Obituary of Mrs. Cecile Gouett

Cecile Irene Gouett (Ne Chiasson) Cecile was born in Halifax NS on 28th. May 1938. She was the youngest child of the late Arthur & Cecile Chiasson. She is remembered by her sister, Sister Yvonne, Moncton NB, and her brother Ret. Col. George Chiasson and his wife Lynn, Toronto ON. Her beloved sister Genesta (Shatford) awaits her in heaven. Cecile met her husband Chuck (Charles) while he was in the RCMP, in Cape Breton and he told her on their first date that he wanted to marry her and they were married 10 months later in New Waterford NS. on August 30th. 1963. Chuck, after leaving the RCMP, to join General Foods, moved with Cecile, to Fredericton NB and they then moved to Cecile’s beloved Halifax in 1964. That year Cecile gave birth to her first son Kent who chose to be with God in 1980. Her second son Todd, of whom, she was extremely proud, was the idol of her life. Todd, along with his wife Melissa have given her two wonderful grandchildren Grace and Grady and live in Clarksburg ON. Cecile was always her own person and choose to meet the challenges of educational limitations available to her son Kent. After moving to Toronto in 1970 she was a strong advocate for ACLD (Association for Children with Learning Disabilities) and devoted her time to bettering the resources and recognition of children with special needs. Be it Day Camps in the summer or card games in the winter to sponsor their progress, Cecile was there. During the period of 19 years when her son Kent progressed through the fog of misunderstanding of Special Needs, she was there. Cecile’s back ground was in bookkeeping and as the opportunities and needs presented themselves, she formed her own company “Figurehead” and specialized in bookkeeping services for small companies and various churches in the RC Diocese of Toronto. In 1988 Chuck was transferred to Camden NJ with Campbell Soup Company. Their home in Mt. Laurel NJ was less than one hour from Atlantic City and their casinos. Not being able to work in the US she became a frequent and very successful aficionado of the table and the slots. The door was always open and many of her friends got to visit with her during her brief stay in NJ and it always included a visit to AC. It was never an addiction but a challenge and to this day her winnings continue to keep her in comfort. After moving back to Toronto in 1989, Cecile was often flown by private plane back to Atlantic City as a guest of TropWorld Casino. In the early 1990’s charity casinos where very popular in Ontario and to keep her active and sharp Cecile became a Black Jack dealer, a job/hobby that she loved. Over the years Cecile’s success at the casinos allowed her to visit many of the major gambling centers, in North America, her favorite being Las Vegas. In 2000, Cecile and Chuck both studied for and gained their real-estate licenses and began to work together for Royal LePage Signature. In the early 2000’s Cecile developed severe arthritis in her arms and required the replacement of both her elbows. Her memory and emotional moods began to deteriorate and her character gradually began to change. What kept her active and involved was the relationship she had with her friends, a blessing we often overlook. In 2010 after a couple of challenging years Cecile was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and she began a search for understanding and help in dealing with this savage of mental disease. Baycrest and their incredible research staff invited Cecile into programs that tried to help prepare her for the challenges ahead. It was the first time she met and associated with other people facing the same changes. From Baycrest, Cecile was introduced to The Dotsa Bitove Academy which catered to her love for music and dance. At the time and at that point in her progression through Alzheimer’s it was a wonderful relief and an opening of her soul and mind. They became her family and she looked forward to her every day visits. In 2012 Cecile accidently fell and broke her hip. The effects of the “general anesthetic” drastically changed her from then on. After rehab at Providence Health Centre, another jewel in the system, Cecile returned home and began attending the Adult Day Program at Shepherd Village. While it was only a couple of days a week it eventuality became her daily home. This is when her new life began. The management and staff at Shepherd Village looked upon their” flock” as their own and treat them as family. As Cecile’s confusion and deterioration progressed, she looked forward to every morning being able to join her friends. The beauty of the ADP at Shepherd Village is the staff and their dedication and commitment. In Oct 2019 Cecile became a fulltime resident at Shepherd Lodge, the Long Term Care component of The Village. Then comes COVID-19. On March 12th. Shepherd Lodge was on lock down as a defence against the virus and all visits were put on hold. The only contact had been thru FaceTime or a wave at the window. We can’t say enough about the care and concern of the entire staff at Shepherd Village and in particular the staff, her friends, on the Third Floor. We encourage anyone who loved Cecile that would have purchased flowers or had a Mass said on her behalf, to make a contribution in her name to Shepherd Village. Cecile’s remains will be cremated and we will have a Mass and celebration of her life when times become more relaxed.