Name: McEvoy-Shields Funeral Home & Chapel
Address: Ottawa, ON

It is with such a profound sense of sorrow and loss that I have read the very sad news. What an extraordinary woman Simone Gates was!  I first met Mme Gates in 1976 during one of her visits to the French Language Department at Maritime Command (near Barrington Street in Halifax).  As a young adult having just returned from studying abroad (in France), I clearly recall being quite intimidated by her, due to the sheer force of her personality, her undeniable presence, her commanding voice and her no-nonsense approach to all things.  She seemed utterly fearless to me, and I had never before met anyone quite like her.  A few short months later, thanks to a government competition, I began working for Mme Gates at the Language Training Branch of the PSC located, at that time, on Brunswick Street.  I remained there for three years and was never happier.  It was a joy working for Mme Gates and her team of wonderful teachers and senior teachers, among whom were Josette Levy, Stephen Cooper and Jacqueline Gale. Mme Gates was a woman of great integrity and fortitude.  Her sense of justice was unwavering.  She treated all her employees equally and fairly, and always made it a point to encourage and to praise, but also to give constructive feed-back.  She was demanding and exacting but, I remember, always fair.  I adored working for her - we all did.  Madame Gates was, by far, and will always remain for me, the best "boss" that I have ever had. I was honoured to have Mme Gates attend my wedding in 1979 and, much later on, to meet my children when she and Archie moved to Ottawa.  Although, through life's trials and tribulations, we lost touch with each other, I am so very, very grateful that my path in life did cross this wonderful, intelligent, generous and kind woman's path.  It was such a privilege to have known her .  Reposez en paix, chere Madame Gates.  Vous me manquerez. My deepest condolences to Francis, Sylvia, Veronica and to all the members of their immediate and extended families.
                                                       Maria Stantos-Zoukis (Ottawa, ON)

On behalf of the members of the Gloucester Senior Adults' Centre, please accept our deepest sympathies.  We remember Simone fondly.  You first noticed her because of her looks and the way she held herself...and then she smiled and looked at you and made you feel like "a somebody".  “Une grande dame” - a lady that made the people she met comfortable even as they looked up to her.   She helped to write our constitution and she and her husband were editors of our first GSAC Fundraiser Cookbook.  Her friends at bridge have been missing her since she moved to the west end and they are saddened to learn of her death

We would like to send our most sincere sympathy to your family. We only got to know Simone for a little while, at the Embassy West. My Mother Audrie sat across from Simone for meals, and found her to be a lovely engaging companion.Whenever I would stop by, Simone had a special smile for me, and I was struck by her elegance. My Brother Geoff very much enjoyed sitting down each evening for a chat with she and my Mother. 
We will truly miss her at our table, and in our daily lives,
Please accept our most sincere sympathy for your loss.
Audrie, Geoff and Gale Labelle

OBITUARY

Simone Gates

May 21, 1927 – November 11, 2013

McEvoy-Shields Funeral Home & Chapel

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