Ms Denise Baillargeon

Denise is survived by a loving family: John West, her husband of 40 years and their children Paul, Christiane, Natalie and Isabelle who have all been devoted to her care and miss her deeply. She will never be forgotten.

Denise is also survived by her mother Alice Baillargeon of North Battleford, Saskatchewan. She was predeceased by her father Eugene in 1995. She also leaves 4 beautiful grandchildren and a 5th expected in December for whom she was “Nini”: Monika, Max and Philip Gartzke and Madeleine van den Hout. Denise was also privileged to have 2 wonderful sons-in-law: Ulf Gartzke, husband of Christiane and Jasper van den Hout, husband of Natalie, both of whom she loved deeply.

Denise is further survived by 9 wonderful siblings and their spouses: Emilienne (Lucien) Gougeon; Louise (Bernard) Prince; Aline (Raymond) Trudeau; Estelle (late David Smith); Charles (Anne) Baillargeon; Louis (Darlene) Baillargeon; Omer (late Gail Baillargeon and 2nd spouse Perla Hefervez-Baillargeon); Elaine (Kent) MacDonald; Gilbert (Kathleen Tesch); and more than 50 cherished nieces and nephews.

Denise was born in Edam, Saskatchewan on February 17, 1946 to Eugene and Alice Baillargeon and was the second of 10 children in a loving French Canadian Catholic family. She attended school in Saskatchewan, Teacher’s College in Quebec and graduated from St. Boniface College at the University of Manitoba. She taught French in schools in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

She met John West in 1970 and they were married in June, 1973 in Winnipeg. Their son Paul was born in 1974 and their daughters Christiane in 1975, Natalie in 1978 and Isabelle in 1980. Denise was totally dedicated and giving to her husband and children who were always nearest to her heart. Denise was a person of profound religious faith and moral example. She was very active in her church and was a regular reader at Mass. Before she became ill in November 2012, she had not missed daily Mass for almost 25 years.

From 1989 to May 2001 when she took early retirement, Denise worked as a French language interpreter in the Ontario Legislative Assembly. She was very proud of her years of service.

In 1995, on a flight home from Paris where she had been visiting her son Paul who was studying in Europe, Denise met an African nun from Burkina Faso. It was a transformational meeting. Sister Delphine Nebi was travelling to Toronto to speak of the plight of young women and girls in West Africa and particularly on forced marriage and polygamy. From that meeting came a lifelong vocation for Denise. She became committed to helping the cause of abused women and girls in Burkina Faso, a small, impoverished West African country.

She travelled to Africa five times between 2001 and 2011 and created, almost single-handedly, a registered charity: Rescuing Our African Daughters (ROAD). Today, ROAD helps run a school and women’s center in Burkina Faso that care for over 200 women and girls escaping forced marriage, mutilation and other abuses.

The family is extremely grateful for the wonderful help and support given throughout her illness by many family members and friends. Particular thanks goes to Denise’s sisters Estelle and Emilienne for extraordinary care and love.

Friends may call at the Rosar-Morrison Funeral Home & Chapel, 467 Sherbourne St. on Thursday, October 10th from 7 – 9 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 520 Sherbourne St. on Friday, October 11th at 10 o’clock. Interment will follow at Mount Hope Catholic Cemetery, 305 Erskine Avenue, Toronto.

In memory of Denise, and in lieu of flowers, support for Rescuing our African Daughters would be most appreciated.

ROAD

c/o 34 Chilton Road

Toronto, ON M4J 3C8

Special thanks to Dr. Greg Korpanty, Dr. Maurice Blitz, Dr. Susanna Cheng, Dr. Hany Soliman and Dr. Rebecca Wong for magnificent care and support.

May God’s light forever shine on this beautiful soul who always viewed heaven as a promotion.