Office Location
815 Brunette Avenue
Coquitlam, BC V3K 1C5
Phone: 604-936-9987
Fax: 604-468-2575

Email: info@burquitlamfuneralhome.ca

Office Location

815 Brunette Avenue

Coquitlam, BC V3K 1C5

Phone: 604-936-9987

Fax: 604-936-6912

info@burquitlamfuneralhome.ca


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About An Amazing Life|Help

Lorraine Therese
Gaudet

November 18, 1930 – August 19, 2018

Lorraine Gaudet Lorraine Gaudet Lorraine Gaudet Lorraine Gaudet
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Memorial Candles Lit for Lorraine | SEE ALL
"We are honored to provide this Book of Memories to the family."
— Burquitlam Funeral Home

Obituary for Lorraine Therese Gaudet

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Celebration of Life
Mary Therese Lorraine Gaudet nee Rail
Born Tuesday November 18, 1930 Assiniboia SK
Passed Sunday August 19 2018 Coquitlam BC
The Era was the dirty 30’s where is was very dusty, dry, the Lotus Grasshopper flew in and ate everything in sight across Saskatchewan. The farm house was a small two-bedroom home and there was a large barn and a garage. They did not have much, a horse, a pig, some chickens and one cow. These were hard times for the family. Lorraine was the first born after Olivine’s miscarriage of her brother. This was four years into the marriage of Joseph Rail of Ontario descendant of Louis Rehel and Olivine Cayer of Quebec. Olivine measuring just under 5 ft tall, at this time was 24 years old, born Feb 24 1907. They lived on a farm in St Victor South Central Saskatchewan.
At the age of 6 with younger sister Vivian 11 months junior, they attended the country school in St Victor. They dressed the same and passed themselves off as twins. Odile and Lu, does that sound familiar?
After a move, the girls walked 7.5 miles to and from school. The one room school provided education from Grade 1 to 10. The one and only teacher Mrs. Mackay was very strict. When something went wrong and not one student would confess guilt to the offence then they all got the strap. They would cover their hands in orange peel oil, so the strap would slip on each blow. Brothers Gerald and Marcel were too young to attend school.
In 1944, Lorraine was 14 at the time her parents decided to move to BC as Joseph suffered with severe asthma and BC had better air. Once they packed everything they could carry, they took the boys Gerald and Marcel to BC. Lorraine and Vivian were placed in the Convent in Willow Bunch for a term. Nuns!
The parents came back in June 1945 to bring them home. They had a surprise…Baby Edgar was born in February. Edgar was Lorraine’s pride and joy because he was such a cute baby…..Another boy.
In short order, they were on the way back to BC. This time they travelled by train. Back in Maillardville, the family stayed at Olivine’s brother Ovilas Cayers’ home and the girls were enrolled to attend the Lady of Lourdes Catholic School. Nuns Again! They were moved back a grade again……yet they managed to reach grade 8 before calling it quits.
Initially, Lorraine and her sister got jobs picking beans and potatoes. Lorraine got a better job making Sisal rope at the Cordage Rope Factory at the bottom of Braid Street in New Westminster. The work gave her a slim waistline and very strong abdominal muscles.
Lorraine lived at 920 Quadling Avenue with her parents Joseph and Olivine, younger sister Vivian, brothers Marcel, Gerry, and Edgar. The family attended services at the Lady of Fatima Church since its first mass held on December 8, 1946 and became part of the new Parish.
Meanwhile, Adelmard moved from Saskatchewan to BC after the first world war and settled in the French community of Maillardville. Initially he stayed with the Fouquettes. Soon he was working at the Canfor Plywood mill at the foot of Braid Street in New Westminster. Then he took “room and board” with Lorraine’s Uncle John Cayer who was running a boarding house.
Olivine used to have a large feast after midnight mass and all the cousins and their friends would come and wish a Merry Christmas. They knew there were lots of extra plates. It was fun times. Nobody should be left out at Christmas so Uncle John brought Adelmard with him after midnight mass in 1948. After that day, Lorraine and Adelmard dated for 2.5 years before setting a date to marry of June 17 1950 in what is now the Fatima gym. Dad was adamant that he would not marry before his 30th birthday of June 11 1950.
They rented the house at 950 Alderson for 2 years then purchased a large lot at 924 Alderson Avenue in 1951. With Mom’s father Joseph’s help, Adelmard finished building their first home and moved in May 1952 with unfinished floors, and lots of work to do.
How many women do you know get pregnant at the same time as their mothers, let alone give birth in the same month of the same year. Mom at the age of 21 had Odile on the 9th and her mother Olivine at the age of 44 had Edith on the 22nd of Dec 1951. Three years after Mom and Dad first met that Christmas. What a nice Christmas present.
Well that was the start of the family tree and let me tell you that it grew over 67 years with six children, who had 13 children, who had 11 children! So far. Well done Mom. Mom timed the birth of their one and only son the day before Dad’s birthday in 1957. That was one very happy man.
I can tell you she was active in Fatima Church community: CWL, St Vincent Du Paul, weekly bingo concession, cleaning the Church, and supplying flowers from her garden for the church alter.
They liked to party with family and friends. Getting together with friends at Salle Bel Age playing cards, attending dances, or hosting card parties in their home.
I can tell you that this busy body went back to work to get paid for what she loved to do, bake and decorate cakes. How she took orders at home for her famous black forest cake, or countless three-tier wedding cakes. Thanks Adele for taking up the torch!
I can tell you that they moved from the family home on Alderson Avenue to a condo #70 Laval Square in 1992. After Dad passed away in 2005 Mom remained in the townhouse until that was not safe for her to do so. Hence the move to Foyer Maillard then to the Belvedere when the Foyer was torn down.
Lorraine was many things to many people; a great granddaughter, a granddaughter, a daughter, a sister, a niece, a wife, a mother, an aunt, a great aunt, a cousin, a second cousin, a grandmother, a great grandmother, a friend, or a neighbor.
Soo what was so special about Lorraine. Was it her creativity where she expressed herself when she played her Hawaiian guitar, or when she made kids clothes out of repurposed dresses, growing an assortment of beautiful flowers in her yard or creating beautiful wedding cakes covered in her handmade
icing flowers or when experimenting with recipes she cut out of the newspaper. Odile, and Diane took to making beautiful quilts for their grandchildren. Annette took to the violin! Lu went into growing trees in a big way!
Was it her ability to juggle so many “to dos” multitasking yet never complaining? Well she knocked it out of the park!
Or was it because she always came through when you needed her just like an angel, there to pitch in, no matter what, no matter how long, even if she was already busy………. Why? Because that is what family does.
Ever see Lorraine drive a car…..well that’s what she had Dad for. In her defence, I can say that she walked from 924 Alderson to the bakery next to the Extra Foods on North Road each way the days she worked. Were glad she did, kept her fitness up and gave her some alone time with nature. But when husband retired “out came the urge to get out there and see what there is to see”……trips to the states, bus trips to the casino with friends….party time….kids are gone! They flew the nest. Finally! One of the kids got the bright idea to set them up with an answering machine.
Was it how she was with people; kind, smiling, cordial, pleasant, respectful, a good listener, and standing in her truth. The family really appreciates the special love shown toward Lorraine by the staff at the Belvedere Care Facility. Lorraine was a good patient and a good woman right up to the end in spite of her pain.
Was it because she was equitable in showing her love to all her children and their children, and the grandchildren. If she told you that you were her favourite Well don’t be to sure, she said that to everyone. Or was it because she chose not to judge or pick sides. All poorly behaved kids found themselves in time out with noses in the corner when things got out of hand. This strategy had a calming effect on the little brats.
Or was it because she had unconditional love for all her descendants. No matter how good or bad, at the end of the day you knew she would always love you and always be there for you.
Was it because she wanted to share what she had if it would make someone’s life easier, or better. Her younger brother Edgar would show up for food because he did not like what his mother was serving. Big sister would whip up any dish for this beloved brother of hers. She shared having big dinner celebrations with her mother. Lorraine and Adelmard had all her brothers, sister, and parents down to the house for religious day celebrations. We loved her egg hunts and how she embraced all the activities of each season. Further if anyone was going through a rough patch, she would advise us that life was like going up a ladder….two steps up and one step back. Then she would shower you with food, babysitting or whatever was needed at the time. Several times our parents shared extra money with all of us, just to make our lives easier.
Was it because she gave us freedom along with trust that we would do the right thing. Which reminds me how she let Odile, and I take the train on Brunette Ave to White Rock for the day when we young teenagers. We had to make sure we caught the last train home! Or when she sent us strawberry
picking? We showed up at the Supermarket parking lot for 7am, catch the bus to the fields. Gone all day.
Was it her independence, her ability to take care of herself and how she chose her path navigating any pitfalls that crossed her way.
We were blessed with having Lorraine Rail as our mother, in our opinion the Best Ever Mom in the World.
In Closing
Roses and Carnations to you Mom
You are the best ever mother
And you are loved by us all.
Lorraine is survived by;
Her three siblings: Vivian, Edgar (Twyla), and Edith (Darryl)
Mom and Dad had 6 children: Odile (Mark), Lucille, Rene (Melody), Diane, Adele (Gary), Annette (Léo)
Grand children (13): Derek, Tara, Trevor, Adam, Ray, Daniel, Jacenta, Kristina, Ben, Courtney, Jacob, Carson, Natasha
Great Grandchildren (11): Sienna, Kalia, Ethan, Brooks, Isabella, Renée, Julianna, Luc, Mason, Abby, Baby Sampson (due date Dec 24, 2018)
A gentle wind blew across the land Reaching out to take a hand For on the winds the angels came Calling out a mothers name
Left to grieve the children's tears Loving memories of all the years Of joy and love a life well spent And now to god a mothers sent
On angels wings a heavenly flight The journey home toward the light To those who weep a life is gone But in Gods love it's but the dawn

Visitation or Prayers

When Sunday, August 26th, 2018 7:00pm
Location
Our Lady of Fatima Parish
Address
315 Walker Street
Coquitlam, BC V3K 4C7

Service Information

When
Monday, August 27th, 2018 11:00am
Location
Our Lady of Fatima Parish
Address
315 Walker Street
Coquitlam, BC V3K 4C7
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