The McCooeye, Giertuga and Rouillard families are saddened to announce the sudden passing of their mother, grandmother and sister Marie Rose McCooeye at the age of 71 years on March 9th, 2017.
Rose was born on March 27th 1945 in Rivière Heva, Quebec. She was the matriarch of her 18 brothers and sisters and worked very hard, growing up on the Rouillard Farm in Riviere Heva, Abitibi, Quebec. In 1967 she married the love of her life, Larry, and moved to Thunder Bay.
Rose, Larry and their two children Jo-Anne and Paul, built their dream home in Blake Township on Spruce Drive where they spent close to 30 years. There she developed wonderful relationships with the ladies of the Slate River Woman’s Institute. The highlight for mom was attending and working at the Strawberry Social with her friends, attending meetings and dressing up as an elf passing out presents at the Senior Christmas Dinner. A few years after the passing of Larry, she moved to Shuniah Street where she made many new friends.
Mom enjoyed gardening, spending time with her grandchildren, colouring, going to dances and spending time with her best friend Laura Shannon. Rose loved to spend time at Jo-Anne’s house helping the family with daily chores. We truly admired her determination and tackling the piles of laundry and dirty dishes, which seemed never ending. She was an invaluable part of our family.
Early in her life, Rose was a school bus driver for Iron Range Bus Lines and had plenty of funny stories to share especially about the Fennel boys whom she adored and still spoke of until her passing. She was also a volunteer driver for the Canadian Red Cross Society making sure that patients got to their appointments and spent time keeping them company while undergoing treatments. Rose also volunteered for St. John’s Ambulance with her husband Larry.
Rose loved her grandchildren very much and was so proud of their accomplishments. Alana, Justin, Dalton, Devin and Dawson were her everything and I am sure she will be telling grandpa and uncle Paul the beauty she saw in all of you.
Grieving for her loss are daughter Jo-Anne Giertuga (Warren), grandchildren Dalton, Devin and Dawson Giertuga, Alana and Justin McCooeye, children of the late Paul McCooeye, siblings Raymond (late Shirley), Rolande (Marcel Tourville), Real, Rejeanne (Jule Joly), Rejean (Joanne Kelly), Georges, Rene, Maryse (Claude Roy), Marthe (Hugues Labonte), Maxime, Lucie (Jocelyn Tremblay), Mario, Luc (Renee Mantha), Michel, Jean-Paul (Celine Giroux), Serge, brothers and sisters-in-law, Lorraine and Evert Gysen, Mike and Mary-Ellen McCooeye and Patricia and Barb Rouillard and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her husband Lawrence McCooeye, son Paul McCooeye, brothers Raoul and Rosaire Rouillard, mother Marie Luce Ross and father Roland Rouillard and mother and father-in-law, Alice and Larry McCooeye.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Thursday, March 16, 2017 in the Chapel of Harbourview Funeral Centre, 499 North Cumberland Street. Services will conclude in the chapel with cremation and interment to follow. Visitation will be held on Wednesday evening from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. with Prayers beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Harbourview Funeral Centre and during the reception that will follow the service on Thursday. In lieu of flowers, donations would be greatly appreciated and can be made to Northern Hearts or the Northern Cancer Research Foundation.
Grandma, your life was full of loving deeds,
forever thoughtful of our special needs.
Today and tomorrow, our whole life through,
We will always love and cherish you. Love, Alana, Justin, Dalton, Devin and Dawson
