Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]
Today I send my deepest condolences to the family of the late Yvonne Eva Desjarlais of Lutselk’e. Funeral services were held in her memory on January 9, 2013.
Yvonne was born and raised in Lutselk’e until she went to residential school in Fort Smith. In 1966 she married Napoleon Michel and that same year, unfortunately, her husband passed away, leaving her with two small children. In December 1982 she remarried. Her second husband was Joseph Desjarlais.
Yvonne provided for her family by doing numerous jobs such as janitor, home care worker, Dene Yati translator, dental receptionist and classroom assistant. Yvonne taught traditional skills to prenatal and postnatal program students and teachers at the Lutselk’e Dene School about life out on the land. She loved reading romance novels, making dry fish, dry meat, bannock, and was very good at those skills.
Yvonne had a very good sense of humour, making people laugh always as she had a kind word to say.
Yvonne passed away on December 30, 2012, at the age of 63, here in Yellowknife. She was predeceased by her parents, Tom and Rose Abel, her brother Germaine, her first husband Napoleon, and her grandson Christian. She is survived by her second husband, Joe Desjarlais, sons Richard, Bernard, Walter, Christopher, and Clifford, the grandson that she raised. Her daughters are Pauline, Marlene, Sharon and Jennifer. Her siblings are Alfred, Raymond, Joe, Harry and Paul Abel. Her sisters are Therese and Mary Louise. She had numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nephews, nieces, cousins and many friends.
My deepest condolences go to Yvonne’s husband, Joe, her children, grandchildren, siblings, nephews, nieces and many friends.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.
