MAURICE, Aubert "Pete" peacefully, surrounded by his family on March 23, 2006 at Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital as a result of an automobile accident in Lakeland, Fl. Beloved husband and best friend of Vivian (Shipko) (nee Gagnon) and the late Angeline Allegretti (1970). Loving father of Victor, Berny, Carmen and Connie, of LaSalle; Angela and Rick Bastien, of Essex. Cherished grandfather of Charles, Donna, Julie, Danielle, Jaclyn, Rachelle, Peter, Renee, Jaimie, and Jennifer. Great-grandfather of Caitlin, Tyler, Brigitte, Tayla, Larissa and Andrea. Dear brother of Angeline Juneau, of Mi., and the late Aldee and Irene Maurice, Gus and Marjorie Maurice, Jeanne and Paul Frigault, Donat and Ted Maurice, Beatrice and Wilfred Ouellette, Gerard Maurice and Roger Maurice. Brother-in-law of Irene Maurice, of Stoney Creek; Penny Maurice, Ronald and Julia Gagnon, of Belle River; Maurice and Sheila Gagnon, of Tecumseh; Jeanette and Lionel Poisson, of Rodney; Lloyd and Arlene Gagnon, of Henderson, Nev; Carolyn and Pete Daudlin, of Wheatley; Donald and Mae Gagnon, of Lincoln, Cal.; Allan and Michelle Gagnon, of Placentia , Cal.; Marlene and Paul Renaud, of Belle River; Denise Hillock and friend Zoli Voros, of Windsor; and Carmen Allegretti, of Fl. Also survived by many nieces and nephews. Pete was a retired locomotive engineer at CNR and was an avid golfer, fisherman and hunter. He was a member of the the Sutton Creek Golf and Country Club, Captain of the Retreads League and a member of the PGA Golf Pool. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of one's choice. A special thank you to the staff of Lakeland Regional Hospital and Hotel Dieu Grace of Windsor. Visiting Saturday, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Sunday, from 1:00 to 5:00 and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at The Marcotte Funeral Home and Chapel, 12105 Tecumseh Road, Tecumseh (735-2830). Prayers Sunday at 8:30 p.m. The Funeral will be held on Monday, March 27, 2006 at 9:45 a.m. from the funeral home to Parish of the Atonement Church, 2940 Forest Glade Drive, for a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. Fr. Clare Coleman will be the celebrant. Interment at Heavenly Rest Cemetery. A tree wil be planted in memory of A.J. "Pete" Maurice in the Marcotte Heritage Forest. A dedication service will be held on September 24, 2006. All are welcome. The family invites you to sign the Book of Condolence or to share a memory at www.marcotte-tecumseh.ca .
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I want to share his eulogy with you.( the words from the Grandchildren)
My sister wrote it. She did a beautiful job, and I want to share a bit of my Grandpa with you.
Once, in a quiet moment, Grandpa shared a thought similar to this: “Old friends pass away, new friends appear… An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend--or a meaningful day.”
Our Grandpa followed this type of philosophy throughout his life, and, in doing so, provided us with the perfect model of how to live and love.
Grandpa often had these moments of deep insight; but he also had a sparkling personality which inspired us to call him “just so cute.” This term of endearment was our way of expressing Grandpa’s passionate zest for life. He could play with trains, fly kites, relish his strawberries and ice cream, tell jokes, and laugh, with youthful exuberance. The twinkle in his kindly blue eyes as he adjusted our first grip on the putter, or guided our aim as we pitched our first horseshoe, was a manifestation of the pure pleasure and happiness our Grandpa radiated.
He taught us to play with determination, and have a strong spirit of competitiveness, while at the same time exhibiting values of honesty and good sportsmanship. Win or lose, he always had words of encouragement, and an affectionate smile, for his partner in the game. Never once did we hear Grandpa raise his voice, or say something hurtful about someone else. He had a consistently positive attitude around his grandchildren, which was inspirational.
Yet it was truly Grandpa’s unconditional love that had the greatest effect upon our lives, and caused each grandchild to blossom in his presence. How we will miss being greeted with that smile, which radiated warmth; that enormous bear hug, that made you feel enveloped in love; and of course, being told how beautiful each of us are. Grandpa always made every, individual grandchild feel special in his or her own way. He was such a genuine man; we would never doubt his sincere belief in each of us. Grandpa consistently made us feel comfortable to be ourselves around him. He was real, so we could be real with him. He loved us and was proud of us for simply being who we are—his grandchildren.
But it is we who are proud. It is we who have been so blessed to have a Grandpa who exemplified love, and living a meaningful life. If Grandpa left a legacy for his grandchildren, it is this: to live and love as he did.
A few days ago, I came across a poem with a message that seemed to be coming straight from Grandpa himself. It speaks of overcoming grief, and the continuation of life. So, in closing, I would like to share it with you all.
Death is nothing at all
I have only slipped away into the next room
I am I, and you are you
Whatever we were to each other
That we are still
Call me by my old familiar name
Speak to me in the easy way you always used
Put no difference into your tone
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow
Laugh as we always laughed
At the little jokes we always enjoyed together
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was
Let it be spoken without effort
Without the ghost of a shadow in it
Life means all that it ever meant
It is the same as it ever was ….
I am waiting for you for an interval
Somewhere very near
Just around the corner
All is well.
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I miss you so much Grandpa. I love you.
