Mikaela Kristine Desloges-Launspach (nee Masnyk) passed away November 1, 2019 from injuries resulting from a car accident. Our brilliant light and joy has gone from our lives. She is survived by her husband Joel Desloges-Launspach and her beloved puppy Freya. She is also survived by her parents David and Terry Masnyk; her brother Nikolaus Masnyk; grandmother Donna Carty; her aunt Dawn (Joe) and nieces, Abigail, Emily and Isabelle; uncle Rick (Therese), aunt Nancy, aunt Lori (Chris), aunt Kathy (Roger), aunt Marion (Clancy) and aunt Janice; mother-in-law Monique Desloges (Ken East) and father-in-law Steve Launspach (Ewa Gabrys); sister-in-law Morgan Desloges-Launspach (Gaston); nephews Jacob and Brody; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. She was pre-deceased by her grandfather Reid Carty, grandfather and grandmother, Donald and Marjorie Lynds and her Uncle Randy Lynds.
Mikaela was born February 19, 1990 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Over the years she lived in Courtenay BC, Winnipeg MB, Cornwall ON and Colorado Springs CO. After graduating high school, Mikaela moved to Ottawa to attend the University of Ottawa where she received a BA in Honours French and a MA in Education. She spent a year teaching ESL in South Korea and on her return to Ottawa, taught elementary French with the Ottawa Carleton District School Board. She also worked as an interpreter at the Canadian Museum of Food and Agriculture and as a lifeguard in various locations.
Mikaela was always very active. She always had to be doing something. She loved gymnastics, trampoline, swimming, rock climbing, bungee jumping, scuba diving, silks aerobatics, biking, snowboarding, white-water rafting, painting, playing guitar, making crafts, knitting, playing board games, and cooking. She loved camping and being in the outdoors whenever she could. She loved spending summers at her Oma’s cottage when she learned how to ride horses, swim, kayak, grow cucumbers and eat lots of french fries and key lime pie.
Mikaela was in Girl Guides, Cub Scouts and Air Cadets where she was top cadet. In Colorado Springs she was a Squadron Leader with JROTC. She was the President of the French National Honour Society and won the Polyglot award (for the ability to speak more than 3 languages) for the State of Colorado. She was an All-State athlete for Gymnastics for competing at a state level while maintaining a 4.0 grade point average. While attending high school she completed 3rd year University level French. She was in the cross-country running club and competed in several marathons and mud runs. She achieved her black belt in Tae Kwon Do at 10 years of age.
Mikaela spoke 5 languages and loved to use those languages on her many travels. Her adventures took her to many exotic locales such as Cambodia, Thailand, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Caribbean, Europe and her last excursion was to Morocco to trek with a Berber family through the Atlas Mountains (mostly she wanted to see goats in trees).
Mikaela loved to organize. She loved to make lists. She loved a bargain. If it was free or almost free it was for her. She loved her family and her friends. To her, friends were family. She never met a stranger. She loved her dogs Kai and Freya. They were her babies and they always came first.
Mikaela was the most generous and loving woman. She has donated her organs so that others may have hope and an opportunity to live a full life like she did. Please sign your donor card and for more information please contact the Trillium Gift of Life Network at www.giftoflife.on.ca.
In Lieu of Flowers, Mikaela would love for you to donate in her name to the Ottawa Humane Society as she loved animals with a passion. Contact [email protected] or call 613-725-3166 ext 299.
Visitation (meet and mingle) at McEvoy-Shields Funeral Home, 1411 Hunt Club Road, on Friday, November 8 from 10-11 a.m., Celebration of Life (stories and memories) from 11 a.m. - 12 noon, and a luncheon from 12-1 p.m.
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