Here is a story Mom wrote about her growing up years and her father. 

November 1990
Eulogy to DAD
(Alphonse Moise Gouin Sept 26, 1900, Morinville AB to June 30, 1956, Calgary AB)
  by Jeanne (Gouin) Barnes
There is no way I can write a story to truly do justice to my Dad; but I'll attempt to write what I remember; and what stands out in my mind.  Dad was born September 26, 1900 in Morinville Alberta to Omer and Artemise Gouin.
He was always very special to me as we spent a lot of time together. He would take me along to the field on the farm; out to the barn; the hen house; the pigpen; or to town, where I got a treat of an all-day sucker from our general store at Redland, Alberta. If we were in Carbon, I'd get a dish of ice cream with wafers on the side!
Dad was a very pious man. We used to kneel all together and say our rosaries. He always answered in French as he had gone to a French school in Moxee, Wash, USA.  He had learned all his prayers there and had a French prayer book to use at Mass. I never heard him use profane language.
In the old days, (early 1930s) men wore spats—felt-like covers laced over their shoes. They wore suspenders, and spring-like arm bands.  Dad wore all these on special occasions and on Sundays.
He had a fantastic ear for music. He played the violin and mandolin at dances at the many country schools in the area.  He never read music; but learned from an RCA Victrola; or from the radio; and practiced along until he knew the tune. We always had a good radio at our house. Dad used to practice his music along with the ‘Grand Ole Opry' from Nashville, Tennessee; or CFCN Old Timers of Calgary or a program from KOA Denver, Colorado. His good friend Real Barr of Redland, who was a radio technician, was able to fix any radio whose tubes had burned out as he had taken a course at the Calgary Tech School.
He was accompanied on the piano at the dances by my Aunt Clara Grenier (Charlebois, 1897-1948, Clara was one of my Mom's sisters) and by Margaret Males, a Redland neighbor who ran the General store at Redland, Alberta.  A friend, Harley Austin from Rosebud Alberta, also accompanied on his banjo. They all sounded great. I know because I attended all those dances with Mom and Dad as long as I can remember. No babysitters in those days! I‘d usually fall asleep on a table laden with warm winter coats!
Some of the tunes I remember them playing were “Bye-bye Blackbird”, “Moonlight and Roses”, “Roll out the Barrel”, “French Minuet”, “Golden Slippers”, “Put on your Old Grey Bonnet”, to name a few. I still have Dad's violin and mandolin. I play some, but not to the extent that he did!
I was born February 21, 1928 in Carbon Alberta. My sister Alma Rose was born July 13 1931. At age 2, she passed away of pneumonia at the Calgary Children's Hospital (January 27, 1933). I missed her a lot, but still had Mom and Dad. Then on Aug 21, 1935 Marian Frances was born. She was very cute and friendly with everyone. She stole the show! I was the shy one being on the farm and rarely seeing other children. I'd hide behind Mom's apron if anyone visited the farm! By the time I started school in Grade One we had left the farm. Dad bought a truck and started his business in the area.
Then Mom became very ill and had to go the Holy Cross Hospital in Calgary. Dad employed various ‘city' housekeepers, but none of them knew our country ways, so were of little help to us. Dad then decided that he and I would have to manage! So I quickly learned to babysit Marian; wash diapers and all the clothes. We had a trusty Maytag washer by then, but water had to be hauled in from a rain barrel or pumped up from the well. Then the water had to be emptied fro the machine.  It was an all day job! I was eleven or twelve years old at that time. I tried to cook and do chores, such as hauling in coal and wood, hauling out ashes, keeping the fires going. It was a very cold in winter in Alberta. We would often melt snow for washing clothes. We had chickens to feed, and eggs to collect. They sold for $0.12 a dozen. 
I also had to help Dad on the truck if he needed an extra hand to shovel wheat; put the decks on for cattle or pigs; or get them off.  Dad later got an ‘auger' to load the wheat and other grains. He'd haul coal from Rosebud Mines or Drumheller. And he'd go to Calgary for gasoline in drums from the White Rose Gas and Oil Company. I should have been a boy! Dad and I also sawed a lot of wood with a crosscut saw, mostly old railroad ties.
We had a kerosene lamp that had to be kept filled and an Aladdin lamp with a mantle that broke easily. The glass globes always needed cleaning. I did my homework by these lamps all through my school years. One day Dad decided to rig up a Delco windmill on top our hill to generate electricity for a light bulb in the kitchen. Wonder of wonders! 
I can't name all of Dad's friends in that area but he was well liked. A few were Chris Hagen, Charlie Kirby, Gilbert Burke, Alphonse Noy and Shorty Jepps. 
Mom did recover eventually, and come home much to my relief. I made sure I helped her all I could, as I sure did not want to lose her again. We worked side by side at everything. One fond memory was of going with her on the train to Drumheller on a Christmas shopping spree.. How I enjoyed the pretty strings of Christmas lights on the streets of Drumheller. It was like a fairyland. We would stay at a hotel and catch the train back to Redland the next day. Or we'd go all the way to Calgary by train and stay two nights in a hotel. Mom would usually have a doctor's appointment at the clinic as well. I can still hear the Calgary milkman clippety clopping down the paved roads at 5am in his milk wagon. 
Dad loved children. He would always hold a child if he had time. We had some great card games of ‘Hearts' or ‘Liverpool Rummy'. Then Mom had a baby boy! Wonder of wonders! And I got to help choose his name! Phillip Edward arrived October 13, 1938. I was 10 years old. He was so cute, and of course he was Dad's pride and joy. A boy at last! After 3 girls! I spent a lot of time babysitting this little guy, and Phillip used to say he was ‘Jeanne's' boy!
Then Edwin Joseph arrived April 21, 1942. I can remember a plane had crashed in a field north of Redland, and we all went out to see it. The War had started, and the Air Force boys were being trained to fly over our area. A few days later Mom came home with Edwin.
Two years later, on the same day, April 21, 1944, Dennis Dale was born. He was a good little fellow; obedient and helpful. He got leukemia and passed away at the age of 9, just one week before Christmas.
Dad was overwhelmed when Donald Albert arrived November 15, 1945. All these boys! Dad worked long hard hours on the truck with the help of his brother Emmanuel, who was a bachelor. He always ate at our place. At Christmas time they would go to the Horseshoe Canyon area for a load of trees for Christmas to sell in our area. There was always a big special one for the school. 
Once I road all the way to Calgary in the back of the truck amongst lumpy sacks of potatoes so that I could see the Stampede Parade. I would take 2 hours at 35 mph on a gravel highway.
We had a large garden of many vegetables and flowers. Many times I'd pump water to a ditch; with diversions to other ditches in the dry season, so that the garden would grow better.  It would be so dry that it would soak through on the way down, and you'd be tired out before it might do much good.  But I always enjoyed our carrots, cabbage and turnips. We had lots of potatoes that we stored in our cellar. One day Dad went down to the cellar and of course I followed along.  All of a sudden, a salamander appeared. Dad said nothing but watched to see my reaction. When I saw it, I said to Dad, “I think I'll go upstairs now!”  He laughed and said “all right!” 
Another job I had was to pick off the potato bugs and put them in a can. No sprays in those days. Mom would throw them into the stove.  They'd sizzle and I'd shiver.
Then when I was in high school the folks sold out to Charles Kirby Jr. and they moved in to a revenue property on 9th Avenue in Calgary. Dad got employment at the Penguin Oil Co. where they sold re-refined airplane oil and gas. I was left behind to finish my year at school in Rosebud, where I had room and board with Mrs. Julia Elliott.  I helped her on the AGT switchboard for 2 years to earn my keep. She was an excellent cook, and I soon put on weight from lack of exercise, sitting all day in school and then from 4pm to 10pm on the switchboard!  I was140 lbs when I left there and no longer a skinny little girl! Then I said goodbye to the place I grew up in, and took the train in to Calgary.  It was 1946. There was no one there to say goodbye to me or share that moment with. I was all alone. I did go back to visit Mrs. Elliott a couple of times, and she said I came to visit her more than her own family did!
Linda Anne came along March 9, 1947. She was a sweetie; after all the boys! She had trouble getting milk to agree with her, and was not too well, but eventually outgrew the problem. I did worry about her, and was relieved when she improved.
Then Teresa Marie arrived December 5 ,1948 at supper time. It was about 0 degrees F that night. I was out on a date with my beau at the Glacier Skating Rink. We met on speed skates! I still don't know how he caught me, but were later married June 7, 1949. It was almost too cold to go skating that day. I used to do office work after I got my high school diploma, at the Calgary Branch of the Income Tax Dept.  Then when I decided to marry I had to resign as in those days they did not keep married women on anymore.
That next summer, Mom and Dad took a trip to Yakima Wash to visit Dad's sisters. John, my husband and I took care of the family. Everyone would stare at us when we'd all go together go for a walk down to St George's Island Park and Zoo. We were too young to have that many children. We had a lot of laughs over that! 
Dad had a stroke while in Yakima, and they were away much longer than they had anticipated. The heat there was too much for Dad; 103 degrees in the shade! They came home as soon as he was able to travel and came by train. It was a long and arduous journey. The doctor would not let Dad fly home. He recovered eventually and then Lorne Paul was born June 3, 1951. I had a son of my own by that time, Vernon, born June 24, 1950, who was a year older than Lorne!
Dad loved his food. His favorites were rice soup, salmon pie, raisin pie, roast beef and roast chicken. He used to eat a lot of raisins until one day he came upon some wormy ones. Then that was it! No more raisins!  Rice soup was usually made with a can of tomatoes, or chicken leftover and broth. He'd enjoy fried fish eggs. During Lent we'd eat white fish from Manitoba, usually fried. He liked Gortons! That is what he called the crispy roasted rind of the bacon after butchering. 
Roast chicken was a Sunday favorite, and it was my job to chase and catch the fowl, chop off its head and pluck the feathers off. Then Mom would finish preparing it for the oven. Many is the chicken that ended its days on my chopping block! Dad never did much cooking, but did everything else! We never went hungry.
 On the farm in the early ‘30's when there was a drought and grasshoppers chewed up what was left of Mom's garden, we ate eggs most of the time.  Dad had a .22 rifle and would shoot rabbits. That's' all I ever knew of what he shot. To this day I'm ‘off' eggs. The cows had to eat stinkweed, which spoiled the flavor of the milk.  So Mom had a problem with me with milk and eggs! She'd made me eggnogs which was ok until I caught onto the camouflage. 
 Dad would sometimes take me along to Calgary on one of his truck trips, to shop for a winter coat or whatever. We'd stop for a meal of fish and chips at the White Spot on Center Street. You'd put in your order and pay for it, and it would come out wrapped in newspaper on a pulley in a basket! It was great! And you could put ketchup on them. That's about when the juke box made its appearance and they played “Four Leaf Clover” and “Pistol Packin' Mama”. You put in 5 cents in the slot for each tune!
 We would get apples by the box; Macs from BC and oranges from California. Mrs. Cole from Redland grew field strawberries and Mom would get some for canning. She also canned pears and peaches when Dad brought them out from Calgary. She's make angel food and sunshine cake for Sunday dinner too. And lemon pies were a favorite. We had prunes and raisins in puddings and pie.
Dad had a wonderful sense of humor.  He saw something funny in nearly every situation. One day when I was a child, he came home with new tractor. He lifted me up there onto the seat. The engine was running; he turned the steering wheel sharp right, and away I went in a huge circle, totally perplexed and overwhelmed. I can still see him standing there and having a good laugh! Even during his last days in the Holy Cross hospital in Calgary, he would joke about going camping in his ‘oxygen tent' and then laugh. 
 Dad had poor teeth; and when he could finally afford false ones, they fitted poorly and he'd joke about wearing them in his back pocket!  He loved peanuts, but had to resort to peanut butter in late years. We never had it before. I used to make him peanut butter fudge. He also liked Welch's grape juice.  His health deteriorated due to the stress of the job, being overweight and likely too much salt in his diet. He had high blood pressure and in those days there was no medication for that. Only diet, which he did not pay attention to. He used to smoke, but in those days all the men smoked!  His kidneys and heart were affected. He succumbed to a third and fatal stroke on June 30, 1956.  He was sadly missed by all family and friends. Mom was left with a family of young children to raise. It was very hard for her. The older ones had to find early employment , but those can tell their own stories. As for me I had three children of my own by this time, Vernon, Lorraine and Carolyn, and they too missed their grandpa.
 Thanks to my Dad, I became well experienced to handle almost any of life's tribulations, and there have been many. And I can help others to cope with their ups and downs as well.  I have confidence in myself. Thanks Dad! You were great!

" Please accept my expression of sympathy. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you. The memories that you have of Jeanne, will help you during this difficult time and will be with you to cherish forever." Take care....Marino Giancarlo

I believe the last time I saw Aunty Jeanne was at their big wedding anniversary celebration at the FCJ Christian Life Centre a few years ago.  She was so beautiful that day and the love that she and John shared was so evident.  How wonderful that you all  organized that beautiful celebration for both of them, complete with loving tributes from family, old pictures, beautiful flowers and delicious food.  Now is the time to share great stories such as this one and to remember the lives of Jeanne and John with deep gratitude.  My heart is with you all in the sorrow of this great loss.

At this difficult time, may you find comfort in knowing that others share in your sorrow.

Emily & Cathy Yuzwak and the boys.

We are so sorry to hear of Jeanne's passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all at this most difficult time.

OBITUARY

Jeanne Leonie Barnes

February 21, 1928 – August 16, 2012

South Calgary Funeral Centre and Crematorium

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