RHEAL HENRI AYOTTE

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

RHEAL HENRI AYOTTE October 8, 1932 - May 11, 2014 Peacefully, at his home with his wife of 58 years by his side, Rhéal Ayotte passed away on Sunday evening, May 11, 2014. He is survived by his wife Elise (née Brémaud), his children - Louise (Glenn Zaretski), Guy (Suzanne née Brais), and Gaétan (Karen O'Gorman); his much-loved grandchildren - Alex Ayotte (Diana née Dearborn), Guillaume Ayotte (Patricia née Fleming), Géneviève Beaudette (Gilles), Antoinette Ayotte (fiancé Kristian Probe), Antoine Ayotte, Shaina Couture, Shane Couture, Sara Ayotte, Sébastienne Ayotte, Jan-Gabriel Zaretski (fiancée Paige Rivard) and Russell Zaretski. His great-grandchildren blessed his last years - Riley, Brady, Serenity, Quinton, Asher, Leanna, Christian, and Romeo. The son of the late Antoinette (née Péloquin) and the late Wilfrid Ayotte, Rhéal is survived by his sisters Laurette Lambert, Gisèle Ayotte, Viviane Walker, Léonne Marion (Denis) and by his in-laws: Adèle Péloquin, Angèle Brémaud, s.g.m., Fernand Brémaud, Cistercian monk, Cecilia Rosche, Phyllis Heron, Corine Bouchard and Reine Cormier. He was predeceased by his two brothers, Lucien Ayotte and Léon Ayotte, and many in-laws, Jules Lambert, Paul Walker, Marcel and Blanche Brémaud (Elise's parents), Henri and Marguerite Brémaud, Marc and Ange-Aimée Brémaud, Julien and Marie-Ange Brémaud, Jacques Péloquin, Léon Bouchard, Laure Champagne and Bernie Chrusch. Rhéal spent most of his life on the family farm in St. Jean-Baptiste. As a young boy, during a thunderstorm, lightning hit the corner of the house and burned a part of his bedroom. Luckily a rain pipe that ran along that corner conducted the jolt away from him and saved him. Rhéal finished his grade eight at the local country school and then went on to St. Boniface Juniorat but a hospital stay in 1945 marked the end of his formal studies. He returned to the family farm to help his family and his neighbours. Despite heavy damage in the 1950 flood, the family farm continued to produce with Rhéal working alongside his father. He met the love of his life, Elise, at a town social in 1952 and they married in 1955. A week after his daughter's birth, his father died suddenly. Subsequently, the farm was rented out and his mother moved to town with her youngest children. In 1957, Rhéal and his family moved to Kenora where he had work in a furniture store and where he learned to install flooring. Elise taught in a private school (married women were not allowed to teach in the public school system). They lived on one salary and put the other salary aside to save enough to buy the farm which they did in 1960, the same year their first son was born. Two years later, they were blessed with a second son. Despite some bad crop years, and floods in 1966 and 1979, they persevered. Rhéal contributed to St. Jean-Baptiste in many ways: he was part of the church choir and of the parish council, board member of the local Co-op and the Caisse Populaire. Always ready to help, he also volunteered time to repair and renovate the church, maintain the town park or to simply lend a hand to whoever needed it. Rhéal and Elise were able to travel first with their children and then later travelled to visit them wherever they were living. In 1984, Rhéal and Elise joined Gaétan who was volunteering in Zambia where they served for one year as lay missionaries. Very marked by the experience, they returned in 1991 for a two year stint: Rhéal built a roof for a church, installed pumps for an irrigation system, and repaired sewing machines used for community sewing classes. In this impoverished country, these projects presented huge challenges and their successful completion is a testament to Rhéal's resourcefulness and ingenuity. In 1990, the farm was sold to Guy and Suzanne. Pépère and Grandmère remained just across the road, always enjoying the antics and the development of their growing grandchildren. Sadly the flood of 1997 destroyed the foundation of their home and the house was sold and moved to Ste. Agathe. Rhéal and Elise chose to live in St. Joseph, a flood-free town! They embraced this community, volunteering many hours with the St. Joseph Museum and with the church choir. In 2011, they moved to Villa Aulneau, an assisted living building in St. Boniface and quickly made more good friends. Our father's life was marked by selflessness and kindness towards all, a wonderful example for us and our families. Thank you to all those who visited him during his various hospital stays. Viewing and prayers will take place at 1:00 p.m. followed by a funeral mass at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, 2014 in St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, St. Joseph, Manitoba. Arrangements entrusted to: Morris Funeral Home 204-746-2451

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 15, 2014