Mrs. Ellen Jeanne Herie

With love and sorrow we honour the life and memory of Ellen Jeanne Herie (née Richer) who died peacefully in her sleep surrounded by faith, love and prayer. Beautiful inside and out, Ellen was the eldest of four children born in Flin Flon, Manitoba to Serge and Sara Richer. She graduated high school from St. Charles Convent, Winnipeg, in 1958 where she was valedictorian of her graduating class. Ellen carried her keen intellect and thirst for learning throughout her life, with many and varied interests in art, philosophy, theology, opera and classical music, theatre, jazz, and dance. Married in 1962, she and her husband Euclid built a life together sharing love, hardship, and achievement (and a big and close-knit circle of friends), separating amicably in 1998. During her professional career as a corporate secretary in Toronto, Ellen attained her Certificate in Office Administration from the Canadian School of Management and successfully passed the Canadian Securities Course (of which she was rightly proud!). Ellen was a loving and devoted mother to Marilyn and Neil, and a joyful grandmother to Gabby, Maddy and Charlotte. A profoundly spiritual person, Ellen lived and celebrated her Catholic faith in all that she did. She is deeply missed by her children and grandchildren, her sister and best friend Mary Jo Simpson (and husband Ed), her brother Dan Richer (and wife Judy), sister-in-law Donna Richer (wife of her late brother Serge), Della Desrochers (wife of the late Ulysses Desrochers), Marilyn’s partner Tony DeSousa, Neil’s partner Natalie Bengert, daughter-in-law Arlene Anderson, and Ellen’s Presentation Manor ‘family’: the wonderful residents and staff, including Fr James Carruthers, Sister Bridget, Monica, and the caring teams led by Gord, Nicole, Bremen, and Renny. “Be joyful in hope, patient in adversity, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12-12).