Josephine Charlebois

CHARLEBOIS: Josephine Marie passed away on January 27, 2020 at the Foyer St. Joseph Nursing Home in Ponteix, SK, at the age of 90 years. She is survived by her children, Juliette (Alan Dunnett) and Maurice Charlebois; her brother, Emmanuel (Anne) Goueffic, and her sisters, Louise Goueffic and Antoinette Conan. She is predeceased by her husband, Leon Charlebois; and her parents, Emmanuel and Antoinette Goueffic. Josephine grew up on a farm near Marcelin, SK. After she graduated from high school, she completed a certificate program in education (Saskatoon) and taught school in a one-room country school until she married Leon Charlebois on October 5, 1950. Josephine and Leon had two children, Juliette and Maurice, and the family eventually moved to Ponteix in 1967 where Josephine worked as an elementary school teacher until her retirement in 1989. Josephine played the piano and enjoyed many arts and crafts. She spent a lot of time reading biographies and autobiographies and working on various picture and word puzzles. She took great pride in her flower garden every spring and loved to watch goldfinches at her birdfeeders over the summer season. Josephine and Leon went on several R.V. trips with close friends and were always very interested in exploring various tourist sites and cultural activities in the area they were visiting. Josephine also volunteered with several francophone organizations in the community well into her retirement, and especially loved to be in the company of young children. Josephine had a good sense of humor and loved to be at the receiving end of some teasing. She was quick to offer friendship to newcomers in the community and she was very loyal to her friends. After Leon suffered several strokes, Josephine had to become much more independent and self-reliant which was difficult for her. Nonetheless she persevered, and visited Leon in the nursing home almost daily over the duration of 16 years to tend to his needs as best she could. There was never any doubt that Josephine loved her children and she was always very supportive and concerned about their wellbeing. Josephine was diagnosed with bowel cancer in her mid-eighties and underwent surgery and oral chemotherapy which she had to discontinue. Her recovery was slow but she was able to resume most of her activities. It eventually became evident that dementia was starting to set in. Her dementia evolved slowly and impacted her short-term memory, although she continued to recognize family and friends. In the last six months of her life, it seemed that she had "forgotten" any worries or insecurities that may have preoccupied her in the past. She was more calm and contented and expressed more appreciation and gratitude for the smaller things in life. Her children are thankful that her passing was quick and without a lot of pain or discomfort. The memorial mass will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, 2020 at the Notre Dame D'Auvergne Roman Catholic Church with Father Guy Amedee Aniemon officiating. The organist will be Danny Roberge and the interment service will take place at the Ponteix Parish Cemetery. Donations in Josephine's memory may be made to the Foyer St. Joseph Nursing Home, P.O. Box 450 Ponteix, SK S0N 1Z0. Warren's Funeral Home were entrusted with the arrangements. For further information call 306-773-8831 or 1-800-267-6606 or visit our website at www.warrensfuneralhome.com and express your sympathy on the family tribute wall.

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