Gertrude Alice Bujold

If you ever met our mother you know that you were loved. Mom loved God. Mom loved people. She always had an open door, an open heart and open hands. Mom loved life and found joy in every day and she shared it with everyone she met. She generously gave of her time, treasure and talent.

Mom was born in Smooth Rock Falls on April 5, 1931, to Jean Baptiste and Marie Antoinette DeGagne. She was the fifth of thirteen children. Her family moved to Fort Frances and then to the farm in Miscampbell when she was very young. Being born into a large French-Canadian family she enjoyed the company of many cousins, aunts and uncles in the area. When mom started school she spoke only French. She quickly learned the new language and excelled in her studies. She skipped two elementary grades graduating from Grade Eight at the age of eleven.

Mom worked hard helping with chores on the farm. It was her job to milk the cows and help care for her siblings. She got a job at the peat moss plant in Crozier in her early teens and then worked at Bernardi’s Grocery in town. She enjoyed being the bookkeeper at Stewart Motors but she quit work to marry Clarence Bujold, her childhood classmate and charming neighbour.

Gertie and Buck were married at St. Mary’s Church on July 28, 1954. Together they built their home in their beloved Miscampbell. Together they raised nine children. Mom made history in 1962 when she birthed triplets: John was born on April Fools’ Day and thirteen days later (Friday the 13th) Jean and James arrived. At that point in time the happy couple had seven children under six years old. The following year number eight arrived and a year later the caboose. Our home was always filled with lots of noise, activity, music, homegrown meals, fresh baking, faith, prayer, respect and love.

Besides raising her family and being busy with the farm, Mom was a member of the Women’s Institute, was a 4H leader for many years, was a member of the CWL for forty years, and served for several terms on the Family and Children’s Services Board. Together with dad, mom was an active member of the agricultural community and supported the Festival of the Arts. They never missed church on Sundays.

When all of her children were in school mom was a seamstress. She especially loved sewing wedding dresses but her greatest pleasure was visiting with her clients. She considered each one a special friend.

Mom loved visiting. Hardly an evening went by when there wasn’t company at the coffee table. We never knew who was going to drop in and everyone was always welcomed.

Mom mourned those who predeceased her: her husband of 53 years, Clarence; her parents, Jean Baptiste and Marie Antoinette(Cleroux) DeGagne; parents-in-law, Jean and Ella(Smeeth) Bujold; brothers and sisters-in-law: Amedee(Jesse), Ed, Denis(Rose Marie), Louis(Carol), Claude, and Phillip and sisters and brothers-in-law: Anita, Irene(Leonard)Legaree, Rolande(Alfred)Lowey; brothers-in-law: Fritz (Ethel) Bujold, Jerome Cousineau, Bud McKinnon, David Hughes, Mike Tallon; sister-in-law: Norma (James) Deschamps, and grandson Michael Mueller.

Missing her are her sisters: Valeda, Rita(Wayne) McLeod, and Yvette(Ron) Beck; sisters-in-law: Darlene Hughes, Joan (Keith)vanDam, Teresa DeGagne, Laura DeGagne, Irene DeGagne, and Yvonne Slivinski.

We, Gertie’s children, continue to hold her in the fabric of our lives: Angela(Peter)Bishop, Kathleen(Terry)Mueller, Rita(Cameron)Moorhouse, Rochelle(Blair)Rydberg, John(Patty)Bujold, James(Laurie)Bujold, Jean Bujold(Bob Mitchelson), Louis(Shari)Bujold, Paul Rene Bujold(Maureen Johnson).

Left to honour Gramma’s memory are her twenty-six grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews and cousins. Though too numerous to list here, Mom loved each and every person in her life and she made each one feel like her favourite!

We are very grateful for the support we received during the past ten months. We especially would like to thank Dr. Ruppenstein, Dr. Kathy Simpson (Thunder Bay Regional Cancer Care), Hani and Anita at the Fort Frances Clinic Dispensary, the Northwest Health Integration Network, the doctors and nurses at Riverside Health Care, April and the kind people of Columbus Place, our aunts and uncles and mom’s special friends. We appreciate you.

Because of the current pandemic and in order to best protect those loved by our mother a private funeral will take place.

If so desired contributions in mom’s honour may be made to St. Mary’s Parish or Riverside Health Care Foundation.