We are saddened to announce the passing of Lena Jeannotte of Fort Qu’Appelle, SK, four days before her 101st birthday.
She is survived by her children, Sharon, Bryan (Ruth), Judith (Brent) and Bill; her grandchildren, AJ, Rejean
(Alysa), Dion, Samantha (Jason), and Adrienne; her great-grandchildren, Jayden and Brayden; her sister-in-law, Pat Grubb; and numerous nieces and nephews across Canada.
She was predeceased by her husband Joe in 1973; her parents, Alex and Annie Spilchen (Shumay); her brothers, Bill and Nick; her sisters, Maggie Popowich, Mary Darichuk, Katie Carroll, Dora Pawliw, Pearl Chaj and Nellie Bennett; as well as her father- and mother-in-law ,Gaspard and Nora Jeannotte; brother-in-law, John Jeannotte; and sisters-in-law, Theresa Goffinet and Eleanor Hartenberger.
Lena was raised on a farm near Springside, SK and during the Second World War she was employed as a “bomb girl” in a munitions factory in Ajax, Ont. After the war, she answered an ad for a housekeeping aide at the Fort Qu’Appelle Sanatorium where she met her husband Joe. In later years she also worked at the Prairie Christian Training Centre and the Fort Bakery.
Lena was an enthusiastic gardener, and after she and Joe built a home near Fort San, she cultivated a huge half-acre vegetable and flower garden. She volunteered for years with the Catholic Women’s League, the Royal Canadian Legion’s Ladies’ Auxiliary, and the Fort Qu’Appelle senior citizens’ group. Up until her 80s, she was a volunteer at the tourist information booth, which was run by the seniors, where she enjoyed meeting visitors to the Qu’Appelle Valley from different parts of the world.
A service will be held later in the spring when the pandemic has eased. Those who wish to remember Lena are invited to make a donation in her name to All Nations’ Healing Hospital, Indian Head Union Hospital or the Whitewood Community Health Centre where she spent her last months and received compassionate care. We are very appreciative of all the health care workers and are grateful for their consideration to us through this difficult journey.
