and a great granddaughter! Although they are very young, they too know she was special and kind. Mom always perked up when they would arrive to visit and they were not timid around her. She always knew how to make people feel welcome even if she was not as able bodied as she had been in the past.
Mom enjoyed music. It brought her joy whether it was her own father playing the violin, her husband singing, or her daughter and grandchildren singing and playing their many instruments. She thought she didn’t have a good voice, but she did.
Mom was active in her community, she taught Catechism, was involved with the church, local fundraising efforts and assisted with luncheons. After retirement she found time to sew and quilt again. She enjoyed all the ladies at the quilting club which she looked forward to each week. She made numerous quilts, wall hanging, bags and wallets for everyone in the family. They were all made with much love and skill, she would complain about the mistakes she made, but only she saw them. They are perfect to us, all this while being a doting wife to her husband of 60 years.
In June 2014 Mom suffered her first stroke but even with her physical disability she kept a positive attitude and wit about herself. She would often make us laugh when we visited and put in the effort and was doing great. But unfortunately the medical issues would build up and she was no longer able to be independent. Mom made impressions and bonds with staff in every facility she was in. One in particular adopted her as his own “Memere”. She moved into Meadowood Manor in February of 2015 where she was closer to family. Mom and Dad were inseparable from the day they were married to the day that she passed. Dad was her biggest cheerleader, they took their vows very seriously “til death do we part”. In her final days he sang to her while we waited. This leg of her journey was complete July 18th.
Everyone mom ever met she held dear in her heart, it will be hard to measure up to the person she was. We will all have our special stories and memories that we should continue to share. She will forever be in our hearts, she has a legacy. She is now our angel, until we meet again. We love you Mom.
Green Acres Funeral Home & Cemetery
Highway #1 East at Navin Road, Winnipeg, MB
(204) 222 3241
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