Obituary of Gertrude Adell Belliveau

Born on December 5, 1911, Gertrude Belliveau died in the early hours of Saturday, January 12. She was 96. Gertrude was the daughter of William John Pujolas and Margaret (Shannon) Pujolas. Her parents had moved to New Brunswick from Hespeler, Ontario in 1907 when her father accepted the position of a department supervisor at the Humphrey Woolen Mill in the village of Humphrey (now incorporated into the city of Moncton). Gertrude was raised in Humphrey along with her only sister Myrl Pujolas. She attended grammar school in Humphrey and later graduated from Aberdeen High School in Moncton. After high school, Gertrude went to the Success Business College in Moncton, graduated in 1929 and went to work for Moncton Lumber Company where she was a secretary and office manager for many years. As a child, she had belonged to the St. Louis de France Roman Catholic parish in Lewisville but joined St. Bernard’s parish in Moncton in 1925. This is where she first became acquainted with her future husband John Edward “Ned” Belliveau. They were both members of the young people’s Shamrock Club—he was president and she was secretary-treasurer. After “walking out” for three years, the young couple was engaged and married in St. Bernard’s on February 3, 1940. At the time of their marriage, Ned was a reporter with the Moncton Transcript, but in 1941 he accepted a job with the Windsor Star in Windsor, Ontario. The couple lived in Windsor for one year before Ned became bureau chief in Chatham, Ontario. Three years later he accepted a job with the Toronto Star and they moved to Toronto where they made many close friends (often through activities associated with St. Edward’s parish in Willowdale) and lived happily for the next 27 years. In the meantime, they had started a family and by the time they moved to Toronto already had three children: William Edward, Francis Michael and Richard Joseph. Two more boys, Timothy Paul and Peter Anthony were born in Toronto. With five rambunctious boys in tow, Gertrude’s full-time career switched from managing an office to rearing children. While Ned may have been the “breadwinner,” Gertrude was the anchor to which family life was moored. Always content to be a supportive wife and loving mother, she happily allowed Ned to be the front man but it was always evident that this forthright and practical woman ran the household and kept things on an even keel. In 1972, Ned retired and they returned to live in Shediac Cape NB. Having retired relatively young, the couple was able to make a number of interesting trips to the Far East, Australia and Europe. In her later years, in spite of many personal losses and some serious health issues, Gertrude was never heard to utter a single complaint and right up to her final hours she retained a finely honed and very dry sense of humour and a fierce sense of independence. She lived a long and happy life. She was always true to her own lights and a source of love and strength to her family. She is survived by four sons, Bill (Sheila McAllister), Rick, Tim (Suzanne Pelham) and Peter (Lynn Parsons), Mike’s wife Rita Auffrey, brother-in-law Frank, nine grandchildren—Tim, Paul, Anne, (their mother Elinor Woodliffe MacDonald) Jacqueline (mother Sharon Robinson), Joseph (mother Charlene Leberer), Peter James, Suzanne, Patrick and Rachael—and four great grandchildren Charlotte, Devynn, Jaimee, Kira and Jonah as well as many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband Ned, sister Myrl, son Michael and granddaughter Marie Adèle Myra. The family would like to thank the wonderful caregivers at the Grass Home in Riverview. Their cheerful, attentive and affectionate attention to Gertrude over the past year and a half made the final stages of her journey warm, pleasant and comfortable. Gertrude enjoyed their company as much as they enjoyed hers. Their work is very much appreciated. Gertrude will be resting at Tuttle Bros. Funeral Home, 171 Lutz St., Moncton. Visiting hours 2 to 4 p.m., and 7 to 9 p.m., Monday, January 14. Parish prayers and sharing of memories will be held at Tuttle Brothers Funeral Home, Monday evening at 8:30pm. A funeral mass will be held at St. Bernard’s Church, Botsford Street, Moncton at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 15. In lieu of flowers, donations to Friends of the Moncton Hospital Foundation would be appreciated by the family. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Tuttle Bros. Funeral Home, (506) 857-8564. Online condolences can be made via www.tuttlefuneralhome.ca Service Information Tuesday, January 15, 2008