Obituary for Marion Hazel Desaulniers
Marion Hazel Hall Desaulniers
Marion was born on December 16, 1931, to Arthur and Hazel Hall. Marion was their first born and four years later her brother Thomas arrived. Marion and Tom had a happy childhood living in Vancouver. Through the depression their Dad always had a job and they were able to help out neighbours. Her mother Hazel loved sweet peas and her Dad loved gardening and fuchsias.
Marion didn’t like school much and after grade 10 decided to leave. She got a job grading eggs and met her best friend, Delores. Her and Del worked together, went to dances and double dated. Marion was the bride’s maid at Delores’s wedding.
Marion met Maurice Desaulniers in 1952. He was good looking and had a CAR ! They dated for a while and then married on August 1, 1953. Maurice sold his car for $500 and put a down payment on a house at 12 Ridgeway Street in Coquitlam.
Within a year they had Michael, a very active baby. Within another year they had Michelle (Shelly). Another two years later came Martin. With three children, they could no longer carry the kids to family and friends, so they had to buy a car. Another two years later along came Marcel (John). Johnny was the perfect baby. He slept through the night the first time he came home from the hospital.
Four children under the age of five. We don’t know how Marion managed. Maurice went off to work at Flavell Cedar and Mom tried to make ends meet. All four kids played sport: soccer, baseball, softball, football, rugby, hockey and basketball. There were many broken windows along the way!
They had a double property on Ridgeway and decided to build a café. Maurice, Marion, Michael, Michelle, Martin and Marcel. What else to call the café but M and M’s.
Marion ran a successful business and made the best fish and chips in town. The boys peeled potatoes and Shelly helped out in the café. It wasn’t long before Marion met good friends in Doug and Gert. They lived across the street on Austin Avenue and Gert worked in the cafe. Other friends included Lottie Holman and Ray and Iris Le Plante. Lottie had a son who had joint problems. He wasn’t allowed to walk for years and had to be in a full cast from the waist down. Marion went around the neighbourhood and raised money to buy Lance a TV for his room.
After working long hours in the café, Marion decided to take a break and they moved to Thomas Avenue. It wasn’t long before she worked for a butcher and then landed a job at the Coquitlam School Board and was the head cook in the cafeteria. The students and staff loved her cooking. She loved her time working at the school.
Maurice got sick in his lungs from cedar poisoning, so he had to leave the lumber mill. They decided to manage apartments. They started in New Westminster and were very hard working. It wasn’t long before they were head hunted for bigger apartments at Coquitlam Centre and later in Vancouver. Marion enjoyed the apartments, as she was always dealing with people.
Summers were spent camping at Birch Bay, Cultus Lake, Shuswap Lake and Osoyoos.
Marion and Maurice had many common interests. They both loved to square dance and play bridge. Marion was also a keen sportswoman. She played softball at school and was a tough competitor at ping pong. She won a medal at the BC Seniors Games. Marion also liked to play Dominoes and was a keen painter. She painted a special scene for each of her four children.
Marion loved to cook. She enjoyed having family and friends over for dinner. Roast beef or turkey with roasted vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and pumpkin pie. There was often homemade cookies, Rice Krispie Squares, Nanaimo Bars and berry pies available.
Marion’s said her best achievement were her children. She said they all turned out well. Her family expanded over the years with daughters-in-laws: Sherrie, Jenny, Lorraine and Lyn, grandchildren: Keith, Kevin, Lisa, Owen, Jarod, Devin and Quinton, great grandchildren: Trinity, Sydney, Brandi, Ryliegh, Hunter, Kane, Kohen, Mason, Tyson, Adain and Alice.
In 1991, Marion and Maurice moved into their son’s basement. They enjoyed many bridge parties, Christmas get togethers, family birthdays and their 50th Wedding Anniversary.
Now retired, they were able travel more including a cruise to Alaska, the Mediterranean, El Salvador and the Panama Canal. Later they joined the grey nomads and travelled to Arizona. They also enjoyed going to Peru with their sons and Australia to visit their daughter.
They moved to a Retirement Home on Austin Avenue in 2011. Maurice passed away a year later. Marion was joined by her friends Doug and Gert. They played cards and enjoyed visits from friends and family. Marion enjoyed doing crafts at the Dogwood Centre and riding her scooter to the store.
Later Marion moved to Maple Ridge where she was well cared for by Royal Crescent Gardens. She enjoyed the daily activities there and loved singing. She was closer to her grandchildren who came to visit her regularly.
Marion was hard working and friendly. She loved a glass of wine, cooking for family and friends, singing and playing cards. More than anything, she loved being around her family and friends.
Thank you for everything you have been for us. Thank you for shaping us into the people we are today.
You have been the centre of many happy memories that will make us smile.
Marion was born on December 16, 1931, to Arthur and Hazel Hall. Marion was their first born and four years later her brother Thomas arrived. Marion and Tom had a happy childhood living in Vancouver. Through the depression their Dad always had a job and they were able to help out neighbours. Her mother Hazel loved sweet peas and her Dad loved gardening and fuchsias.
Marion didn’t like school much and after grade 10 decided to leave. She got a job grading eggs and met her best friend, Delores. Her and Del worked together, went to dances and double dated. Marion was the bride’s maid at Delores’s wedding.
Marion met Maurice Desaulniers in 1952. He was good looking and had a CAR ! They dated for a while and then married on August 1, 1953. Maurice sold his car for $500 and put a down payment on a house at 12 Ridgeway Street in Coquitlam.
Within a year they had Michael, a very active baby. Within another year they had Michelle (Shelly). Another two years later came Martin. With three children, they could no longer carry the kids to family and friends, so they had to buy a car. Another two years later along came Marcel (John). Johnny was the perfect baby. He slept through the night the first time he came home from the hospital.
Four children under the age of five. We don’t know how Marion managed. Maurice went off to work at Flavell Cedar and Mom tried to make ends meet. All four kids played sport: soccer, baseball, softball, football, rugby, hockey and basketball. There were many broken windows along the way!
They had a double property on Ridgeway and decided to build a café. Maurice, Marion, Michael, Michelle, Martin and Marcel. What else to call the café but M and M’s.
Marion ran a successful business and made the best fish and chips in town. The boys peeled potatoes and Shelly helped out in the café. It wasn’t long before Marion met good friends in Doug and Gert. They lived across the street on Austin Avenue and Gert worked in the cafe. Other friends included Lottie Holman and Ray and Iris Le Plante. Lottie had a son who had joint problems. He wasn’t allowed to walk for years and had to be in a full cast from the waist down. Marion went around the neighbourhood and raised money to buy Lance a TV for his room.
After working long hours in the café, Marion decided to take a break and they moved to Thomas Avenue. It wasn’t long before she worked for a butcher and then landed a job at the Coquitlam School Board and was the head cook in the cafeteria. The students and staff loved her cooking. She loved her time working at the school.
Maurice got sick in his lungs from cedar poisoning, so he had to leave the lumber mill. They decided to manage apartments. They started in New Westminster and were very hard working. It wasn’t long before they were head hunted for bigger apartments at Coquitlam Centre and later in Vancouver. Marion enjoyed the apartments, as she was always dealing with people.
Summers were spent camping at Birch Bay, Cultus Lake, Shuswap Lake and Osoyoos.
Marion and Maurice had many common interests. They both loved to square dance and play bridge. Marion was also a keen sportswoman. She played softball at school and was a tough competitor at ping pong. She won a medal at the BC Seniors Games. Marion also liked to play Dominoes and was a keen painter. She painted a special scene for each of her four children.
Marion loved to cook. She enjoyed having family and friends over for dinner. Roast beef or turkey with roasted vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and pumpkin pie. There was often homemade cookies, Rice Krispie Squares, Nanaimo Bars and berry pies available.
Marion’s said her best achievement were her children. She said they all turned out well. Her family expanded over the years with daughters-in-laws: Sherrie, Jenny, Lorraine and Lyn, grandchildren: Keith, Kevin, Lisa, Owen, Jarod, Devin and Quinton, great grandchildren: Trinity, Sydney, Brandi, Ryliegh, Hunter, Kane, Kohen, Mason, Tyson, Adain and Alice.
In 1991, Marion and Maurice moved into their son’s basement. They enjoyed many bridge parties, Christmas get togethers, family birthdays and their 50th Wedding Anniversary.
Now retired, they were able travel more including a cruise to Alaska, the Mediterranean, El Salvador and the Panama Canal. Later they joined the grey nomads and travelled to Arizona. They also enjoyed going to Peru with their sons and Australia to visit their daughter.
They moved to a Retirement Home on Austin Avenue in 2011. Maurice passed away a year later. Marion was joined by her friends Doug and Gert. They played cards and enjoyed visits from friends and family. Marion enjoyed doing crafts at the Dogwood Centre and riding her scooter to the store.
Later Marion moved to Maple Ridge where she was well cared for by Royal Crescent Gardens. She enjoyed the daily activities there and loved singing. She was closer to her grandchildren who came to visit her regularly.
Marion was hard working and friendly. She loved a glass of wine, cooking for family and friends, singing and playing cards. More than anything, she loved being around her family and friends.
Thank you for everything you have been for us. Thank you for shaping us into the people we are today.
You have been the centre of many happy memories that will make us smile.