MADELEINE BERNADETTE MARIE SAURETTE

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MADELEINE BERNADETTE MARIE SAURETTE (née DESCHENES) A few days before her 90th birthday, Madeleine Saurette passed away peacefully on Sunday morning, January 17, 2016. Madeleine is fondly remembered, by her 11 children, Gisèle Saurette-Roch, Hubert (Louise), Germain (Angelica), Roland (Aline), Edouard (Nedain), Jacques, Lise (John) Wynn, Fernand (Yolanda), Carole (Steve) Wells, Lucien (Paula), Monique (Denis) Evans, 35 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and numerous nephews, nieces, and cousins. Madeleine was predeceased by her husband of 57 years, André, her siblings, Gabriel, Paul, Antoine, Jean-Léon, and Jeanne Harren, in-laws Richard Smith, Cécile Deschênes, Joseph Harren, and Arnie Sprogis on the Deschênes side, while on the Saurette side of the family Edmond and Cecile, Benoit and Lucille, Sr. Imelda, Sr. Germaine, Honorine and Jack Fettis, Sylvia and Matt Hubert, Denis Saurette and Joseph Saurette. She is survived by her sisters, Marguerite Sprogis, Marthe Smith, Bernadette (Vernon) Keel, her brother Raymond (O.M.I.), and sisters-in-law Margot Deschênes, Denise Messier, Lorraine Gendron, Armande, Jeannette, and Florianne Saurette. On January 22, 1926, Madeleine was born to Jules and Blanche Deschênes (née Breton) in Dunrea, Manitoba. She was the firstborn of 10 children. In 1946, she taught at Caledonia School and later became a microbiology technician at the Saint-Boniface Hospital. After her mother's sudden death, she cared for her siblings at the young age of 22. Madeleine met André Saurette in Letellier and they married August 12, 1950, the year of the flood. The next years were busy nurturing, educating, and providing for their 11 children. She was a great and welcoming homemaker. She was skilled and resourceful, able to make great meals with limited means. Even with a large family, there was always room for one more guest at the table. She was a woman of strong principles and convictions, committed to her Catholic faith and French-Canadian culture. She was open to learning about other cultures and did so through her travels to Ecuador, Bolivia, Mexico, Phoenix and Hawaii. Among her many philanthropic efforts, there is one that rises above the rest. In the 1970s, Madeleine was instrumental in bringing the Society of St. Pius X to Winnipeg and she was a founding member of the Winnipeg parish. La famille Saurette tient a remercier le personnel de Actionmarguerite (Centre Taché), en particulier l'aile 3 D-E, pour leur appui et leurs excellents soins. Viewing at 10:00 a.m. followed by a Requiem Mass at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, 480 McKenzie St., Winnipeg, with Father Boulet officiating. As expressions of sympathy, if friends so wish, donations in Madeleine's memory may be made to the Saint-Boniface General Hospital Research Foundation or a charity of their choice. R.I.P. MacKenzie Funeral Home Stonewall 204-467-2525 info@mackenziefh.com

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 19, 2016