Our Services

Immediate Need

Prearrangement

Contact Us

Site Search

A A A

Text Sizing

Marie Jeanne Noela Desrochers Marie Jeanne Noela Desrochers
In Memory of
Marie Jeanne Noela ""Nell""
Desrochers
1922 - 2016
Memorial Candle Tribute From
Blair's Funeral Home Ltd.
"We are honored to provide this Book of Memories to the family."
View full message >>>
Memorial Candle Tribute From
Fleurette, Lucile & Margaret
"Thinking of you, Madeline, Dianne, Gerry and families....and I just wanted to te"
View full message >>>

Obituary for Marie Jeanne Noela ""Nell"" Desrochers

Noella (Nell) Desrochers

Nell passed away peacefully on Sept. 27, 2016 at the Hudson Bay Long Term Facility in Hudson Bay, Sk. at the age of 94 years
Nell was born in St Alphonse, MB, the third youngest child in a family of nine children. She was born August 31, 1922 to Louise and Sinais Desrochers.
Nell leaves to morn her daughters Madeline Jackson and Dianne Tranborg (Ken), her son Gerry (Marla); her grandchildren: Garry (Pam) Jackson, Slade (Nicole) Desrochers and Myla Desrochers; her great grandchildren: Bria Jackson (Malcolm), Cassidy Jackson and Mason Jackson; one great-great grandson Kingston Jureidini; brother Celeste Desrochers; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Nell was predeceased by her husband Ovide; her parents Sinais and Louise Desrochers; brothers ; Omer, Leon, Will, Henry, Edward and Urben; sister Antoinette, son-in-law George Jackson; and grandson Larry Jackson.
Nell began her career in the Hotel/Restaurant business in 1937 at the early age of 15 in Baldur, MB. Her duties consisted of cleaning rooms, doing laundry and working in the restaurant.
When Nell was 18 years old she moved to Toronto where for 6 months she worked as part of the war effort, in a large paint factory dipping airplane parts on 12-hour shifts.
In 1942 Nell married Ovide Desrochers and during their stay in Baldur, MB Nell and Ovide's oldest daughter, Madeline, was born. Shortly after they moved to Glenboro, MB where they leased and managed the Glenoro Hotel. Because the beverage rooms in those days were open to "Men Only," Ovide managed the bar while Nell looked after the restaurant and rooms while at the same time raising two new members to the family, daughter Dianne and son Gerry.
In 1959, Ovide and Nell moved to Bissett, MB where they managed the Hotel San Antonio. This was at the time when the San Antonio Gold Mine was flourishing and the town was booming. Similar to Baldur and Glenboro "Men Only" status still prevailed in the beverage room and as such the duties and responsibilities still remained the same.
In 1962, Ovide and Nell purchased the Hudson Bay Hotel from Norman and Jean King and moved their family to Hudson Bay to begin their new family business known as Desrochers Hotel Ltd. a business that became a landmark in Hudson Bay for the next 48 years.
Nell recalled the early days of their ownership and the difficulties and hardships that they endured. When they arrived in December, 1962 the heating system in the hotel was a coal fired steam boiler. Coal was delivered to the hotel by truck and then shoveled into the basement where it was again shoveled into the boiler stoker system. As you can imagine, coal dust was everywhere and cleaning and dusting was a constant chore. One of the very first executive decisions Nell made after taking over was the removal of the chamber pots that were located in each room under the beds.
The early sixties was a time of constant activity in Hudson Bay with the CNR train service at or near its peak. All 34 rooms in the hotel would be filled to capacity along with men sleeping in the laundry room, boiler room and hallways. Crew changes happened several times a day and, as such, the rooms needed to be changed and laundry needed to get done. In addition to doing her own laundry, Nell would send out three large baskets of laundry by train three times a week to Dauphin, MB.
As business increased, so did the need for more space and in 1965 the bar was expanded to the east to include more seating, dance floor, pool table and shuffleboard. Shortly after the expansion of the bar, "Men Only" ended and women were finally allowed into the beverage room. With the increased CN activity and the beginning of the forestry boom, Nell and Ovide saw a need to increase the size of the Pines Restaurant, and in 1977 extensive renovations were undertaken to increase the seating capacity and kitchen area.
After Ovide's passing in November, 1981 Nell continued to operate the hotel and restaurant with her son Gerry. Over the years, Nell watched the town and her business flourish through the boom of the forestry industry and the memories of Forestry Week and Black Top days when patrons would be lined up out onto the street looking for a table to have a pint or two. Hallowe'en was always a favorite night for Nell, with the bar filled to capacity with patrons dressed in every costume imaginable. Some may recall being served by a little Red Devil with a big fork ad devilish grin…that was Nell.
After much consolation, urging, pleading and persuasion, Nell's family finally convinced her that after nearly 78 years in the Hotel Business it was time for retirement, and in March, 2010, Nell sold the hotel and entered a new phase of her life. All be it a phase, which was totally foreign to her and one in which she, had great difficulty adjusting to.
For all those that knew Nell well, they were aware of her many different attributes. She could be strong, demanding and tough when needed to be. She could also be very sensitive, loving, caring, and especially generous when it came to her family. Nell's generosity was also felt throughout the community as witnessed by her countless generosity to community groups, friends and even patrons throughout the years.
Nell was a tremendously hard worker that would see her on many occasions working nearly around he clock with sometimes little to no sleep. She was also an accomplished gardener as could often be witnessed by her beautiful display of pink petunias along the front of the Hotel and Restaurant.
But most of all, Nell was a loving Mother who dearly loved all her family, and to her nothing was more important.
The Family would like to express a Sincere Thank You to all the Staff at the Hudson Bay Long Health Care Facility for the exceptional care they provided Nell during her stay.

+++++++++++

A heart of gold stopped beating,
Hard working hands went to rest,
God took you home to prove to us,
He only takes the best.
Heartaches in this world are many,
But losing you was worse than any.
It will be lonely here without you,
We will miss you more each day.
Since you've been called away,
We will always remember the way you looked,
The way you walked and smiled.
All the things you did for us,
Will be with us all the while,
You always did your best,
Your heart was true and tender,
You lived your life for those you loved,
And those you loved will remember.
Book of Memories
306-278-2202 Blair's Funeral Home Ltd.
P.O. Box 524
Porcupine Plain, SK S0E 1H0
Email: blairsfuneralhome@sasktel.net
Blair's Funeral Home
640 Churchill Street
Hudson Bay, SK S0E 1Y0
Email:
Blair's Funeral Home
205 - 1st Avenue West
Kelvington, SK S0A 1W0
Email:
306-278-2202 Blair's Funeral Home Ltd.
P.O. Box 524
Porcupine Plain, SK S0E 1H0
Email: blairsfuneralhome@sasktel.net
306-278-2202 Blair's Funeral Home Ltd.
P.O. Box 524
Porcupine Plain, SK S0E 1H0
Email: blairsfuneralhome@sasktel.net
Proudly Serving the Communities of Porcupine Plain, Hudson Bay, Kelvington, Prairie River, Mistatim, Peesane, Weekes, Somme, Carragana, Chelan, and Bjorkd