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Rose Bourdages

December 27, 1922 - April 8, 2014
Plainwell, MI

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Visitation

Friday, April 11, 2014
4:00 PM to 7:00 PM EDT
Life Story Funeral Homes - Rupert, Durham, Marshall & Gren
Plainwell Location
120 South Woodhams Street
Plainwell, MI 49080
(269) 685-5881
Driving Directions

Service

Saturday, April 12, 2014
10:00 AM EDT
St. Margaret's Catholic Church
766 S. Farmer Street
Otsego, MI 49078
(269) 694-6311
Web Site

Contributions


At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.

St. Margaret's Catholic Church
766 Farmer Street
Otsego, MI 49078
(269) 694-6311
Web Site

Christian Neighbors
282 12th Street
Plainwell, MI 49080
(269) 685-4166
Web Site

Flowers


Below is the contact information for a florist recommended by the funeral home.

River Rose
(269) 692-3951

Plainwell Flowers
117 S. Main
Plainwell, MI 49080
(269) 685-8055
Driving Directions
Web Site

Life Story / Obituary


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With a life that spanned times of war and times of peace, times of plenty and times of want, Marie Rose Bourdages was a gracious and gentle woman who was such a blessing to those around her. She was deeply devoted to her Catholic faith and through the life she lived she exemplified what it means to be a woman who deeply loved the Lord she lived to serve. Rose was blessed to share 30 years with the love of her life with whom she created the family that grew to include the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren she adored. Life was not without times of trial for Rose, but she was filled with a courageous spirit and a quiet strength that are to be admired. She will be dearly missed while her memory remains forever near and dear to the hearts and lives of those she leaves behind.

On December 27, 1922, in a remote Canadian town called Nouvelle, Marie Rose was born to her parents, Joseph and Florine Francoeur, and she was raised in the family home alongside her eleven brothers and sisters. In many ways, Rose, as she was usually known, experienced a typical upbringing for the youth of her generation. She had fun playing with her siblings and looked forward to visiting her grandma’s farm near the river. Together Rose and her grandma often made homemade treats. She was raised in the Catholic faith, and the Francoeur family regularly traveled to midnight mass by horse and buggy. By the time she was a teen, Rose was a busy girl. She enjoyed ice skating, learning to cook, and gardening as well. Blessed with a nurturing touch, she cared for a baby lamb for a time and also did some nannying for several local families.

New and exciting changes were in store for Rose in her early twenties when she met the young man of her dreams in Montreal, where she worked at Canadian Bell Telephone. His name was Joe Bourdages, and after dating for a time they soon found themselves deeply in love. With a desire to build a life together, Rose and Joe became husband and wife and moved to Plainwell, Michigan. Her first challenge was learning English, and one of her proudest moments was when she became a citizen in the 1950s. Together they were blessed with the births of six children, Ron, Mona, Bonnie, Robin, Joline, and Brian. From the moment she became a mother Rose fully embraced the importance of the task. She was active in the lives of her children, fully supporting them in every way. Rose was an active supporter of the high school French club and an eager volunteer to chaperone trips to Paris.

Her skills in the kitchen were amazing and everything she made seemed like a gourmet meal. The family enjoyed many dinners filled with stories, followed by music and laughter. Rose had the ability to quickly throw together a great meal when friends or relatives stopped by unexpectedly and she and Joe loved entertaining. They even hosted Saturday night square dances in their home. Everyone loved her homemade soup and spaghetti sauce; her food brought comfort and enjoyment to many. When it came to her own favorite foods she loved seafood, especially lobster.

In addition to caring for her family, Rose kept busy in other ways doing the things she loved. As her children grew up, she had more time to pursue her real passion, cosmetology. Rose owned and operated her own beauty salon out of her Plainwell home for over 30 years with loyal customers who were like family. Her daughters and granddaughters would occasionally help shampoo or unwind hair rollers, while Rose supervised and made jokes about child labor laws.

With family in Canada, she enjoyed traveling there for visits, and with a large circle of friends Rose was always doing something socially. A woman of deep faith, Rose was a dedicated member of St. Margaret parish as well as a member of the League of Mary, and she was also a fantastic hostess of the traditional Canadian post-midnight mass party. Music, especially classical music, was an important part of Rose’s life in addition to being a vital part of the Bourdages family. She was an avid and competitive card player and was also a Scrabble champion and a pro at pinochle.

After losing her beloved husband, Joe, in the early 1980's, Rose became a member of the widows and widowers group. Affectionately called “Grandma Rosie" by her grandchildren and "GiGi" by her great grandchildren, she loved spending as much time with them as she could.

With unending love for her family, Rose was an extraordinary role model not only for her own children but also for all who were near. She considered the day she got married, as well as the days that each of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were born, to be the most important days in her life. Rose was outgoing and charming, drew others near with her sweet nature, and throughout her long life she remained positive through everything that came her way. Rose leaves behind a timeless legacy that will be proudly carried on by those who loved her.

Marie Rose Bourdages died on April 8, 2014. Rose’s family includes her children: Ron (Randi) Bourdages, Mona Erickson, Bonnie (Gary) Herbert, Robin (Butch) Abshire, Joline Bourdages, Brian Bourdages; 11 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; as well as many Canadian nieces and nephews. Rose was preceded in death by her husband, Joe, and 8 siblings. Visit with her family and friends and view her life story film on Friday, April 11, from 4:00-7:00 at the Life Story Funeral Home, Plainwell; 120 Woodhams St. (685-5881). A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, April 12 at 10:00 a.m. at Saint Margaret’s Catholic Church: 766 Farmer St. in Otsego. Please visit Rose’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can archive a memory or photo and sign her memory book online before coming to the funeral home. Memorial donations can be made to St. Margaret’s Catholic Church or Christian Neighbor.

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