
My Mum was my dearest and closest friend.  I loved her all my life – more than anyone.  She was my mother and my mentor.  She always seemed so wise – I adopted all her opinions growing up – When engaged in an argument with someone I used to say, “But my Mum says…” until one day one of my earlier boyfriends asked me if I had any opinions of my own!

My Mum, Jeannine Marie Blancard was born n North Vancouver, a first generation Canadian, as her parents were French immigrants from Mauritius.  She was the oldest of 3 brothers and a sister.  She lived on 9th and Lonsdale until she was 21.  Pap would never let her leave home until then.  And then she did the unthinkable – she decided to be a stewardess for United Airlines – my grandparents were horrified – they thought she would lose her soul!  Almost – she lost her heart instead to my Dad, Jack Campbell and American and a 1st Year Law student, from Stanford.  After only a year they were engaged and married and I came along soon after.  My Mum typed away to put Dad through the rest of school.  After Dad's graduation they moved to Spring Valley, California.  Soon Justin came along and then a few years later they moved to Mt. Helix where Joe was born.  Six months later my Dad was killed in a tragic car accident.  Mum decided to take us all back to North Vancouver to be near her own family.  She bought a house in the Highlands and we all lived there for 20 years.

My Mum had her share of tragedy in her life – widowed at 30 with three young children and then having to raise a family on her own and then train again for work as a court reporter.  Before life got too comfortable she lost her only daughter to New Zealand.  A few years later her 21yr. old son Joe died tragically in a hand gliding accident and then her much loved mother-in-law died a few months later.  She also lost a granddaughter Zoe, Justin and Carol Anne's only daughter.

After 32 years as a widow Mum was blessed with another marriage to a Catholic man from Irish decent, Tom Henderson, whom she shared similar interests with; like travel and ballroom dancing and of course he was a Holy Trinity man.  She also inherited an extended family here in North Vancouver and also in England and Ireland.  Unfortunately Tom died 11 years after they were married and Mum was a widow once again.

But Mum had an inner strength – a strong will – and a positive attitude to life.  Only lately have I realized that this inner strength came from her deep and abiding faith in God.  She wasn't always happy with God – in fact for many years she was quite angry with Him especially when it seemed that all she had ever loved was taken from her.  But even when she was angry she never missed a Sunday Mass.  She even began to go to daily Mass when she moved into the apartment on 28th close to the Church.

Mum never held a grudge and she never held one against God either.  She never worried and she lived the present moment.  She loved beauty and loved to make herself beautiful ….and she was.

When her family moved on she began to work on her inner beauty – wanting something deeper.

Maybe a lot of her non-Catholic friends never knew she was a Catholic.  Mum never preached her faith and never claimed to know everything and never tried to convert anybody – even her first husband Jack, (although she managed somehow to get him buried in a Catholic Cemetery).

But her faith was so important to her that even at a young age of 22 she refused to marry Dad unless he let her practice her faith and to allow her to raise their children Catholic.  It was a huge risk – because my Mum loved Dad madly but she knew deep down she would never be happy unless she could live her faith albeit quietly.  She never tried to convert him – she loved and accepted him as he was and prayed like mad for is soul!!  (As she has prayed for Justin, Joe and me all her life and now all her 7 grandchildren).

This Mass we are celebrating today was her life blood – she never missed a Sunday Mass except when she was terminally ill and even then she made a huge fuss when Sunday came along and she wasn't well enough to go.  (Thank you Fr. Comey, Norma and Natalie for bringing her communion!)

When Mum was diagnosed with cancer 2 ½ years ago, she took this news like everything else – one day at a time – she never lost hope.  My family and I in New Zealand were blessed with three summers with her until God decided it was time to call her home to Him.  Although she was sad to leave us she said to me when I asked if she was scared she said, “I can't wait to see Him – to see what God looks like.  I'm not scared of dying I m just scared of the pain.”  But God was merciful and she didn't have to suffer too much – and she had all her family with her in her last moments – 

She died as she lived – beautiful – full of hope and full of joy.

I sing with Solomon in the Song of Songs:

“Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come!  For see winter is past, the rains are over and gone.”  Song of Songs 2:10-11

Jeannine was a lovely lady filled with grace and poise.  She has been an inspiration to many with her positive attitude and beautiful smile. We will miss her.  May she rest in peace.

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Jeannine Marie Henderson

3 September, 1934 – 25 March, 2012

First Memorial Funeral Services & Boal Chapel and Memorial Gardens

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