Tribute by Lilianne Pitre - English
by Lillianne Pitre, her niece, Rogersville, June 10, 2023
Good afternoon,
For those of you who don't know me, I'm Lillianne (Pitre) Gallant, one of Yvette's nieces. I am honoured to have been chosen by the family to tell you about the life of our dear Yvette. This great lady, not of height, but of wisdom and zest for life, is a pioneer of the Rogersville community.
Yvette was born on 13 December 1933 in the old Rogersville rectory, where the cenotaph is now located. She assures us that the priest was not her father, but rather the church caretaker who had married her mother. Yvette was the seventh of eight children.
In 1955, she married Eric Pitre and together they had three fine sons, Paul, Reggie, and Danny.
Yvette had a strong attachment to Prince Edward Island as her mother was originally from Saint-Chrysostome and she often visited her cousins during summer holidays when she was young.
Growing up, Yvette loved listening to the stories told by her mother, her aunt Délia, and her uncle André le Blind. That's probably where her passion and second career as a storyteller began.
Her first career, as you know, was as a primary school teacher or, as we used to say, "la maîtresse d'école". In 1967 Yvette became vice-principal until her retirement in 1988. In 1976, she obtained her Master's degree in Education from the Université de Moncton. Another great achievement.
She began her career at Saint-Athanase, where she had to go snowshoeing in winter, or her brother Raymond ("Titi") would come and pick her up and drive her with the tractor. When her eldest child, Paul, started first grade, she didn't want to teach him because she didn't want him to be the teacher's pet, so she asked Ida Gaudet to change schools. That year, Ida taught that year at East Collette and Yvette taught at Murray Settlement. Every morning she would draw a picture on the blackboard of the day's story. Often, they were Bible stories. She loved to sing little songs and teach nursery rhymes to the pupils. She was adored by the children, who still remember her as adults. Yvette worked as an educator for 32½ years.
Her second career was as a storyteller. It was a natural progression for Yvette, but at the age of 65, she returned to the Université de Moncton to study Acadian storytelling. After that, she was invited to tell her stories in several places in Canada and the United States. "La messe en Latin" (Mass in Latin), "La partie de hockey" (The Hockey Game), "La Grande Bourlingue", "La maîtresse d'école" (The School Teacher), "La fille qui n'avait jamais été à l'église" (The Girl Who Had Never Gone to Church) and her famous "Casimir" are just some of the tales that showcased her unique talent as a storyteller.
"Many of her recordings are preserved in the folklore archives at the Université de Moncton," says Canadian folklorist and historian Georges Arsenault.
As a teacher, Yvette often told the children "La jambe d’or” (The Golden Leg). Even though it scared them, they wanted her to re-tell it often.
Our Green Party MP, Kevin Arsenault, knew Yvette even before he met his wife Rebeka. Since 2005 he's been telling stories with her at various festivals, and they often met to discuss storytelling and other aspects of life today. He spoke of her great wisdom and her connection to current affairs. She even quipped that if she were younger, Rebeka would have to "keep an eye on her boyfriend".
Even at her advanced age, Yvette was planning to give storytelling presentations in the summer and autumn in New Brunswick and Québec. Fellow storyteller Clara Dugas told us that she imagined them as two teenage girls on a road trip, laughing all the way.
As much as Yvette was a great and talented woman, she was a simple woman who had many pleasures and hobbies at home. She was the first person in Rogersville to have an in-ground swimming pool. It was a meeting place for her family and friends as well as for her personal enjoyment. She must have loved water because she still slept on a waterbed.
In her spare time, Yvette enjoyed doing puzzles, crocheting and weaving on the loom in her basement.
She also enjoyed adventures in nature. It appears that when she was a young mother, she decided to buy a ski-doo. She went to work at Raymond Gallant's restaurant to help pay for it, which took about two years. Then she upgraded to a TNT (a bigger, stronger one).
It so happened that while out snowmobiling with a group of friends, she got stuck on the railway at the Trappistine crossing. A good Samaritan (as she would say), Alphonse Hébert, had to help her out.
Yvette would have liked to find herself a man, but knowing Yvette, they always had one flaw or another. Anyway, she didn't have time for a man with all the committees she was on.
She was a loyal and devoted volunteer in many parish organizations, including the cemetery, the parish committee, the choir for many years, a Cub Scout and Guide leader, a member of the St. John Ambulance and, above all, the Monument Committee, which was very close to her heart. The creation of the Lisa LeBlanc Hall was very important to her in developing the cultural aspect of our region. Along with Géraldine Melanson, she was one of the pioneers in accomplishing this mission.
She was so proud to see this wonderful project come to fruition and even to attend all the events presented in this beautiful hall.
She still had a project at heart that she was passionate about: She wanted to create a meeting place at schools, to give young people a chance to express their opinions and needs.
To stay in shape, Yvette played sports until the age of 65 or 70. She was a member of various teams such as broomball and softball. She was also a hockey goalkeeper until she was 70. And finally, she said, "I think I'm going to stop because other people my age don't want to play anymore.
Yvette was a Montreal Canadiens fan for over 50 years.
When Danny was about eight years old, he loved Ken Dryden, who used to be goalkeeper for the Canadiens. So he decided to use a rock to engrave Ken Dryden's name on his mother's brown car.
Well, Yvette wasn't impressed. At least he was a player on the right team.
Yvette had a big circle of friends. They met every Friday for a meal in a restaurant. Other friends came to visit her at home to chat and laugh and have a good time together. She especially enjoyed her time with Claudia, whom she loved like a daughter. And her dear family! Her sons and their spouses, her six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren were her treasures. She followed them in all their sporting, musical and other activities.
She loved welcoming them into her home. Especially during the holidays. Christmas was one of her favourite holidays. She decorated in abundance. Christmas Eve was special, with lots of food, singing and lots of laughter and love.
Her gang would even go to the doors of the homes of the Pitre and Gallant relatives to sing Christmas carols. We all have fond memories of those times.
If someone was going on a trip, Yvette was always ready to get on board and make it unforgettable.
She and her brother Raymond loved to tease each other. One day they made a bet. Whoever died first would give a cheque for $20.00 to the other. She was determined to live to be 101. So, she was convinced that she would be the one to receive the $20.00 from him.
Yvette loved to joke and make the people around her laugh. Even in her last moments, she made the ambulance drivers laugh.
We will miss you, Yvette, but you leave us a great legacy. You were known for making the world a happier and more humane place just by being around.
You will always be present in the life of your family and your community.
The seeds you have sown are so rich that they will bear fruit forever in our hearts.
I leave you with this beautiful proverb:
The misfortune of having lost her
must not make you forget
the happiness of having known her.
Goodbye Yvette, we'll always love you.