BENOIT, Denise

August 1, 1950 – July 21, 2023

 

With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Denise Benoit (nee Rivard) on July 21, 2023 at the age of 72 years. Denise is now free of the disease that steadily overtook her. She is predeceased by her son Gaetan and her parents Anastase and Laurette.

Denise leaves in mourning her husband Donald; their daughter Ginette (Denis) Boulianne; sons René (Maryann) and Pierre (Jodi); and daughter-in-law Katrine Deniset; along with her grandchildren Chloé and Anick Boulianne, Anna, Caleb, Alexa, Jack and Noah Benoit, and Henry, Claire and Madeleine Benoit.

Left to cherish her memory are her siblings Maurice (Gisèle), Annette, Thérèse (Conrad) Kiefer, Simone (Tom) Kiefer, Father Guy, OP, Lise (Guy) Fortier, Claudette (Twain) Anderson.

Denise and Don shared 52 years of marriage together, creating a beautiful life with their four kids and surrounded by a large and lively extended family. There were busy years with young kids, and Don and Denise had plenty of energy and boundless love as they supported and encouraged them through school, and many, many seasons of hockey and baseball.

Denise’s story starts in Vonda, Saskatchewan where she grew up on the farm as the second eldest of eight children. After high school, she took her Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) training and stayed lifelong friends with some of her fellow nursing students.

Denise and Don were married in Vonda in 1971, and eventually settled down roots in Prince Albert and raised their family there.

Denise worked for many years as an operating room nurse at Victoria Hospital. She really enjoyed the work and the people she worked with. After Don retired from teaching, he and Denise spent several weeks in the fall traveling through the Maritimes, usually pitching their tent to camp at night. They enjoyed many other trips together and time spent visiting their children and grandchildren.

Through it all, Denise was a hard worker who appreciated a job well done, and who unassumingly and efficiently accomplished whatever needed to be done. She did it good-naturedly and without complaint, even when it came to the biggest challenges brought on by living with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). She had Don by her side through it all.

Denise always had lots to say and she loved a good visit with a cup of coffee and a smoke. She was usually found in the middle of the action, whether surrounded by her siblings, other hockey parents at the rink, or friends and family dropping by the cabin at the lake. She will be dearly missed.

A Funeral Mass for Denise will be held at Sacred Heart Cathedral, 1401 – 4th Avenue West in Prince Albert on Friday, July 28, 2023 at 2 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Parkinson Canada.

Don and family extend their special thanks to the staff at Samaritan Place in Saskatoon for the care they provided to Denise in her last years.

Family and friends who wish to leave online condolences may do so at https://grays.ca

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the care of Gray’s Funeral Chapel, (306) 922-4729, Lisa Bos-Atchison, Funeral Director.

• Date : 2023-07-21
• Location : Prince Albert, SK