The Share Pictures And Comments About The Elderly Thread (:

[LaPetiteSoeur]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' timestamp='1323389643' post='2347593']
Iunno why, but I decided I want to post a picture and obituary of my great aunt, who passed away the summer before last. She was a great woman.
I did one of the readings and was in charge of the music selection at her funeral Mass, as well as one of her pall-bearers.
It was sad, but not exactly a [i]bad[/i] day. All of us were well aware that she squeezed every last drop of living out of her life. She travelled pretty much everywhere, had interesting jobs and hobbies, and she died holding a rosary, speaking in French for the first time in about fifteen years, to Mary.



[img]http://www.mhfh.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Boissoneault-Lorette-copy.jpg[/img]


[indent=4]125]BOISSONNEAULT, Lorette Lucy[/indent]
January 1, 1911 – June 12, 2010[indent=4]125]Lorette Lucy Boissonneault passed away in Calgary on Saturday, June 12, 2010 at the age of 99 years bringing to an end the life on earth of a remarkable woman. A direct descendant of a member of the French army and one of the “filles du roi” sent to the New World, her roots in Canada date to the early 1600’s. Lorette was always a bold and independent person. She toured Europe, including Nazi Germany, before the Second World War and subsequently worked with key officials in the war effort in Washington. She visited many parts of Europe immediately after the end of the war as a part of the reconstruction effort and later became an economist with the International Monetary Fund where she traveled to many countries in Africa. The onset of arthritis led to an early retirement to her tropical paradise in Montserrat where she remained until moving to Calgary in early1995 to be close to her beloved sister Yvette.[/indent][indent=4]125]Lorette was born in Rainy River, Ontario on January 1, 1911, the eldest child of Nellie and Ernest Boissonneault and never married. She was predeceased by her brothers Fernand, Reginald and Roy, sister Yvette and sister-in-law Norma. She is survived by her brother Gerald (Norma) Boissonneault of Montreal, sister-in-law Evelyn (Fernand) Boissonneault of Saskatoon, sister-in-law Philomene (Reginald) of Vancouver, sister-in-law Ruth (Roy) of Calgary, niece Marcia (Norman) Holton of Calgary, who looked out for Lorette and was her advocate during the last fifteen years of her life, and by numerous nieces and nephews and their children.[/indent][indent=4]125]Lorette was an artist, most notably a sculptor during the latter part of her time in Washington and in Montserrat. Later in life she taught herself to paint with her left hand after her right was permanently disabled by her arthritis. She was an author of many papers and articles on international financial and monetary policy.[/indent][indent=4]125]After graduating from high school in Rainy River at the age of 15, Lorette attended business school in Winnipeg before joining her family in Calgary in 1927. She worked in the medical offices of Dr. Beauchemin and Dr. McAffery until 1940. During her time in Calgary she was active in theatre as an actor and director and also wrote a play jointly with B. Smith which won provincial awards and was published in a book of one-act plays.[/indent][indent=4]125]In the mid-1930’s, she fulfilled her dream of traveling to Europe and took an extensive trip which involved a transatlantic crossing by cruise ship and visits to Berlin, Rome and Paris.[/indent][indent=4]125]Answering a call for secretaries to work in the British Missions as a part of the war effort she went to Washington in 1942. Her mastery of the French language proved a great asset to her career and led to her becoming the secretary and later administrative assistant to Monsieur Jean Monnet, the noted French diplomat and “Father of Europe” who was a confidante of Winston Churchill and one of President Roosevelt’s most trusted advisors.[/indent][indent=4]125]At the end of the war, with the return of Jean Monnet to Europe, she joined the Forestry Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and participated in a mission which surveyed the needs for and the availability of timber for the reconstruction of post-war Europe leading to an oft told story in later years of smoking a cigar with the King of Sweden and others after a formal dinner in Stockholm.[/indent][indent=4]125]In late 1944, Lorette joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as Administrative Assistant to the General Counsel. During the war years she had attended evening classes at George Washington University and after earning her Economics Degree with Honours she transferred to the Special Studies Division of the IMF as an Economist where she specialized in the French-speaking countries of Africa (Burundi, Ivory Coast and Dahomey) and published numerous articles and studies with Rudolf Rhomberg, J. J. Palek and others. She made numerous trips to Africa, once narrowly escaping a premature and tragic end at the hands of bandits in Burundi.[/indent][indent=4]125]Her IMF career was shortened by advancing arthritis and in the early 1960’s she retired to the Caribbean island of Montserrat where she built a home overlooking the sea. She spent a mostly idyllic 30 years in Montserrat interrupted by Hurricane Hugo, a category 5 storm that ravaged much of the region in September 1989. The eye of the hurricane passed over Montserrat and Lorette’s home, destroying much of the memorabilia of a life well lived.[/indent][indent=4]125]In early 1995 she left the island to move to Calgary to be close to her sister Yvette. It proved to be a timely move as her island paradise was about to change dramatically and she was fortunate to have been able to sell her home in Montserrat as in July, 1995, Montserrat’s Soufriere Hills volcano, dormant throughout recorded history, rumbled to life. The eruption eventually left her former home uninhabitable and buried the nearby Town of Plymouth and, along with it, the Catholic church and its stone altar carved by Lorette.[/indent][indent=4]125]Lorette moved into Mayfair Place in 1995 and later spent many happy and contented years at Trinity Lodge. She moved to The Beverly Centre after being disabled by a fall in 2009. A special thanks to Diana King who was her caregiver and companion since September 2009. Diana was very special to Lorette and her genuine concern and empathy made her as comfortable as possible. The family truly appreciates her kindness to our aunt. Thank you to the staff at the Beverly Centre and the Rockyview Hospital for the excellent care that she received in her final months and days.[/indent]

[/quote]

When my great-great aunt died (we called her tante Lit), her last words were in French. They were, translated. "I love God, and I am ready!"

[Lil'Monster]

[quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1323400832' post='2347721']



I'm not really sure how your response relates to my post about the PayPal blessing ??? Just seems a touch of meanness for no apparent reason?? you must be upset about something.

As for my being elderly, I guess that depends on where you are in the time continuum .... I have been working with 'elderly' who are in their nineties and even one over a hundred, so that makes me almost a spring chicken!
[/quote]



Sorry I didn't mean to offend you and I was kidding!

I am upset about something? Like what?

[vee]

[size=8]ds needs to turn up her hearing aid[/size]

edited to make bigger

Edited December 9, 2011 by vee8

[OnlySunshine]

I love it when my paternal grandmother says, "Oh, foot!" out of frustration.

I also love it when my family's friend (who is 89) says, "Great day in the morning!" when she gets excited.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='LaPetiteSoeur' timestamp='1323401253' post='2347725']

When my great-great aunt died (we called her tante Lit), her last words were in French. They were, translated. "I love God, and I am ready!"
[/quote]
I wasn't there, but I remember that my aunt mentioned it, or maybe my mom heard it from my aunt. Anyway, from what I recall in her last bit of time she was speaking to Jesus and Mary in the room with her. I think that's what I was told. I sort of wish I remembered what I was told a bit better.
Anyway, as far as passing away goes I think that's about the best way to do it. People there with her, having done lots of razzle dazzle things, and gone to church every Sunday her whole life. She was sharp as a tack for most of her old age too. In the last year she started having a lot of trouble remembering and focussing, but I remember her beating all of us at Scrabble on Christmas Eve even four years ago. :D

[brandelynmarie]

My grandmother was like a second mom to me after my mom died. She was a very devout Baptist & didn't quite know what to make of me when I became Catholic at 18. Somewhere along the way, I gave her a green scapular & she kept it. One of the graces associated with it is a happy death & so I would always pray for this grace for her. She passed away coming home on a bus trip at the age of 83. She was surrounded by friends from her church & her fiance was with her; they were singing hymns & praying with her when she died. I was so sad for me, but so happy for her.

[Papist]

My 80-something year old grandpa lost his legs due to his legs not able to heal, partially from neglecting his diabetes. Anyway, my two cousins and I took him to breakfast. My two cousins picked him up and put him in the car. In doing so, they bumped his head on the door. My grandpa, of course, made a smart arse comment to them. When we were done with breakfast, my two cousins picked him up and put him in the car, and did not bump his head. They said, you see grandpa we can do it without bumping your head. My grandpa responded, “Yeah, but I am sitting on my balls!”

My apologies to everyone who finds this offensive. It's just a classic grandpa moment.

Edited December 9, 2011 by Papist

[mysisterisalittlesister]

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1323402195' post='2347744']
I love it when my paternal grandmother says, "Oh, foot!" out of frustration.

I also love it when my family's friend (who is 89) says, "Great day in the morning!" when she gets excited.
[/quote]


[quote name='brandelynmarie' timestamp='1323440134' post='2347903']
My grandmother was like a second mom to me after my mom died. She was a very devout Baptist & didn't quite know what to make of me when I became Catholic at 18. Somewhere along the way, I gave her a green scapular & she kept it. One of the graces associated with it is a happy death & so I would always pray for this grace for her. She passed away coming home on a bus trip at the age of 83. She was surrounded by friends from her church & her fiance was with her; they were singing hymns & praying with her when she died. I was so sad for me, but so happy for her.
[/quote]
awwwwww! thats so sweet!

[dominicansoul]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' timestamp='1323389643' post='2347593']
[img]http://www.mhfh.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Boissoneault-Lorette-copy.jpg[/img]


[/quote]

awww, she's so cute! She does sound like a remarkable woman...

[i<3LSOP]

OH MY GOODNESS I JUST FOUND THIS THREAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


This is one of my favorite residents and Sisters... [img]http://www.littlesistersofthepoorlatham.org/images/stories/lm-blog-new%20residents.jpg[/img]

Sr. Mary Grace and Fannie

Edited December 9, 2011 by i<3LSOP

[i<3LSOP]

[quote name='brandelynmarie' timestamp='1323440134' post='2347903']
My grandmother was like a second mom to me after my mom died. She was a very devout Baptist & didn't quite know what to make of me when I became Catholic at 18. Somewhere along the way, I gave her a green scapular & she kept it. One of the graces associated with it is a happy death & so I would always pray for this grace for her. She passed away coming home on a bus trip at the age of 83. She was surrounded by friends from her church & her fiance was with her; they were singing hymns & praying with her when she died. I was so sad for me, but so happy for her.
[/quote]

[i<3franciscans]

[quote name='i<3LSOP' timestamp='1323447533' post='2348010']
OH MY GOODNESS I JUST FOUND THIS THREAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


This is one of my favorite residents and Sisters... [img]http://www.littlesistersofthepoorlatham.org/images/stories/lm-blog-new%20residents.jpg[/img]

Sr. Mary Grace and Fannie
[/quote]

[mysisterisalittlesister]

[quote name='i&lt;3LSOP' timestamp='1323447533' post='2348010']OH MY GOODNESS I JUST FOUND THIS THREAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


This is one of my favorite residents and Sisters... [img]http://www.littlesistersofthepoorlatham.org/images/stories/lm-blog-new%20residents.jpg[/img]

Sr. Mary Grace and Fannie [/quote]
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mysisterisalittlesister]

doesn't anyone love the elderly?

[Sarah147]

I do. It will sure be hard when they pass away... Health problems are already setting in...