Burnice Marie Labelle

Our lovely mother passed away peacefully on February 17, 2006 at the age of 94. Burnice, named after her mother's favorite teacher, Miss Burns, was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin on June 12, 1911. She moved with her family to Fort Frances, Ontario where she spent her early years. Her mother, Nell, died tragically when Burnice was only 13 years old and her father, Jack Torseth, moved the family to Fort William shortly afterward. He was a millwright and rose to become the Master Mechanic at the Great Lakes Paper Mill. Burnice's first job was at the soda fountain in Gillespie's Drug Store and later, during the Great Depression, she was a telephone operator for the Fort William Telephone Company. After a long courtship she and Manny LaBelle were married in 1940. They had five children over the next ten years. They were five lucky kids to have such great parents. Manny worked hard and was a good provider. They built a house on Brown Street which was later picked up and moved to Mary Street where a basement, kitchen and bathroom were added. Money was never plentiful and it was up to Burnice to manage the household funds. Those years were filled with kids, school, sports, and bills but Burnice always kept her cool and was always positive and optimistic. Her closest girlfriends at the time got together every week to play cards and socialize. The husbands made themselves scarce and the girls had a few hours of noisy fun. The kids were a little bleary-eyed at school the next day. Bingo was a favorite pastime of young women in those days and Burnice loved the cheerful camaraderie it provided. She was never a spectator; she loved to participate. She was a terrific bowler, a sport at which she excelled and won many awards and trophies to prove it. Later, after the kids were grown up, she caught the travel bug. She traveled the country from coast-to-coast, usually by bus, and had friends everywhere. Few people had more friends than Burnice. She was outgoing and popular and her optimism and enthusiasm for life was contagious and everyone loved her for it. The late 1980's were particularly difficult years for Burnice. The loss of her daughter, Patty, to cancer in 1988 and then Manny a year later tested her good nature to the limit but she endured and her indomitable spirit carried her through. Burnice was close to her grandchildren who were an important part of her life and her warmth and spirit inspired them all. Burnice was a regular at mass at St. Agnes Church for over 60 years and she was a long-time active member of the Catholic Womens' League. Burnice is survived by four sons, James (Jim), Robert (Bob), Michael (Mike), and Thomas (Tom); one sister, Rosemary; eleven grandchildren, three great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, Jack and Nell Torseth; husband John (Manny) LaBelle; her only daughter Patricia (Patty) Mitani; brothers Jack, Art, Bill and Raymond Torseth and two sisters, Theola MacDonald and Lil Goodman. Visitation for family and friends will be held on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 from 7 - 9 p.m. at Jenkens Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be celebrated by Father James Panikulam at St. Agnes Church on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 at 12:10 p.m. Interment will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Alzheimer Society would be appreciated by the family.Burnice was blessed with a long and happy life and was loved by all who knew herOn line condolences at:www.jenkens-funeral.ca"