Sr. Alice Geneau

The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada announces the death of Sister Alice Geneau at Mount St. Joseph, Peterborough, August 28, 2020. Sister Alice was born in Summerstown ON, 1919.

Sister Alice is predeceased by her parents, the late Mary Louise (Valade) and Cleophas Geneau and by her brothers Wilfrid, Rene, Harold, Clifford, Edward and Clifford Joseph and her sisters Delia, Edith and Georgina.

She is lovingly remembered by the members of her religious community, the Sisters of St. Joseph, and the many friends she made during her years of service to others. Her many nieces and nephews will deeply miss her love and kindness.

Sister Alice entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peterborough in September 1939. Her first mission experiences were to the House of Providence and St. Vincent’s Orphanage in Peterborough. She ministered in St. Joseph’s Hospitals in Peterborough, Estevan SK and Parry Sound. Following training as an x-ray technician she returned to St. Joseph’s, Estevan, as the Department Head of X-Ray.

However, a love of nursing led her to train to be an R.N. at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Peterborough and later she became the Nursing Supervisor at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Parry Sound.

In 1965 Sister Alice pioneered in the mission fields of Brazil to open a badly needed maternity hospital in Itacoatiara, Brazil. After eight years in Brazil Sister Alice returned to the Estevan Hospital. In 1976 she once again returned to Brazil for another four years.

Following a time for renewal Sister Alice returned to Mount St. Joseph as Director of Nursing in the Infirmary. She next served for two years at Villa St Joseph Retreat Centre in Cobourg before then moving on to Ottawa as a spiritual director, with one year at Stillpoint House of Prayer, Burnstown. In Ottawa she provided hospitality to visitors, worked on outreach programs and was active with the Associate Program during her years at the Hospitality House. She also volunteered for the Alzheimer Society.

In 2009 she retired to Mount St. Joseph where she continued to serve her Sisters with her sewing skills and visiting of the sick.

In 2019 Sister Alice celebrated her 80th Jubilee with family and friends. She is fondly remembered for her zest for life and feisty spirit, for her love of life-long learning, for her laughter and enjoyment of bridge playing with her many friends and her love of art and painting.

Due to Covid 19 restrictions there will be a private funeral celebration. Interment will be at Highland Park Cemetery, Peterborough.