Marie Anna Simoneau, 1918 - 2008

Marie Anna Simoneau, longtime resident of Girouxville, Alberta, passed away January 30, 2008 in McLennan at 89 years of age. She was May 1, 1918 in Chicoutimi, Quebec and arrived in the Peace region in 1928. Marie Anna Simoneau was born Marie Anna Savard daughter of Raoul and Alice Savard, one of 10 children. At the age of 20 she married Albert Simoneau who already had four children. She gave birth to eight children keeping, her life quite occupied. In 1952, her youngest daughter died at the age of 11 months old leaving a deep sorrow in her heart. Six years later, her sister passed away after giving birth to a daughter Cecile. Marie Anna was quick to take in this precious little girl. What helped Marie Anna through all the losses was her faith in God, the virgin Mary and the birth of many more grandchildren and great-grandchildren for her to focus on. Children were her life, they are what gave her life and most of all joy and the will to live. She was noted to be a loving, generous person and mothering energy to all. Each one of us will remember different details about Mom like spending afternoons visiting with grandma, eating her molasses cookies, home made beans, bread and soups or eating the carrots and strawberries from her garden. She enjoyed cooking for these visits and all the chaos that came with having all these grand children around. These are memories that will always be cherished and kept in our hearts forever. Mom, it is fitting that you are being laid to rest next to the child who left so early. It is now you and Dad’s turn to be with her. Mom, you are loved and will be missed very much. Marie Anna is predeceased by her parents and all but one of her siblings, her husband Albert, her children Germaine, Emile and George and a great-grandchild Darren Lambert. Marie Anna is urvived by her children: Antoine (Therese) Simoneau of High Prairie, Yvonne (Laurent) Bouchard of Falher, Annette Blais of Grande Prairie, Andre Simoneau of Wetaskiwin, Jean (Jeanine) Simoneau of Barrhead, Roger (Jeanne) Simoneau of Surrey British Columbia, Paul (Sandy) Simoneau of Mill Bay, British Columbia, Juliette (Jim) Simoneau-Moore of Red Deer, Henri Simoneau of Calgary, and Cecile (Lenard) Vallentgoed of Grande Prairie along with 65 grandchildren, 135 great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren. Funeral service for the late Marie Anna Simoneau were held February 2 in Girouxville at Paroisse Notre Dame de Lourdes Catholic Parish in Girouxville with Father Boniface N’Kulu Lupitshi, OSB officiating. Pallbearers were Michel Blais, Roger Simoneau Jr., Denis Simoneau, Troy Simoneau, Henri Paul Simoneau, and Donald Chailler. Cross bearer was Gilbert Simoneau. Interment followed at Notre Dame de Lourdes Cemetery in Girouxville. Chapel of Memories in Peace River.