Berthe Alice Rodger

To her children, she was a shining beacon of light that at last, flickered and died after almost a century. None of us can truly fathom a world without her.

Berthe left this world as she lived in it, with grace and quiet dignity. The nurses, staff and doctors of Saint Peter’s Hospital 3rd Floor East in Hamilton, made her last station on this earth, a home. We are deeply grateful to them.

Mémère also left this world a better place. A mother of seven, a devoted wife and an artist of enormous creativity and energy, Berthe was fluently bilingual and a qualified teacher who also had her Grade 13 Piano Certificate. The day before her final stroke, she was wheeled up to the piano in the foyer and she played - Berthe had a great ‘stride’ left hand. She was also an avid gardener who never lost her passion for plants.

Mémère was gifted, self-taught. She painted in oils, sculpted in wood and clay, made beautiful quilts, knitted sweaters - she’d put her hand to anything. When her arthritis worsened, she switched to photography. Our walls were decorated with her paintings and murals. She had many exhibits and showings along the way. How did she find time? We now fervently wish we’d bought everything she ever created. As it is, we each have beautiful examples of her work, paintings, wood cuts, carvings, sculptures, quilts, and unforgettable stories.

Art might have been a bigger part of her life if she hadn’t been such a great mother. Seven children took a lot of raising and Archie, though loving, wasn’t a patient man. As his young wife, Mom helped run an OPP detachment; translations, prisoner’s meals, telephone answering, all managed while raising her family.

Along life’s busy journey, Berthe was always helping others. There was always a place for someone else at the dinner table. She brought people together. Even when marriages tell apart, Mum was a unifying force of love. Former kindergarten pupils, twenty years later, would stop her in the grocery store, to gush over Mrs. Rodger. Berthe was involved with charitable work as a member of the Catholic Women’s League for 70 years. Mémère was a woman of faith and she embodied the best of it.

She was the last surviving child of 14, born to Léon and Evelina Laliberté. Berthe was predeceased by her husband Archie Rodger, and their daughters Adele Franklin, and Denyse McQuilkin. Those left to live without her are: Valerie (David Rosenfield), Douglas (Barbara Gordon), Claire (Wm. Denny), Claudia Brown (Raj Sinha) and Carol (Peter Paci). Mémère to her 10 grandchildren, Douglas (Hannah), Melody (Blake), Drew (Jess), Haley (Stephen), Cameron (Miranda), Clare, Alana (Gustav), Luke, Connor and Olivia and to her 5 great grandchildren.

Her family will receive friends at the Cresmount Funeral Home, 322 Fennell Ave. E., Hamilton on Tuesday from 2-4 & 6-8 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 50 Brucedale Ave. E., Hamilton on Wednesday, November 27th at 1p.m. with cremation following. In lieu of flowers, the family would welcome donations to St. Peter’s Hospital or a charity of your choice.

There will be a Celebration of Life in the Spring. Date and venue to be determined. We may call it Mémère -A-Palooza. If you would like to attend, please leave contact information with us online or on (funeral home url link) or [email protected]