Eulogy by Ros Rodrigues

Manon Marie-France was born on March 14 1955 to Jean and Jacqueline Charette – she was the eldest of seven daughters. They lived in Pointe-des-Cascades, Quebec, a township west of the island of Montreal with a population of less than a thousand - I remember Manon telling me that the one elementary school in town didn’t have a gym and they had to bus to the neighboring community for high school.

Manon’s interest in sports began at a young age. All the Charette sisters played softball in the summer – Manon played with the boys and coached her sister’s teams. Manon began playing European handball in high school and quickly became the best player at her school – she moved to Montreal at the age of 17 to play handball and attend college – in 1974 she was chosen for the Quebec team and shortly after that the National Team. During those years, Manon and National team enjoyed wonderful months of traveling and playing handball throughout Europe, and preparing for the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Manon was proud to represent her country and her family at these games.

In 1978, Manon and the Quebec team won the Canadian Championships in Regina. Following this competition, Manon, Denise and two other friends, decided to hitchhike to Vancouver. Manon wagered that she and Denise would be the first to arrive and that the last to arrive should buy the beer – it should come as no surprise as to who won that bet. This would be Manon’s first visit to Vancouver.

Manon returned to Montreal to train with the National team for the next world championships. During this training, she developed a friendship with a particular individual from BC, which led her in turn to move to BC in 1980. During this period of her life, she served on the Executive and played handball for BC, and played on the soccer team to go to the first Gay Games in San Francisco in 1982. She also discovered both women’s hockey and rugby and began forming many close friendships. She spent time living in Squamish, Vancouver, and Whistler during this period and fell in love with the Westcoast outdoor life: skiing, hiking, cycling and camping all became passions – as many of you know, she never did anything half way – when she played, she played hard and challenged all to follow.

She moved back to Montreal in 1987, and rekindled ties with friends and family. Living on the Plateau, she played hockey with a group of women which became known as Les Filles de Jeudi Soir (pick-up hockey out of the College Brebeuf on Thursday evenings around 11pm almost always followed by a beer or two – made getting up on Friday mornings just a little bit difficult). This closeknit group of friends played hockey and softball together, held many a BBQ and drank a few beer. Manon formed a softball team from this group of friends to get to the Gay Games in Vancouver 1990. During this visit, Manon met a woman from the United States which resulted in her living in Boise, Idaho for a couple of years. Following this, she moved back to Vancouver and met Judy in 1993. She got back to doing the things she loved most – she played hockey for a variety teams: Phoenix, Renegades, Shadows, Centurions – she organized many cycling and camping trips - Manon was always happiest when she was planning a trip - she explored most of the Gulf Islands, The Sunshine Coast, Oregon Coast, Scotland, France, and Cape Breton. She did hiking trips in Garibaldi Park, Stein Valley, Mount Baker, the Queen Charlottes, and the West Highland Way in Scotland.

The only luxury trip I saw her take was when Manon and Judy went to Hawaii last year and stayed for a whole week with a roof over their heads!

The 4 of us purchased the Richmond house together in 1997 on Hogarth Drive - Kieran was almost a year old at the time and Teagan was born in 2001. We have since referred to ourselves as the Hogarth gang.

Upon returning to Vancouver, Manon took up the challenge once again of continuing her CGA courses and working in the field of accounting. She worked for a couple of years with the Aurora Centre (alcohol and drug treatment centre for women), then for BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre, took a break from healthcare working for Intrawest and then joined the St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation team as their Financial Director. Manon’s hard work and determination finally paid off in 2001 when she completed her CGA, an amazing accomplishment for someone to do in their second language.

Manon will always be remembered for her passion and enthusiasm – she was passionate about her sports and passionate about people – her relationships with people were of the utmost importance, her friends, her family, her partners.

Manon was extremely social. She loved a good party and made a point of getting to know and talk with everyone there. As a result, you could be anywhere with Manon and she would run into people she knew. Her outgoing, fun-loving personality would greet you with warmth and enthusiasm. She genuinely cared about the people in her life – and as such, she impacted many people’s lives. Witness to this, during these last few years while Manon battled against cancer, she received an incredible outpouring back of love and support. She was very touched and encouraged by all the events that were held this past year:

• 50th birthday celebrations
• Bowling
• Vancouver Idol
• Hockey games
• Lucie Blue Concert
• Head Shaving Pub Night
• The hockey game on Dec 20th where Manon dressed in full hockey equipment and skated
• The rallying of friends and family during this past week

We are here to pay tribute and say goodbye to a wonderful woman – we love you, Manon, and you will forever remain in our hearts.

Éloge par Denise Lemaire

Manon est née le 14 mars 1955, fille de Jean et Jacqueline Charette – elle était l’ainée d’une famille de sept filles. Ils ont habité à Pointe-des-Cascades au Québec, une ville située à l’ouest de Montréal comptant moins de mille habitants. Je me souviens quand Manon m’a raconté que lorsqu’elle fréquentait l’école primaire, il n’y avait pas de gymnase dans sa ville, les enfants devaient prendre l’autobus se rendre dans la ville voisine ou il y avait une école secondaire et ainsi avoir leur cours de gymnastique.

Manon a développé sont intérêt pour le sport très jeune, Toutes les soeurs Charette jouaient à la balle molle l’été – Manon jouait avec les garcons et elle était coach pour l’équipe de ses soeurs.

Elle a commencé à jouer au handball Europeen à l’école secondaire, rapidement, elle est devenue la meilleure joueuse de son équipe, elle a déménagé à Montréal à l’age de 17 ans pour aller au CEGEP. En 1974, elle a été sélectionné dans l’équipe du Québec ce qui a été le début d’une très belle aventure qui l’a amenée à voyager dans plusieurs pays en Europe pour représenter l’équipe du Canada.

Manon était très modeste sur ses exploits, peu de ses amies savaient qu’elle avait représenté fièrement son pays aux jeux Olympiques de 1976 et qu’elle avait été présenté à la reine d’Angleterre lors de sa visite à Montréal.

En 1978, Manon a gagné le championat canadien de handball qui avait lieu à Régina, nous étions quatre amies qui avions decidé de continuer notre voyage jusqu’à Vancouver sur le pouce, à cette époque c’était moins dangereux, je suis partie avec Manon alors que nos deux amies Mariette et Danielle sont parties ensemble, et pour rendre le trajet plus intéressant Manon avait eu l’idée de mettre un peu de challenge, la première équipe qui arrivait à Vancouver devait payer la bière aux autres, connaissant le gout de Manon pour la bière, je savais que j’étais dans l’équipe gagnante.

Manon était une personne passionnée et enthousiaste, elle aimait les gens, elle aimait le sport et lorsqu’on connaissait Manon on voulait devenir son amie, Manon trouvait toujours le moyen de garder contact avec sa famille et ses amies même si ses déplacements étaient très fréquents.

C’est d’ailleurs une passion pour une personne en particulier nommée Debbi Taylor qui l’a amené en Colombie Britanique en 1980, elles s’étaient rencontrées sur l’équipe de handball.

Pendant cette période, elle a fait la découverte de ce qui est devenu sont sport préféré le hockey, elle a joué dans la ligue feminine de hockey à l’arèna de Kitsilano avec les Kanakas, elle a demeuré à Squamish, Vancouver et Whisler, elle est tombée en amour avec les sports extérieurs de la Cote Ouest comme le ski, la randonnée, le vélo, elle a pratiqué ces sports toujours avec la même passion, elle n’a jamais fait les choses à moitié, lorsqu’elle jouait, elle jouait dure et entrainait les gens dans son silion.

Manon est retournée vivre à Montréal pour quelques années vers la fin des années 80, elle a continué a joué au hockey pour une équipe qui s’appelait “les filles du jeudi soir”, les filles jouaient à l’arèna de Brébeuf le jeudi soir à 11 heures et après la partie toutes les filles se rencontraient pour la bière, pas besoin de vous dire que le levé du corps était très difficile le vendredi matin.

Ce groupe de fille faisait plusieurs activités, elles ont décidé de se présenter aux jeux gais de Vancouver dans la discipline de la balle molle, c’est ainsi que Manon a rencontré une autre amie qui l’a amené aux Etats-Unis dans l’Idaho pour quelques années.

Mais c’est à Vancouver que Manon se sentait bien donc elle est revenue au début des années 90 et elle a rencontré celle qui deviendrait son épouse Judy.

Après quelques années à Vancouver et à Burnaby, Manon, Judy, Ros et Patsy ont acheté la maison à Richmond en 1997 sur Hogarth Drive et se sont nommés la Gang Hogarth.

Bien installé, Manon s’est lancée un autre défi celui de continuer ses cours de CGA et travailler dans le domaine de la comptabilité, nous avons parlé de sa tenacité et de sa détermination et bien Manon a étudier dans une langue seconde tout en travaillant le jour. En 2001 elle a été recu CGA après plusieurs années d’efforts. Elle travaillait pour la Fondation de l’hopital St-Paul comme directrice des finances à ce moment.

Ce qui rendait Manon la plus heureuse était lorsqu’elle planifait ses voyages, elle prilvélo et le camping.

Jane Adams’ Tribute to Manon

Jan 7, 2006

Tomorrow is the Feast of the Epiphany, which we associate, with the act of giving gifts. And I thank Judy for honouring me with this opportunity to speak about Manon. During this sad time it is a gift.

Manon's friendship was a gift. Manon was a remarkable woman. A woman blessed with so many gifts.

I met her for the first time almost a decade ago. Shortly after the BC government made a decision to create a women's hospital they created a Foundation to support the hospital's important medical work and research.

I was fortunate to be offered the job of managing this embryonic organization. The hospital then realized that they needed a talented accountant with outstanding organizational skills and progressive thinking to develop the processes to operate and govern this important yet vulnerable organization.

They chose well when they chose Manon. She accepted the challenge with her characteristic energy, determination and flair for fun.

I recall our first meeting. Although Manon and I shared a passion for the work of Women's hospital. I regrettably did not share her flair for numbers and BALANCE sheets. But none the less she took the organization on.

We met at a small bleached white table and she tirelessly spent hours explaining the importance of fund accounting to me. She was patient and persuasive. I liken my enlightenment and the subsequent enlightenment of the organization to the importance of her work to having a dimmer switch slowly turned on.

She did not shock us by immediately turning on the light and blinding us, which she could have done with her brilliance and talent with the subject matter. She enlightened us by degrees. Recognizing my limitations she dissembled the information and with the clarity, which she possessed in spades, she shone light on the subject until she created just what that organization and all associated with needed to make it a success.

Although Manon worked directly with the Women's Foundation she was a member of the hospital's finance team. She was well loved and long after Manon's departure from Women's she continued to attend the group's informal cocktail hour at Bridges as an honorary member.

My path then veered from Manon's for a short time. I moved to St. Paul's with what I thought was a wealth of financial knowledge. You see Manon could instill you with such confidence. Her irrepressible optimism was infectious.

I still recall my first meeting with St. Paul's treasurer. I sank into the coach, my feet not touching the floor feeling a bit like a deer in the headlights. I needed Manon. I called her immediately.

It was a great day for St. Paul's when she decided to come and join us. With her at my side I had the courage of a lion when discussing financial statements.

She oversaw our administration and accounting during the most rapid period of growth.

Her disarmingly charm wit and quickness of mind made the Foundation many friends. I attribute the Foundation's solid reputation to Manon's integrity and ingenuity.

She was always an early adopter of technology. Seeing opportunities for improvement through application before the rest of even knew what the gadget was called.

A great advocate of professional development Manon was the first CFO of a hospital Foundation in Western Canada to join an Ontario working group. They made her their only honorary member and before she became ill I think she had even suggested and was well on the way to persuading them to relocate an annual conference to Vancouver.

Manon's gifts were not restricted to all things cerebral they were also of the heart.

Everyone who worked with Manon couldn't help but we swept up in her embrace and her enthusiasm. We were a disparate group. Some of us had never owned sneakers or slept on undressed sheets. Yet she was determined that we should enjoy the rigors of the outdoors and team sports. She had us kayaking although most of her time she spent rescuing team members from the dangers that lay a few feet from shore. She enjoyed every minute. She recognized that as a team we had to step outside our comfort zone and experience new things. She was right we had fun and grew stronger collectively and individually.

She even had our odd bank hike to Elfin Lake. Her stamina was a source of awe fear and frankly great pride for us. Just having her strength nearby emboldened us.

Manon's kindness and generosity was remarkable. St. Paul's only had one shower for all of the female staff. Manon noticed when she was showering that the shower curtain was not well cared for or cleaned. She didn't want to ask the cleaners to take on another job so she took the curtain down herself and brought it home and washed it.

Shortly after she was diagnosed she and Judy put together hundreds of emergency bags for homeless men so that they would have supplies for Christmas.

Manon could make the smallest thing an adventure and reason for celebration. While most of us wailed and whined about our poor lunch offerings or take-away. Manon would make a feast worth salivating appear from Tupperware.

For the last few years of our friendship my office was next to Manon's. The beauty of that was we discussed everything from clipless pedals to sportsmanship. She couched and taught me a lot about the world and the heart.

And although our conversations were varied and enlightening on my part. Manon's favorite topics were her abiding love for Judy and her excitement about their many adventures and plans. Her home life and the joy of experiencing and participating in Kieran's and Teegan's lives and her remarkable family and friends in Montreal.

I remember how Manon's office would fill with her sense of anticipation and excitement when preparing for a visit home. Her family picture had a place of pride over her desk and she would often reminisce about her Mother and sisters and their families.

Manon was the most optimistic person I have ever had the good fortune to know. She was kind and encouraging. She has left an imprint on my heart and the hearts of all of her friends at the Foundation.

When I think of Manon I think of a sunflower.

It is the boldest most beautiful flower in the garden however it still manages to be in harmony with everything else around it. It is a reassuring flower.

It arrives just when we need it -- briefly at the end of the season before the rain and darkness set in.

And although it is always sad to see the bloom die, after its brief glory. You know that its seeds will travel far on the wind and that when it reappears the next season it will be more prolific and beautiful then the season before.

And just the mere thought of it fills you with joy and a sense of promise of things to come

My most sincere condolences to Judy, Manon's dear Mother, sisters and friends

Judy, I thank you for this invitation to speak about Manon.

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