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Helene was born on December 12, 1913 in St. Alphonse Manitoba to Victor and Ida Jeannotte. Her family were pioneers who arrived in Ville-Marie (Montreal) in 1653 as part of “the Great Recruitment.”

Helene was predeceased by her loving husband, Oscar, after 65 years of marriage. She had 20 siblings and is survived by brothers, Renee and George Jeannotte and sister, Lucille Hoffman. Helene will be greatly missed by her five children: daughters, Pauline Prince (Roland, deceased), Cecile Stapleton (Eric Arsenault), Adele Halowaty (Ian) and sons, Raymond (Gloria Young) and Randy (Joanne).

Most of Helene’s childhood was spent on the family homestead in Cut Knife, Sask. In 1930, she married Oscar and they farmed for five years until moving to Bonneville, AB. They ventured out to Vancouver where Oscar worked in the shipyards supporting the war effort. The family moved to Campbell River right after the war. In three years, they moved to Ladysmith where Helen and Oscar continued to work hard raising their family and building two family homes.

In 2002, Helene moved from Ladysmith to Sidney, BC, where she lived on her own for four years. She moved to Duncan and continued to live independently until she was 101 years old. Her final move was when she returned to her beloved town of Ladysmith at the Lodge on 4th.

Helene always volunteered for Saint Mary’s Parish, working tirelessly to support the school and the church. For many years she worked as the Sacristan for the Parish as well as ministering to the sick by bringing them the holy sacraments. She was also a hardworking member of the Catholic Women’s League for over 70 years. Helene had an unwavering faith in God that she shared with her loved ones. Her faith led her to travel to many significant holy sites around the world including Jerusalem, Lourdes and the Vatican.

Helene was the heart of the family. Her home was the gathering place for huge family get-togethers filled with love, laughter and home-cooked meals. Everyone was welcome - there was always room for one more! She had a special bond with so many. Nieces and nephews were regaled by her historical accounts of family life on the farm. She will be lovingly remembered by her extended family, her descendants and their partners. A total of 19 grandchildren, 29 great grandchildren and 10 great-great grandchildren were proud to call her “Grandma.”

A prayer service will be held at 7:30 pm on Thursday, March 30, 2017, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 1135 4th Ave, Ladysmith, BC. The funeral mass and burial is on Friday, March 31, 2017, at 11:00 AM at St. Mary’s.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Chalice (Children’s Christian Care International) http://www.chalice.ca/ or the charity of your choice. Condolences may be offered at www.telfordsladysmith.com



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