Lucile Tresa

Bienvenue à tous

Welcome everyone, Family and Friends

My wife Susan found a joke for me

There was an elderly gentleman enjoying the day working in his garden. Unfortunately he suffers a heart attack and dies. He arrives at the Pearly Gates and is met by St Peter. He asks St Peter what he needs to do to enter. St Peter says he has to spell a word

G “OK, which word?”

P “Love”

G “L O V E”

P “Great! In you go”

A few years later, the gentleman is tending the garden near the gates. St Peter asks him to mind the gates for a few minutes while he goes to the washroom (yes you still have to do that up there). While the gentleman is at the gates, his wife shows up

G “Hey! How are you - I missed you - what have you been up to?”

W “Well I got remarried – we won the lottery – we travelled all over”

G “Hmm”

W “What do I have to do to get in?”

G “You have to spell a word”

W “OK, which word?”

G “Czechoslovakia !”

As I was rummaging through older pictures of mom for Raymond's slide show, I found one for mom's canoe. This old cedar strip, 150 lbs canoe had to be the best investment she ever made before getting married. We kids had so much fun in that canoe at the grand-parents cottage. It has been completely rebuilt and is still being put to good use at Marie and Michel's cottage.

Mom had many hobbies throughout the years, some of which she imparted on some of us. Knitting, Sewing, Gardening. We had a very large garden behind the house with a variety of fruits and vegetables. Playing cards, especially Bridge, piano, cleaning the kitchen cupboards. I understand my sister Anne has picked up on that one, certainly not me!

Copper Enamelling, which was an opportunity for us kids to play with fire! Best of times!

Going to the opera and later on, listening to operas with her friends at Perley

Another great memory is weekend kitchen parties where all sorts of specialties were being prepared like apple sauce and jelly with cotton bags hanging from the cupboard doors, Rhubarb jam, Taffy (Fr. tire) which required us to pull and stretch it once it cooled down enough. But once it was time to wrap the pieces, we kids would disappear!

Sunday dinners were always something to look forward to especially when the sisters got older and the boyfriends started showing up. Lots of good laughs sometimes at mom's expense. I think she enjoyed those dinners very much.

Mom and dad loved to travel. Early on we would pack into one of the family's huge cars and visit Lake Placid, Niagara Falls, CN Tower. Lots of trips to Montreal and Sherbrooke for family gatherings which were fun and memorable.

Later on, lots of trips out west to visit kids who were compelled to move out that way

They travelled Europe extensively, first to Slovakia. In 1990, they came to meet me in Munich from Austria and once again Slovakia. We visited South Germany, Austria (Innsbruck),then Switzerland and Northern Italy to a small town call Ponte Tresa where our family name may have come from.

They participated in many group trips organized by mom's sister Madeleine, travelling to Israel, Tunisia, Portugal, Italy, England, Ireland, Scotland. I never knew mom liked beer until I saw a picture of her and the group all holding glasses

Mom had a passion for volunteerism, starting with the Parent Teacher Association when Marie started school.

She canvassed for the Canadian Cancer Society. Many of us, kids, grand kids have now benefited from that work.

She volunteered regularly at Church masses and organizations. One of which was the SERENA, a natural family planning org. Mom and dad would host workshops at our home. I was too young to understand what was going on, But I always looked forward to these events because the next morning there would be left over chips and dip on the kitchen counter!

Throughout her working career she worked as a lab technician and for family physicians full time and part time. Also as a bookkeeper for the next-door neighbour's furniture business which certainly must have helped her when she had to take over personal finances when dad could no longer manage.

Marc found some letters that she wrote on her computer 10 to 13 years ago. Some were daily journals or memoirs; one is a letter written to dad. It is actually a love letter. This letter attests to her satisfaction of having had a wonderful life. We can make it available to whomever would like to read it.

Lucile must hold a record of some sort for attending the most funerals of late.

This is her last one......

Bonsoir Maman!

Bonne Nuit!

Et Bons Rèves!

Ton fils Daniel

January 16 2013

My Love:

I hope I am the first one to wish you gree=ngs on this special day!

I know you have been telling me for a while now that you do not know how you got to be 90 years old.

Even your doctor who has been seeing you for the last 30 years finds that you are very special to him.

He has been seeing you since the first time you had a heart attack, then has followed you through other

very sick moments in your life. You were very lucky that he was always there to help you when you

needed him. This is why you are 90 years old to-day.

I think this is the time for memories!

I remember very well must have been in 1951-1952 when we used to meet either walking up or walking

down Nelson Ave. I really do not remember how long this was going on before we finally met at Dr

Gagne’s office where I worked.

When you met me in the lab where I was going to take your blood, I sill remember the first words you

said, was “is this where you have been all this time”. I guess you were intrigued to find out where I was

going. A few days later I think you called me at the office to invite me to go and see a concert at the

Capitol Theatre. It was William Warfield, singing. It was a lovely concert. We went out a few times, you

even took me at “The Grill” at the Chateau for “Dinner and Dance”. This was the most expensive and

beautiful Restaurant in town at that time. You then had to leave to go work in Yukon for about 6

months. We wrote a few leIers which took very long to arrive in those days. Then when you came back

in October, we started meeing almost every night. Right away I realized that you were mine and mine

alone. We then got married in June 1953. And this has lasted almost 60 years.

We had a lovely honeymoon where we visited the 3 shrines in Quebec, St Joseph’s Oratory, Cap-de-la-

Madeleine and Ste Anne de Beaupre. Maybe we started on the right foot, that is why it has lasted so

long.

We have had ups and downs, but it seems it did not take too long to realize that we could not live

without each other. Our love was there forever. Right from the beginning I felt so secure with you. I

could share all my thoughts, my problems, enjoy the same friends. I think we were blessed to be able to

travel extensively and visit many countries.

We have also been blessed with 5 wonderful children, 13 grandchildren and now the great-grandchildren

are arriving. What a pleasure to see them all.

I know you like to remember your years in Slovakia. I was very happy to be able to visit the house where

you were born. You and I also stayed in the house where I was born for a few years after we were

married. Not many people can say that. I even had the pleasure of meetng your family who were still

living in the same house that you remembered when you left in 1938.

It was quite an eye opener and great pleasure to see the way you were living.

You were lucky that you had great teachers when you arrived in Kapuskasing. It is very interesing to

read those report cards...I am glad you kept them. That is when they also recognized your talent as an

artist. But you know you were very handy at everything. Could do electricity, plumbing, woodwork,

gardening, cement work, even repairing cars and canoes. I really don’t know where you learned all

these things, because you were 5 years old when your father left to come to Canada. I guess you were

born with all these talents.

Then you often reminisce the few years in the air force. You still enjoy explaining to us the meaning of

the clouds. This is something you had studied in the airforce while learning to fly. And you know

what...you are always right. You then went to University and you keep repeating that you always wanted

to study and you did all your life, I guess. Even now you are finding books, one was on electronics. You

tell me that this is so interesting. It is everything I learned at University except in more details. I am very

glad that you still enjoy reading.

You then went on to teaching which you found much more rewarding than working in the government

for more than 10 years. You really enjoyed your work and it is very interesting that occasionally when

you meet former students they have great memories of you. You were working very hard at that time

and had not much time for your family. But Sundays we used to have outings with the children. But we

survived and I think that it was a good thing that you were able to retire at 60 because of health

problems. I think you enjoyed life a bit better then.

You sometimes find it hard to admit that you cannot do everything that you used to do. But please

accept that maybe other people can help you. I keep repeating that at 90 you are not expected to do

everything like you used to.

I still love you with all my heart and want to keep you forever. I know sometimes I get impatient but I

hope you will be able to forgive me. I have had to learn a lot of new things in the last few years.

Budgeting, looking after bank accounts, investments, income tax... all finances were your job. I

sometimes find it difficult to think for two people.

I hope that you will be able to accept the help that is available to us.

I am sure that you will and I will

also need it.

Happy Birthday my love.

Lucile

* * * * * * * * * *

Lucile Tresa (née Desnoyers)

De Ottawa, Ontario, est décédée le jeudi 30 mars 2023, à l’âge de 93 ans.

Lucile rejoint son époux feu Stephen Tresa. Elle laisse dans le deuil ses enfants Marie (Michel Laframboise), Lynne (Raymond Lemay), Anne (Tom Kearnan), Daniel (Susan Todd) et Marc (Marie Charron); ses 13 petits-enfants et 11 arrière-petits-enfants. Elle laisse également sa sœur aînée Madeleine Couillard et sa belle-sœur Hermine Desnoyers ainsi que plusieurs neveux, nièces et amis. Elle fut prédécédée par sa sœur Marie-Paule Thivierge et ses frères Jean et Jacques.

Les funérailles seront célébrées le mardi 11 avril 2023, à 12 h (midi), à l’église St-Gabriel, 55, rue Appleford, Ottawa. La famille vous accueillera le lundi 10 avril de 17 h 30 à 20 h à la maison funéraire McEvoy-Shields, 1411 chemin Hunt Club, Ottawa, Ontario.

La famille désire remercier très sincèrement le personnel de Perley Health où elle résidait depuis 8 ans, ainsi que le personnel hospitalier de l’hôpital d’Ottawa, qui a eu soin de notre maman depuis quelques mois.

Vos témoignages de sympathies peuvent se traduire par un don à Perley Health Foundation, 1750 chemin Russell, Ottawa, ON K1G 5Z6 via le lien suivant https://perleyhealthfoundation.ca

Tresa, Lucile (née Desnoyers)

Born in Ottawa in 1929, Lucile passed away peacefully, in hospital, on Thursday March 30th, 2023 at the age of 93. Predeceased by her husband Steve, Lucile was the dear mother of Marie (Michel Laframboise), Lynne (Raymond Lemay), Anne (Tom Kearnan), Daniel (Susan Todd) and Marc (Marie Charron). She is also survived by her sister Madeleine Couillard and her sister-in-law Hermine Desnoyers. Lucile is also predeceased by her sister Marie-Paule Thivierge and brothers Jean and Jacques. She also leaves behind 13 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren whom she loved very much. She will also be missed by many nieces, nephews and friends.

Family and friends are invited to visit at the McEvoy-Shields Funeral Home and Chapel, 1411 Hunt Club Rd, Ottawa, on Monday April 10th, from 5:30pm to 8pm. A funeral mass will be celebrated at St-Gabriel church, 55 Appleford Rd, on Tuesday April 11th, 2023 at 12 noon.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Perley Health where our mom had been a resident for the past 8 years and they would also like to thank the hospital staff of The Ottawa General hospital for their compassionate care.

For those who wish, donations may be made to the Perley Health Foundation, 1750 Russell Road, Ottawa, ON K1G 5Z6 at https://perleyhealthfoundation.ca