Laurette VanCauwenberghe

The Funeral Service will be live streamed on Saturday, December 11, 2021 at 1:00 pm, click here to view https://youtu.be/01GL3dsKnns . The service will also be recorded and uploaded to view on this page once it is available.

It all started when two people fell in love and created a family. But our family dynamic changed the afternoon of Nov 30th, when God called Mom home, peacefully Mom  slipped away from us, and we realized in that very moment that life was going to be much different for us.

Mom loved life, and it loved her right back! As a young girl, she enjoyed time on the family farm in Swan Lake with her parents Maurice & Irene DeGraeve, and her 3 siblings, Lon, Jerry and Gerarada . She eventually met the love of her life George, and married in 1960. They embarked on life’s many adventures together, finding them eventually settling in the town of Deloraine, Mb. 5 kids followed in the coming years, Darcy, Daryl, Keven, Shelly & Kelly. Life was very busy for Mom during these years as she came to love the community they set roots in. Mom had an open door policy! Her bread, cinnamon buns and pots of soup could be smelled down the street. Her generous easy going nature found her not only feeding her own family but any other person that walked through her door. Our friends were always welcome. Mom always made sure you never left her house hungry and enjoyed baking and cooking, her apple pies and butter tarts were a crowd pleaser.  Mom’s hard work ethic was second to none, and on top of raising a large family she found herself eventually venturing outside the home in the workforce to do books at Manitoba Pool Elevator where Dad was manager. Mom speaks fondly of their 25 years in the community of Deloraine where strong friendships were made and stood the test of time as they eventually moved on from Deloraine to Portage la Prarie.

Mom hit the City of Portage with both feet running and took the challenge of moving to a bigger community head on. Mom eventually found herself immersed, and got a job at Stylerite department store in the mall. Mom loved people and enjoyed going to work, and made many friendships along the way. Her smile could light up a room, and as a family sometimes we just stood in awe at her ability to make anyone feel at ease. She had an amazing sense of humour and gift of the gab she loved to laugh, and she had a special soft spot in her heart for those less fortunate. Mom was blessed to start early retirement at 54, and she finally had found the time to tend to her yard. Spring was an exciting time for Mom as she loved to plant flowers and took pride in her yard. Mom always put everyone before herself and this lead to hours of volunteerimg in the community for soup kitchen, meals on wheels, and hospital cart, and as a paid volunteer for elections Canada. Mom had a deep resounding faith and belonged to the CWL (Catholic Womans League) Portage was no different the door was always open. Mom & Dad loved entertaining and having company. Mom entertained many, a farmers’ wife supporting and helping Dad through the busy hail insurance season, Mom always said “the more the merrier!” and she truly meant it.

It is hard to convey as a family in a few short paragraphs the lives our Mom has touched through her time here on  earth, including our own. She was an amazing, wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and a stand in Mom for so many other people . The unconditional love she had for her husband, children, son & daughter in laws, grandchildren, and great grandchildren were inspiring. Family was everything to her. When life threw her health challenges later in life she faced each one of them head on with mental fortitude and a smile and postive attitude the whole step of the way.

She leaves behind to cherish her memory her loving husband of 60 plus years George Laurent VanCauwenberghe of Portage la Prairie, MB, children Darcy VanCauwenberghe (Sheila Harmon) of  Deloraine, MB, Daryl (Merna) VanCauwenberghe of Melita, MB,  Keven (Colleen) VanCauwenberghe of Brandon, MB, Shelly (Daryl) Golly of Portage la Prairie, MB and  Kelly (Jen) VanCauwenberghe of Portage la Prairie, MB.

She also leaves to mourn her grandchildren Brandt VanCauwenberghe (Teagan Cole) of  Deloraine, MB, Krista VanCauwenberghe of Melita, MB,  Tara VanCauwenberghe of  Brandon, MB and  Brett and Abby VanCauwenberghe of Deloraine, MB, and two great-grandchildren, Grace and Kip.

She will be greatly missed by sisters and brothers-in-law George and Doreen VanDeKerckhove of Swan Lake, Mb, Albert and Della VanCauwenberghe of Winnipeg, Mb, Eileen Grenier of St. Leon, Mb, brothers and sisters-in-law Laurence (Claire) DeGraeve of Somerset , Mb, and Jerry (Irene) DeGraeve of Swan Lake, Mb, along with many other family members, nieces nephews and friends.

Laurette was predeceased by her parents Maurice and Irene DeGraeve, sister Gerarada Devos, sister and brother-in-law Margaret (Al) Yackel, brother-in-law Celestin Grenier and niece Lisa Herriot.

Mom you were our rock the glue that held our family together, and we realize your work here on earth is done and so we sing to you “Hallelujah you are an  angel in the shape of  our Mom, when we fell down you’d be there holding us up. Spread your wings as you go. And when God takes you back he’ll sing Hallelujah you’re home.

We love you Mom, until we meet again.

A private family service will be held on Saturday, December 11, 2021 at 1:00 pm, the service will be live streamed and can be viewed via a link on this page https://youtu.be/01GL3dsKnns Interment will take place at Hillside Memorial Park. Portage la Prarie, MB.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Manitoba, 1379 Kenaston Boulevard Winnipeg, MB. R3P 2T5.

A tree will be planted in memory and cared for by McKenzies Portage Funeral Chapel www.mckenziesportagefuneralchapel.com