Obituary of Mary Lena DeCoste

Mary “LENA” DeCoste It is with broken hearts that we announce that Mom passed away Tuesday, October 31st, a beautiful sunny day, after a brief battle with cancer that overtook her body. Born June 22, 1943, in Petit de Grat, Lena was a daughter to the late Ernest and Rosanna (Samson) Boudreau. She was the last member of her immediate family and was predeceased by brothers: Remie, Norris and Jeff; sisters: Elise, Delima and Melda. Sister-in-law: Ida; brothers-in-law: George, Etienne and Ceasar. Survived by her husband, Lenny, head taste-tester of Mom’s delicious meals for 57 years, Son-in-law Craig, cook extraordinaire, granddaughters Emilie and Addison who were loved beyond measure and her daughter Dawn, whom she considered her greatest gift and loving caretaker for her last days. Lena will also be missed by her nephew Bobby (Brenda) and cousin Albert (Barbara) who were both raised as brothers and for whom Lena was treated as such. She will also be dearly missed by Brenda (Bobby)with whom she had a very special bond and sister-like relationship. She is also survived by Sisters-in-law: Peggy(Norris) & Rosaline(Jeff) Mom was known for her kind heart and generous soul. Whether it be making food to bring to others, playing cards or bingo with the residents of St. Anne’s Centre or visiting the sick & elderly in the community, Mom regularly went out of her way to feed, visit, care for and make people feel like they are seen, heard and valued. She took her role as sister very seriously, spending as much time as she could with her siblings and caring for many of them at various stages of their lives. She did not fully realize how much the little things she did had such a great impact on others until her 80th birthday when she received special messages from friends and family from near and far telling her how she had impacted their lives. She was very touched by all of these messages. Mom was often referred to as the favourite Aunt to many very special nieces and nephews who cherished her deeply. She was always there to chat, give advice, share a recipe or make her special chocolate cake, chocolate chip cookies, fish chowder or garden stew. You could always count on Aunt Lena! Mom had a tremendous circle of friends who loved her dearly and were always up for a chat on the phone, a FaceTime call, a visit or a hop-in-the-car adventure. Mom’s most important jobs were those of Mother and Grandmother, roles that meant the world to her. She was always so happy to show photos of her three girls, and talk about her travel adventures with Dawn, Emilie’s beautiful voice and musical talent and Addison’s artistic talent and sports involvement. From her honest “tell it like it is” comments and advice to the example she set when caring for her siblings, Mom has taught us the importance of compassion, dedication, how to love fiercely without regret, the importance of showing gratitude and that saying Thank You goes a long way. Mom often told me that I was her greatest gift. She was so proud of all of my accomplishments and the beautiful family I had created with Craig. She was always so happy to spend time with us, either during our visits home or her extended stays at our house. We could always count on good food, a few games of cards as she travelled with her can of card money, shopping adventures to stock up while things were on sale or just some quiet time enjoying each other’s company. Mom and I enjoyed our yearly summer trips together taking us to parts of NS, NB, PEI, Quebec and even Ontario. These trips were something we both looked forward to every year and a tradition I will continue with Emilie and Addison. Nothing beats spending time with your Mom. Mom was not only my Mother but my Best Friend. My heart is broken. It is hard to sum up the life of such a wonderful human and do it justice so I find it only fitting to let Mom have the last words. Words of Wisdom from Lena… Don’t wait to go to the doctor. If you don’t feel good, get it checked out! Do things you love with the people you love and enjoy life to the fullest! Most importantly, ALWAYS say I LOVE YOU. We would like to extend special thanks for the exceptional care Mom received at the Colchester East Hants Health Centre during her 5-week stay, particularly staff in the ER, 2nd-floor surgical unit, 3rd-floor Palliative care along with the community palliative care team. We are also grateful to two special home caregivers, Marie and Ann for their genuine caring and compassionate nature while with Mom. Cremation has taken place. A Graveside service will take place on July 6th in Star of the Sea Cemetery, Petit de Grat with Rev. John DeCoste officiating. Donations can be made in Mom’s memory to St. Anne Community & Nursing Care Centre in Arichat. Tributes, words of comfort, and memories of Lena may be shared with the family at www.chboudreau.com Funeral arrangements are entrusted to C. H. Budreau Funeral Home Ltd., in Arichat.