Gertrude Eva Lavoie

Read by Louise Wilson:

Gertrude Eva Prince was born on July 10, 1929 in North Battleford, SK to Charles and Eva (Lessard) Prince of Delmas. She was the third of eleven children. She grew up on the Prince farm at Delmas. Life on the farm was busy with the many outdoor and household tasks, but leave it to the Princes to find a way to make it fun, enjoying each others’ company and pulling pranks on one another all the while.

She attended school in Delmas. We imagine one of her early hardships was along with her two older sisters, boarding in Delmas during the winter months. Although they were only separated by a few miles, she must have missed her parents and the rest of her siblings. Upon graduation from high school Mom took a 3-year nursing diploma course at Saint Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon from which she graduated as a Registered Nurse in May of 1951. Her first employment was with St. George’s Hospital in Estevan, Sk in the Maternity Dept. Next, she was given employment at Notre Dame Hospital in North Battleford, where she remained until July of 1954.

On November 12, 1953 she had the honour of being bridesmaid for her sister Francoises Wedding. Henri Lavoie, cousin to the groom was Best Man. She said to us one day, “I was soon to realize in my heart that he would turn out for the BEST!” They were married just under one year later on July 21, 1954.

Their first home together was in the Blaine Lake Tallman District where Dad along with his brothers Eugene and Gerald managed a mixed farming operation from 1954 – 1958. Denis and Yvette were born during these years. Mom and Denis loved the geese that she raised on the farm.

In the spring of 1958 opportunity for farming opened up in the Delmas district. There was no house to move into so they improvised with temporary quarters that stretched out for a period of seven years. Time went by quickly and very soon along came Deanne and Louise. We lived in a 2-room house, with one large basement room where we all slept. It was tight quarters with 4 children but it may have helped to create the close knit family we became. We feel Mom was a true pioneer of her day with this humble beginning.

Some of our first memories are of “helping” with the butter churner, listening to the sounds of the crackling fire, noticing the smell of bacon frying and watching smoke escape from the burner areas of the wood stove. We woke up from our naps to the sounds of the water being pumped, the ‘ding ding ding’ of the cream separator, the ‘stomp stomp stomp’ of Uncle Edouards boots as he entered, and often combined with the wonderful smell of baked bread.

We were actually part of the era where school children were driven to school in horse and buggy; that is, the cutter in the winter and the buggy in spring and fall. This covered caboose was deluxe as it was fully equipped with a one-log woodburner and a storage bin at the back for the green feed bale for our horse. On the very coldest winter days, Mom would often come outside to the caboose to make sure the cowhide blanket was tucked right up to our chins and that the fire was stoked in the stove. We were warm as toast!

As Mom’s niece Yvonne Gartner relayed to us, Mom was born with the right last name because all you had to add was the “ss” and you had a PRINCESS as she was always full of grace, exuded such dignity and expressed herself with much humility. Mom took great care in her appearance and was always very stylishly but modestly dressed. A true lady. That, she inherited from Grandma Prince who was always watching for the style of the day and who, also, cared to have a matching set of accessories.

Mom was such a forebearing soul. Never a complaint was heard from Mom about the hot, the cold, the wind or the snow.

We can be very thankful for all the things Mom taught us. She shared her passion for gardening and we have all applied these skills she shared with us. To this day, none of us would think of letting a year go by without planting a garden. She taught us all to sew our own clothes. These are the hands that also taught us to bake, cook, can, gather the eggs, and keep a house. Mom especially loved to set a formal table. She had lots of class that way. She had a complete set of tablecloths for every occasion. Some were fancy cutwork linen, some were embroidered, some were printed.

Dad would enable her love for putting on a beautiful spread by being the first to invite friends and family in and not always with a lot of notice. Mom would say “What?” “When?” “How many?” “OK!” and roll up her sleeves and before long the table was laiden with food and guests were arriving. He nearly always greeted the guests at the door with “I am so delighted that you could come.” We remember Dad sitting there at the head of the table just beaming, so happy to welcome his family and friends to his table. Dad was often heard telling others he was grateful that Mom shared his sense of hospitality and was so often willing to host and entertain “la grande visite”. “La grande visite” was when relatives came from a long distance away. Those were special occasions which had to be treated as such. To Mom, presentation was everything. Out would come the fancy dishes even decorating the house for the holidays. She taught us to make every effort to make it special and memorable. We have learned to appreciate both the effort and the effect, making hospitality our special care.

Read by Deanne Lavoie-Holmes:

We were blessed to have Mom as a stay-at-home Mom in our early childhood. It became necessary in the early 70’s for Mom to resume a full time nursing position which she did for 8 years in the maternity ward at Battlefords Union Hospital. We’ve all heard many comments from friends and relatives alike about the excellent nursing care that she provided for them. She was a caring, compassionate nurse. We recall many a time Mom calling home to let us know she had to stay overtime at work to finish all the paperwork and all the charting for her patients. Just recently part of my job working in Medical Records at the hospital was going through the files during the years in which Mom worked in maternity. I recognized her handwriting and saw her signature many many times. I felt such a connection with Mom and it brought a smile to her face when I shared that with her.

Mom loved the great outdoors. We took family trips in the summer with the car and camper to Expo ’67, to the west coast and numerous trips to Dad’s favorite place: the Rocky Mountains. We always took time to visit relatives along the way. During these vacations Mom enjoyed taking us all on nature hikes along a river and to see the wonders of a waterfall. Her great attention to detail was evident once again as prior ot these trips Mom had found the time to sew us girls matching pop tops and shorts; a good enough supply to last us the three weeks of our holidays. We just felt so special! These were some of our most cherished family memories growing up.

Mom and Dad shared their love of music with all their children, providing each one with piano lessons. After church on Sundays in the winter it was a regular routine for Dad to play the violin with Yvette at the piano and Mom, Denis, Deanne and Louise singing their hearts out. Our visits with “La grande visite” usually included a good round of singing the french Folk Songs “La bonne chanson” by everyone there, and with Mom playing the spoons. Grandma Prince, Aunt Marie-Jeanne, Aunt Madeleine, Aunt Charlotte, Aunt Francoise and Uncle Edouard would join in the festivities on many occasions always ending with “Bonsoir, mes amis, bonsoir.”

Read by Louise Wilson:

1979 was a momentous year in Mom’s life if you can imagine: 3 weddings (Yvette’s, Deanne’s and Denis’s), 2 graduations (Louise’s high school graduation and Denis’s Heavy Duty Mechanic Graduation) and Mom & Dad’s 25th Wedding Anniversary, all within 7 months. And before you knew it Mom was a Grandma! And to her delight! More new babies to hold and to love.

To date Mom and Dad have 17 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren and 1 on the way for a grand total of 32. It seemed that every single month there were birthday cards that needed mailing for one or the other of these precious ones. The farm was always the gathering spot for all the grandchildren. Mom and Dad had the privelege of having Denis and Linda and three (3) small children sharing their yard with them: Michael, Philip and Sherise. And there was a special bond with them as evident when they would traipse across the yard to say “Good Morning Grandpa! Good morning Grandma!”

We would be remiss if we did not recount the countless hours that Mom spent poring over the books doing the accounting for Dad’s Pedigreed Seed and Seed Treating Business for 23 years till Dad took sick. She stood by him during all that time, getting the work done day by day, year by year, keeping the books balanced. She worked closely with our brother Denis. She also managed to harvest a large garden too every fall besides that. Talk about multi-tasking! So thankful are we for Dad’s and Uncle Lawrence’s advice to her one day to let go of something. So she stopped nursing again and devoted all her time to life on the farm.

Read by Deanne Lavoie-Holmes:

Mom always told us as children that we could enjoy the animals, as long as they were outside the house… but when she lived with Warren and I, it was very obvious that she had a soft spot for our furry family members, and they loved her too. The moment Mom would lounge on the loveseat, our cat would settle down on her lap and they would be there for hours, Baby purring, and Mom reading a book.

She loved to soak up the sun in the summer on our deck and watch the birds at the bird feeder and listen to the wind blow through the trees. She was so grateful to have the time to just sit back and take in the beauty of nature.

When Mom was 76, she and I had the great joy of taking a tour to the Holy Land in Israel. This fulfilled a lifelong dream of Mom’s. She spoke fondly of seeing the sunrise on the Sea of Galilee, of the reenactment of life in the first century at the Nazareth village, and of course, the almond trees were in full bloom, and there were Bougainvillea shrubs everywhere. She loved that. She was pleased to have ridden on a camel...at the age of 76. She was so delighted as the bus was entering Jerusalem and we saw the hills of the Holy City for the first time. She was deeply moved to actually walk in the places where Jesus walked, to stand on the Mount of Olives and look down at the Temple Mount, to see the Empty Tomb.

All her life, Mom was a woman of deep faith and placed great importance on studying the scriptures. She was diligent and faithful in her devotional life. Mom spent countless hours watching Christian programs on TV and would often call us to let us know when a specially good program was coming on. She and I took Hebrew classes together and she came to recognize and learn the meaning of each letter of the Hebrew Alef Bet. This brought a whole new level of insight into her understanding of God’s Word, and we often shared with each other those things we found through our studies together.

In the summer of 2010, Mom and I travelled to Tennessee to a week-long Messianic Conference, where we met in person many of the teachers we had been connecting with online. This conference was at a century old college campus and she marvelled at the huge stately buildings and was enthralled with the trees, flowers, and the colorful Bougainvillea on the campus grounds. Mom … always the gardener!

Read by Yvette Miedema:

Mom moved in with Barry and I on April 6, 2011. In her own quiet and dignified way she let her wishes be known that she really wanted to stay with family. Many a year ago I had told her that if ever she needed to have care at home that she could come and live with me. Thank God Barry loved my Mom too!

Mom loved spending time on the deck swing, breathing in that fresh air, listening to the birds singing and the wind in the trees. And the doves. I’d call her outside to hear the doves cooing and out she’d come.

She was always grateful for good eyesight and learned to love reading novels. I started her on books borrowed from my school library, soon finding out she liked historical fiction – she’d read anything I chose for her – in french or in english. She read many true to life accounts of the Jewish holocaust, the African slave trade, the underground railway, and the stories of new immigrants settling in Canada from many countries. She told me more than once, “I sure enjoy it! I’ve never in my life had time on my hands to pick up a book and read!”

She shared her love of reading more than once with the Kindergarten Class at Ecole Pere Mercure too! And the students loved it! To them she was “La grandmère qui lit!” To her grandson Matteo she was Jajjaa Lavoie and he loved it when she read to him too! It wasn’t long before she independently scooted off to the Public Library and obtained her own library card. She had the list of books written by her new favorite author Janette Oke, and was steadily crossing off all the titles she had read.

It was obvious to me from the easy way she quietly carried out her daily routine that she had made my home her home – But it was only be checking the title of her book that I knew to what, far off, land she was visiting that day. So you see, I went to work each day but Mom travelled! Many a time, Barry and I entertained friends at our home who were new Canadians that had arrived from China, Bolivia, Honduras, the Congo, Grenada and Serbia. Mom would never miss an opportunity to share a meal with them, take part in those conversations as she always had a keen interest in their well-being in this new country of theirs. She would share in their joys and their sorrows alike. To them she was their Canadian Grandma!

I often caught Mom playing with her great grand-daughter Simona making a game out of trading the alphabet magnets off the fridge and storing them in her wee purse and coaxing new words out of her. It was a delight to watch that performance! Mom always remembered and fetched Simona’s current favorite doll just as soon as she arrived for a visit. Those two were becoming fast friends.

Listening to me playing Mom and Dad’s favorite waltzes and songs on the piano was probably one of her favorite things. She would stop reading for that and come and sit nearby in the rocking chair to listen or even stand up and watch me play from over the railing, especially if it was a more complicated piece! To us it always felt as if Dad was right there with us, then, too! Once, after I’d finished playing the Edelveiss Waltz, she asked: “Why aren’t you playing the high notes?” Puzzled, then smiling, I simply turned up the volume on the keyboard and started over, asking her at the same time : “You mean these notes?” So off she went to get her much needed hearing aids. We had fun playing that little game! She really enjoyed her grandson Joel’s guitar playing as well, while watching him from the rocking chair. All the time she lived with me she never missed the school Christmas Concerts too and enjoyed all the singing performances by the students and staff, some of whom were her grandnieces and grandnephews! She really liked that!

One late spring day in 2004 I was fussing about how to plan for her 80th Birthday Party in July as I knew there were many relatives and friends that Mom was wanting to visit. I knew this as I couldn’t help but hear her on the phone to this one and that one. As I phoned these folks and realized that many were not going to be able to travel all the way to Saskatchewan to see her, and dreading having to tell her so, I came up with Plan B – We will go to them! So the itinerary was planned to allow for her rest at each stop. On July 10th we set off on Mom’s 80th Birthday Roadtrip! First stop was Lloydminister to see her niece Bernadette and Jim Lendvay, then on to Lac St Ann to see all her sisters, Sr. Marie-Jeanne, S.A.S.V., Francoise, Sr Madeleine S.A.S.V. and Charlotte and spend the night. Then north through to Williams Lake, BC to see her cousin Lorraine & Mervin. We, of course, could never go to BC and not stop in Burnaby, so stop in Burnaby we did on Mary St to visit her niece Theresa. This time Mom was “La grande visite!” And she thoroughly enjoyed it too! We carried on like this for 18 days going as far as Port Alberni on Vancouver Island to see her daughter-in-law Linda. These were all very precious moments for Mom – the time spent visiting her family and friends. Mom had confided in me along the way, “I honestly didn’t think I would ever see them again!”

Mom taught us a great lesson in fortitude. Through all the family tragedies Mom showed us a true example of courage and steadfastness, and great forebearance. In the very midst of these severe trials, she continued to love us, one and all, moment by moment, without a word of complaint about her lot in life, but rather demonstrating a patience and a grace that could only have been born of God, and thus returning the joy to our hearts. In the hour of great difficulty, of painful agony, of grave illness, she exuded a calmness, a confidence, a quiet practical sense of direction. Her compass was set to accept with calm resignation whatever was put before her. She would then get up, stand by Dad, Linda and Yvette and each and every one of us as we said our goodbyes to Denis, Michael and Colin, to Grandma Prince, to her 2 sisters Sr. Marie-Jeanne and Francoise.

Read by Joel Miedema:

The grandchildren were asked for memories of what comes to mind when they think of Grandma Lavoie.

Philip Peddle shared the following : Gertrude and Henri always trusted and loved the Lord. Our family (Linda, Sherise & I) would like to thank Gertrude & Henry for instilling the foundation for our religious beliefs by taking us to church. Gertrude was always giving, thoughtful & had a bright smile that would warm any room. She had excellent cooking abilities. Back in the Lavoie Seed Farms Days, Henri would invite any customers that entered in for a bite to eat. No one would ever leave hungry! Gertrude took pride in her productive garden, of carrots, peas, tomatoes, lettuce, potatoes, etc. She had an exceptional raspberry patch from which many delicious pies were derived. At Christmas time her French Toutiere was Linda’s favorite in her ‘all out feast’ she made our family accustomed to !! Gertrude lived a full, joyful and happy life….. As tragic as this event is, we will always remember the blessed way she that she touched many hearts; and may The Lord take care of her in heaven.

Luke Miedema replied as follows : “Back in the day when Mom was raising 5 children on her own, grandma decided to come for a visit. She came into the house and noticed the kitchen was less than proper. With five children making a mess and not yet contributing their share to the upkeep, “less than proper” is an understatement. Being a high-minded woman of action she set about correcting the matter. While she was cleaning the kitchen with a bustle in her step, boy! did she let me have it, for not having that kitchen clean and spotless when she arrived. She very vocally extolled the value of cleanliness and orderliness, and encouraged me to always keep the kitchen clean! It was a lesson that has stayed firmly with me to this day, to the extent that when I think of dear Grandma Lavoie, the first thing that comes it mind is clean, sparkly kitchens!”

Auntie Louise got a call from Joseph Wilson one summer day last year. Joseph was travelling with the Service Truck from work, in North Battleford. He told Auntie Louise he had spotted this woman on a red scooter just booting it down Territorial Drive and turning into the Walmart parking lot. He asked her: “Is it possible that this could be Grandma Lavoie?” Auntie Louise chuckled to herself and said “Quite likely! It sounds just like her!” And it was.

Grandma really looked forward to motoring along on her scooter. It preserved for her a good measure of independence. Many of you have probably seen her going about her business around town. She sure surprised her Aunt Reine the first time she showed up by herself at Ruth Whyte Manor on the scooter for a surprise visit! I’ll bet Grandma really thought she was getting away with something. “I doo-ed it! I doo-ed it!” she’d always say, triumphantly!!

Some memories from Nicole Johnson …”She can remember Grandma taking her to church as a young girl and she took special attention to doing her hair and wearing a pretty dress. She remembers the bag of ribbons and bows that Grandma would use. Little details were important to her. Whether it was cooking, or gifts, she tried to make it special. She was an excellent cook. We were always served delicious food at Grandma’s house. As Grandma got older, it was harder for her to do it all. But she still wanted all those special details with her food and we had to wait for everything to be just so! …But it was so worth it in the end!

Another memory from Nicole is Grandma being with her at Timberline Bible Camp in the summers. These were special times with Philip, Sherise, and other family and friends and Grandma sure helped make it all special. Sharing her faith was very important to Grandma. She felt very strongly about it and wanted to impart it to her grandchildren. Nicole has wonderful memories as a young girl being at camp and she is grateful to Grandma for giving her that opportunity.”

THE PROOF OF NOBILITY A quote from the Bahά’ί Writings – ‘Abdu’l-Bahά, son of Bahά’u’llάh

“The necessity and the particularity of the assured and believing ones is to be firm in the Cause of God and withstand the hidden and evident tests. Thanks be to God that you are distinguished and made eminent by this blessing. Anybody can be happy in the state of comfort, ease, health, success, pleasure and joy; but if one will be happy and contented in the time of trouble, hardship and prevailing disease, it is the proof of nobility. Thanks be to God that that dear servant of God is extremely patient under the disastrous circumstances, and in the place of complaining gives thanks.

N’importe qui peut etre heureux dans le confort, l’aisance et la sante, le succes, le plaisir et la joie. Mais demeurer heureux et content a l’heure des difficultees, des epreuves et des maladies, voila le signe de la vraie noblesse.”

Read by Yvette Miedema:

In her recent years, Mom was more confined, especially during the winter months, due to her various health conditions. From the bottom of our hearts, we would like to thank all of you who participated in Mom’s life, during these last years, offering your time for a good visit, a ride here and there, a flower, a meal, a bouquet, a card or simply a phone call to share the good old times together. She treasured all of you precious souls, as you surely know, and we are convinced is already offering prayers for you, on your behalf – in the next world just beyond the veil. As some of you know, Mom sure liked sheer curtains. She had them up everywhere in her home and moved them to her new bedroom at my place, as well. Well, she is no further away from us than that thin veil – just a prayer away. We all feel her quiet, dignified presence with us too when we reminisce – remembering stories of the truly wonderful person that she was. May she continue to be an inspiration to all of us.

* * * * * * * * * *

GERTRUDE EVA LAVOIE

In memory of Gertrude (Trudy) Lavoie of North Battleford, SK who died peacefully on February 20, 2014 at Battlefords Union Hospital, Palliative Care with her loving daughters, Yvette, Deanne and Louise at her side. Gertrude was born on July 10, 1929 to Charles and Eva Prince of Delmas. Gertrude (Trudy) is remembered by many as a wonderful, caring and compassionate nurse, particularly on the Maternity Ward. Farmers recall her generous hospitality, quick sense of humor, and accounting acumen during the 44 years that she and Henri farmed together in the Blaine Lake and Delmas communities until his passing on Oct 7, 1998. Her deep faith and quiet confidence that everything would work out were shared with friends and family alike at the many family gatherings and events that she wholeheartedly hosted. All those who sat around her table partook of her abundant garden produce, deliciously prepared, and of course, her quiet dignity. Most of all, it is her fortitude, her firmness, in the face of dire hardships and disastrous circumstances that that dear servant exemplified to us. “In the very midst of these severe trials, she continued to love us one and all, moment by moment, without a word of complaint about her lot in life, but rather demonstrating a patience and a grace that could only have been born of God, and thus returning the joy to our hearts.” (quote from the Eulogy). In the place of complaining, she gave thanks. Her generosity extended to many others in contributions to charities around the world until her death at the age of 84. She truly was a blessing to all in her life. May she continue to be an inspiration to all.

Gertrude is predeceased by her parents Charles and Eva Prince; her husband Henri Lavoie; son Denis Lavoie; grandsons Michael Lavoie and Colin Miedema; aunt Lucille Arcand; uncle Lawrence Lessard; sisters Marie-Jeanne Prince, S.A.S.V. and Francoise Lavoie; brother Denis Prince; sister-in-law Frances Prince; brother-in-law Michael Lancaster; niece Carmen Prince and nephews Nicole Prince and Lawrence Meyers.

Gertrude will be greatly missed, especially by her daughter-in-law Linda (Frank) Nilsson-Frigstad, Port Alberni, BC (children, Philip and Sherise Peddle, BC) and daughters Yvette Miedema (Barry Werth), N. Battleford, SK (children Marieta (Vladimir Cordas) Miedema: Matteo and Simona; Jay (Trisha Chakrabarty) Miedema Luke (Denali) Miedema and Joel (Chantal) Miedema), and Barry’s children Lisa (Russ Rodgers) and Phil (Careyann) Werth: Douglas and Amelia Mae, Deanne Lavoie-Holmes (Warren Holmes) N. Battleford (children Daniel (Lindsay) Woodrow, Nicole (Scott) Johnson: Marcus, Morgan, Macey and Emery), Brian and Ben Woodrow, and Warren’s children, Holly (Tyler) Bottrell: Kianna, Jac, Tye and Dia, and Victoria Holmes, and Louise Wilson (Lloyd) Stockholm, SK (children Elyce Wilson: Ainsley and Kaiden, Renee (Aaron Wiebe) Wilson: Blair and Natalie Louise, and Joseph Wilson ( Kyla Gillespie).

Gertrude is survived by her aunts Emma Hamel, Niagara Falls, ON and Reine Lessard, N. Battleford, SK; her brothers Maurice Prince, N. Battleford, SK, Aime (Joan) Prince, Delmas, SK, Gilbert (Dorothy) Prince, Battleford, SK, Bro. Edouard Prince, O.M.I., Lutsel K’e, N.W.T., and Bernard (Louise) Prince, Battleford, SK; sisters Charlotte Lancaster, Calgary, AB and Madeleine Prince, S.A.S.V., Edmonton, AB; sister-in-law Betty Prince, Saskatoon, SK; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

The funeral service was held on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 at Living Faith Chapel, N. Battleford, SK with Pastor Dan Glass officiating. Music ministry, superbly performed, consisted of Greg Cooper, singer, Patrick Whelan, violinist and Andrea Whelan, keyboard for special songs In the Garden, Soft and Tenderly, It is Well With My Soul and In the Sweet Bye and Bye. Processional and recessional music, Come By the Hills, My Love She’s But a Lassie and other selections were exquisitely played by Lana Quinn, harpist and Byron Olson, guitarist. A special tribute was given by Pastor Ben Kirkpatrick of Saskatoon, SK. Gertrude’s daughters Yvette, Deanne and Louise read the eulogy. Tributes from the grandchildren were shared by Joel Miedema, prior to the Memorial Slideshow. Urn Bearers were grandchildren Philip Peddle, Marieta Miedema, Ben Woodrow and Elyce Wilson. Interment took place at the family plot in Delmas Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be sent to the Palliative Care Unit at BUH, 1092-107 St, N. Battleford, SK S9A 1Z1.

The Eulogy honouring Gertrude Lavoie’s life, the Memorial Photo Gallery, as well as other tributes and additional photos may be viewed at www.sallowsandmcdonaldfuneralhome.ca

CARD OF THANKS

The family wishes to express sincere appreciation for the acts of love and kindness, phone calls, cards, flowers, gifts of food and memorial donations. Thanks to Crandleberry’s for preparing the delicious luncheon. Deep gratitude also to Rhiannon Benjamin and staff from Sallows & McDonald Funeral Home (Dignity Memorial) for their kind, efficient, and expert help and support.