Marcelle Savaria

SAVARIA, Marcelle Marie (nee TOUPIN) 1930 -2006 Marcelle passed away on April 5, 2006 after a courageous battle with cancer at the age of 75. She was born in Saint-Boniface, Manitoba on December 24th, 1930, daughter of Ephrem Toupin and Antoinnette (Joyal). She is predeceased by her parents, two sisters, Cecile and Marguerite and son-in-law, Don Tamminen. She leaves to mourn her beloved husband Leo Paul Savaria; her three sons Robert (husband of Allison Wilson), Yves (husband of Carol Hayes), Andre (husband of Lucille Groot); her two daughters Micheline, and Franoise (wife of Tony Ruban); eight siblings, Marie Bilodeau, Rita Dupas, Therese Btournay, Simone Smith, Georges Toupin, Lucille Pelland, Henriette Jubinville, Yvette McGuirk; and nine grandchildren; Kyle, Katherine, Terry, Paul, Elizabeth, Genevieve, Phillip, Natalie and Stephane. Marcelle attended l'Academie St. Joseph in Saint-Boniface and soon after married Leo Paul on September 9, 1950, the year of the flood in Manitoba. Marcelle and Leo Paul moved to Churchill, Manitoba in 1957, returning to Saint Boniface in 1963 until 1974 when Leo Paul was transferred to Ottawa. They returned to their western roots moving to Edmonton in 1976, where Marcelle began her part time career at Canadian Tire and at the Hudson's Bay Company. She made lifelong friends there and provided excellent service to both companies for 18 years. Marcelle's innumerable talents were known to many in Saint Boniface. As a young talented artist, Marcelle excelled in watercolor, oil painting as well as wood sculpting and leather work. She also became actively involved with several organizations such as the St. Boniface Catholic Girl Guides, the Gais Manitobains Dance Troupe, and La Jeunesse Etudiante Catholique. Who could forget mom's talents as seamstress extraordinaire and culinary expert famous apple pie made without apples? Marcelle was a generous person with her time as well as with her talents which she shared with her family and with others who found themselves in unfortunate circumstances. With Leo Paul at her side, she took particular interest in assisting a Sierra Leon refugee family overcome hardships as they established themselves in their new home in Canada. She and Leo Paul were equally active in their church and participated in making and distributing 125,000 rosary kits within Alberta and around the world. Marcelle enjoyed travelling and a trip to Europe in 1986 was one of her most memorable trips where she visited Leo Paul's ancestral home of the Guyot family. Marcelle and Leo Paul enjoyed a second honeymoon trip across eastern Canada, traversed the Cabot Trail and discovered the St. Pierre & Miquelon Islands. They equally enjoyed visiting with the Toupin and Savaria clans along the way. Who can forget the numerous family outings to Plage Albert during hot Manitoba summers? Marcelle was a devoted wife and mother to her five children, celebrating their successes and meeting their challenges, always there, lending a helping hand and offering sage advice in times of need. Her departure leaves us with great sadness, however we are assured that she will be comforted in God's loving embrace in celebration of a life lived in the faith and love of others. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday April 10, 2006 at 10:30 AM presided by Reverend Jacques Jolys, o.m.i., Reverend Louis Philippe Roy, o.m.i., and Reverend Clement Gauthier at St. Joachim Church, 9924, 110 Street, Edmonton. Marcelle's family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the 5 - 4E staff at the University of Alberta Hospital and to the staff at the 9Y Palliative Care Unit in the Edmonton General Continuing Care Center. Memorial donations can be made to the Cross Cancer Institute of Edmonton, 11560 University Avenue, Edmonton, T6G 1Z2 or the 9Y Palliative Unit, Edmonton General Continuing Care Center, 11111 Jasper Avenue, T5K 0L4. Connelly-McKinley Ltd., 10011-114th St.; (780) 422-2222, to send condolences: www.connelly-mckinley.com