Hermine Gauthier

Hermine Rita Gauthier (née Manaigre)

“Ce matin, j’ai entendu des anges chanter.

C’est ce qui m’a fait penser à toi…”

It is with profound sadness and broken hearts that we announce the passing of our beautiful mother and grandmother, Hermine, at the Portage District General Hospital, on Friday, April 15, 2011, at the age of 76.  Mom was surrounded by the family she adored.

Born in Lorette, MB, on May 25, 1934, to Ida (née Rémillard) and Omer Manaigre, Mom was the eldest daughter in a family of 13 children.  As a young girl, she dreamed of becoming a doctor, but times being what they were, that dream was not to be.  At the age of 18, Mom left home to join the religious Order of the Sisters of Saint-Joseph of St. Hyacinthe in the province of Quebec.  After six years of religious profession, Mom chose not to pronounce her perpetual vows and returned home to her family in Manitoba, where she longed to be.  She then lived and worked in Winnipeg where she devoted herself to her job as a housekeeper for the Grey Nuns at both St. Boniface Hospital and Hospice Taché until she married the love of her life, Léo Gauthier, in 1962.  Together, they raised six children on the Gauthier homestead near St. Claude, MB.

Mom was a unique, beautiful and rare jewel.  Always happy, her easy-going, warm and welcoming nature made her easy to love.  A woman of great faith, Mom lived her beliefs and values through example rather than through words.  She saw the best in people, accepted and loved others for who they were and offered her forgiveness without hesitation. Mom believed in being of service to others by helping in any way she could and was a shining example that a person’s worth is not measured by the riches you’ve accumulated, but rather, by how well you treat other people.

Mom was the most generous and compassionate person we have ever known.  No matter how little she had, Mom happily gave to others without ever expecting anything in return.  The world was a much better place because Mom was in it.

Mom chose not to suffer by always seeing the positive side of things, yet she possessed a keen intuition and a rare ability to easily recognize the suffering of other people.  A sympathetic, discrete and understanding listener, Mom’s empathic and supportive nature came as naturally to her as breathing.  Her gentle and patient presence radiated peace and people found in her an excellent companion, an extraordinarily caring person and a faithful friend.  Although she did not have much formal education, Mom proved that an open mind and a caring heart also served as wonderful paths to wisdom.

In her younger years, Mom was always ready for adventure, no matter how close or how far.  She loved to just get into the car and go and when you were with her, you knew you were going to have a lot of fun.  Mom was absolutely thrilled to travel with her girls to Cape Breton to visit Rita McNeil’s teahouse and to the Yukon to go camping and fishing in the great outdoors. Sunday evening rides with Dad to look at the crops was one of Mom’s favorite things to do.

Mom found joy in the simple things: her apple tree blossoming in the spring, birds singing in the tree outside her living room window and watching cartoons with the grandchildren she was so proud of were just a few of the many simple things which brought a smile to Mom’s face.  And as long as she was with her family, Mom was happy.

Mom had many passions and was always very interested in people, places and events both locally and internationally.  A voracious reader, she collected an extensive library of books and articles on a wide range of topics from world leaders and royalty to old barns and churches.  The stories of World War soldiers and their war brides held a special place in Mom’s heart.  Believing it important that her children appreciate their family history, Mom spent many hours researching archives and collecting documents, photos and stories about the genealogy of both the Manaigre and the Gauthier families.  Mom honored other people’s lives too by collecting obituaries, poems and quotes that she found interesting.  You could tell what was important to Mom by the bits and pieces she felt it important to keep.  Mom loved and collected the ‘Family Circus’ cartoons as their characters said a lot with very few words.

Mom’s greatest joy was her children and we could not have asked for a more devoted parent.  Always putting us first, Mom worked very hard and sacrificed a lot to ensure that we had what we needed.  Though she did not drive, Mom always found a way to make it to our music festivals, army cadet nights and sports events.  Even after we left home, Mom travelled hundreds of miles to attend events that were important to us.  Mom passed onto us her love of people, music, literature and travel.  Education was also very important to Mom and she was extremely proud of each of us at our university and college graduations.

Mom adored being a mother.  Whenever we walked into the room, she would greet us with unbridled joy, a big, bright smile and shining hazel eyes.  Arriving at the farm for a visit meant finding Mom waiting for us at the front door, excited to have us home.  All Mom wanted for her children was that we live happy lives, whatever that meant for each of us.  A gentle soul, Mom was nevertheless a fierce protector of her children and seemed to know us better than we knew ourselves.  With Mom, we never doubted that we were accepted and loved unconditionally and that no matter what happened, she was our greatest cheerleader.

Although she was extremely busy raising her own family, Mom also fostered many children from the Manitoba Children’s Aid Society throughout the 1970’s, remaining in contact with some of these children right up until the end of her life.  Always a mom, her foster family meant a lot to her too.

Mom will be deeply missed by the children she cherished; Marielle, Reynald, Gilbert (Nadine), Pauline, Annette (Michel), Lucille (Marc) and the grandchildren she was so proud of: Colin, Colby, Sophie and Kaylee.

Mom loved all of her siblings and left to mourn her passing are her sisters Yvette (Marcel), Victoire (John), Anne-Marie (Ed); her brothers Arthur(Margaret), Odias (Terry+), Aimé (Alice), Patrick (Christine); brother-in-law Laurent (Anita+); sisters-in law Claudette (Edmond+) and Aurise (Armand+); and many special nieces, nephews and friends.

Mom will also be missed by the Gauthier family she loved very much: Oliva, Anna (Tony), Laurette (Raymond), Henri (Yvette), Raoul, Lucien (Marie), Alfred+ (Céline).

Mom was predeceased by her spouse of 48 years, Léo; her parents Ida and Omer; her brothers Emile, Gérald, Armand, Edmond; her sister Anita; sister-in-law Terry; brothers-in-law Clifford and Alfred; as well as her niece Beverly, nephew Anthony and great-nephew Patrick.

Our family extends a very special thank you to Dr. Bshouty and Lynn Demke, RN at the Health Sciences Centre Respiratory Hospital Outpatient Department for the excellent care Mom received.  A huge thank you to Donna Unrau, Michelle Déquier and all of the wonderful ladies at the St. Claude Home Care program for their caring and kindness.  An extra-special thank you to Jackie Gauthier, Carinie Kururu and Carole Rondeau for having cared for Mom with such love, humor and compassion.  Thank you to our aunts and uncles: Yvette and Marcel St. Hilaire, Laurette and Raymond Philippot and Oliva Gauthier for your gentle and constant presence in Mom’s life.   Mom appreciated and loved each and every one of you and was very grateful for all that you did for her.

There will never again be anyone like you Mom!

We will forever miss your gentle soul

and your comforting presence in our lives…

Prayers will be held in the St. Claude Roman Catholic Church on Sunday, April 24 at 8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held in the St. Claude Roman Catholic Church on Monday, April 25, 2011.  Memorial Service at 1:15 p.m.  Funeral Mass at 2 p.m. followed by interment in the Parish Cemetery with Father Marcel Carrière officiating.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mom’s memory may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba, Manitoba Lung Association or World Vision Canada.

“If our love could have saved you Mom,

you would have lived forever.”

Adam’s Funeral Home of Notre Dame de Lourdes, Manitoba in care of arrangements.  Phone 248-2201 or 1-888-400-2326.  www.afh.ca