Yvonne Marie Moran

Yvonne passed away peacefully on May 6th, 2024 at Langley Gardens Care Center just weeks away from her 102nd birthday. She is predeceased by her husband Carroll Moran in 2010, her sisters Pat Hunter, Fern Bowles, Terry Morgan, her son- in -law, Peter Little, and great grandchildren Abigail and Ryder Perrier. She is survived and lovingly remembered by her sister Denise Begin (Pierre), children Shirley Raedcher (Eric), Marie Wright (Brian), Margaret Sorochan (Bob), Arlene Little, Richard Moran (Renee) and Keith Moran (Karyn) and 8 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews who all hold her memory close to their hearts.

Here are a few of the stories Yvonne shared with her family about her life. Yvonne comes from adventurous stock. Her ancestors immigrated from France to Quebec with the Champlain explorers in the early 1600’s. According to mom, some of her relatives in Quebec were involved in uprisings against the English. One of these was The Lower Canada Uprising of 1837. Her great, great, great grandfather Francois-Maurice Lepaillier was arrested and sent to the penal colonies in Australia. He survived his time there and returned to Quebec to tell his stories. His diary about his experiences in Australia has been published in a book called “Land of a Thousand Sorrows”.

The Gaucher family had moved from Quebec to Alberta in the early 1900’s. Yvonne was born May 22, 1922 in Edmonton to Blanche Richard and Godfroy Gaucher, both born in the Montreal area. Yvonne was the eldest of 5 girls and grew up in Edmonton and in Sion Alberta, a small town near Nakamun Lake, where her grandparents lived in a beautiful log cabin. Mom spent several years as a young girl helping out her grandparents, so Yvonne learned at a young age to be resourceful and, also courageous. At age 11, she was staying with her grandpa Rene at the cabin. While listening to the radio one evening, Rene lit his pipe and shocked them both by an explosion! Rene had been hunting earlier and had some bullets in his pocket. One somehow got mixed into his tobacco and got pressed into his pipe. The explosion did not seriously injure either of them at the moment, but later that night Rene started making strange noises. It was a very scary, dark and windy October night, and Mom, taking Rene’s little dog for company, had to pluck up her courage, and run about a half mile for help. Rene had had a stroke and was paralyzed on the left side. Everyone thought it was brought on by the explosion.

Yvonne went to Edmonton for her high schooling, and after graduation, she went into Nurses Training at the Misericordia Hospital. At the time of her graduation, Canada had joined the battle of World War II. Yvonne joined the Women’s Division of the Royal Canadian Airforce and went to CFB Rockcliffe, Ontario for military training where she studied, as mom put it, “air-force formalities.” Next, she was posted as a nurse to the “#5 Bombing and Gunnery Training” in Dafoe Saskatchewan where she worked for 2 years. She commented on how very flat the land was around Dafoe – “You could see for miles in all directions - and how very dusty”. She also commented that the dust turned into mud on your clothes when it rained. Although Dafoe was isolated, and dust aside, Yvonne enjoyed her time working there. There were bowling allies, a dance hall, a curling rink, and a theater to keep personnel entertained. And, bonus for mom, it was tidy and well kept. I am sure mom played a part in keeping it that way! There she nursed men from the UK, Scandinavia, as well as New Zealand, and Australia. She recalled that the Australians were particularly respectful of the medical staff and the most well-kept. Although most of her patients were treated for minor injuries and usual illnesses, during her time there she recalled a terrible training accident on the tarmac. There were six aircraft involved and many personnel were badly injured with some that had to be treated away from the base.

After Dafoe, Yvonne was posted to Winnipeg’s Deer Lodge Hospital and then to the Colonel Belcher Rehab military hospital in Calgary. As she could not be housed on the base, she sought accommodation in the city. Mom’s nursing friend, Doreen, was boarding with Noreen and Erv Wallace and Doreen invited mom to share her room. Well, Doreen was dating a handsome RCAF instructor, Carroll Moran, and that is how mom met our dad. They courted for a short time and they agreed to marry after their discharges from the RCAF. Before they married, Mom went to Carroll's sister Helen's wedding in Portage la Prairie, where she met his 8 sisters, one brother and parents. They were very welcoming. Yvonne got along famously with her mother-in-law, Margaret, and all the family. Yvonne and Carroll were married in Edmonton on November 25 1946. Yvonne's sister Fern and Carroll’s brother-in-law Irv Wallace, were witnesses.

Mom recalls driving in a snow storm to their new farm home in Rignold, near Portage la Prairie. Mom’s comment was “It was a nice little house”. Industrious as she always was, she kept an impeccable house, raised a garden, chickens and turkeys, sold the chicks and the eggs, and of course canned and pickled everything possible. Yvonne’s mother-in-law was President of the Catholic Women’s League in Portage, and immediately informed mom that she would be joining. She did join and remained a CWL member all her life. In her new home in Rignold, she was very busy balancing her duties as a mother with her farm duties and her church duties. As well as caring for her growing family, she recalled making meals for the field harvest crews and of making many a chocolate cake for church bake sales.

Shirley, Marie, Margaret and Arlene were born while the family were living on the farm. When Dad accepted a job with the Department of Transport, the big move to Winnipeg happened, where Richard and Keith were born. Mom loved being a homemaker. Mom took pride in her home, was a skilled seamstress for her girls, making many a bridesmaid dress. She did fine needlework, enjoyed knitting and, in her nineties, when her sight was failing, she was still knitting dish cloths. She had a green thumb, loved her gardens and knew the names of all the plants in her yard. Mom was a great cook and enjoyed planning and making meals for her large family get togethers. She said many times that she would rather make a dinner for 15 than for 2. As Carroll worked out of town during the week for many years, mom successfully managed the house and 6 children on her own. Mom had a quick wit and would at times provide the caregivers at Langley Gardens with a laugh.

In 1970, Dad was transferred to Ottawa and then to Vancouver in 1975. In Vancouver, they joined St. Pius X Church where mom performed many duties with the Catholic Women’s League. These included cleaning the church, ironing table cloths, and organizing many church functions, including funeral lunches. She also volunteered in a soup kitchen at the Downtown East Side, making sandwiches with the Sisters. Into her 80’s, Mom was still volunteering at the nearby seniors’ center where she would bring people to Mass at the center and later served on the Communion team, giving communion when mass was not held. Mom loved to be busy, and she enjoyed her church community, the women of the CWL, and the opportunity to be make a difference. When Dad’s health was failing, they were still living in their home of nearly 40 years. Mom was his caregiver, allowing Dad to live at home until his passing in 2010. Mom was 88 at that time.

In closing, Yvonne’s long life was defined by hard work, service, caregiving, and love. She was a wonderful example for her family and all that knew her. She is loved by many and will be missed.

A Funeral Mass and Reception will be held June 14th 2024, at 11:00 am at St. Pius X Catholic Church - 1150 Mt. Seymour Rd, North Vancouver, BC. All who knew Yvonne are welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers, if you wish, you may donate to St Pius X Church CWL at above address or take an envelope available for that at the church the day of the funeral.