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Irma Robert
April 26, 1914 - June 2, 2014
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<div itemprop="description">IRMA ROBERT<br />1914-2014<br /><br />On Monday, June 2, 2014, Irma Robert peacefully and with family at her side passed from this life to the next at the age of 100 years. <br /><br />She leaves to mourn her passing; three children, Denis (Lucille), Jeanne Hanis (Allan) and Emile (Diane);<br /><br />ten grandchildren, Louis Robert, Michelle Marchildon (Gilles), Nicole Reimer, Giselle Marasco (Bil), Suzanne (Russ Nerbas), Lisette Johnston (Mark), Paul Robert (Leslie), Monique Quail (Whitney), Paul Rushton (Rebecca), Barbara Miller (Paul); ten great-grand-children, Miguel and Josu&eacute; Marchildon, Hannah and Hayden Robert, Henry Quail; Kyle, Brandon, Nicole and Lily-Ann Rushton, Caitlyn Miller;<br /><br />five step-great-grand-children, Ada and Ashlyn Hopper, Ryan, Jordan and Brendan Nerbas; her sister, Rose Rivers; numerous nephews, nieces and their children; ex-son-in-law, Gerald Rushton; and her best friend, Annette Guertin.<br /><br />Irma was predeceased by her loving husband of 55 years, Joseph and her sister, Elizabeth (Betsy).<br /><br />Lundi le 2 juin, 2014, Irma Robert, ag&eacute;e de 100 ans et avec de sa famille &agrave; son cot&eacute;, donna son dernier soupire pour entrer dans la maison de son P&egrave;re. Elle laisse dans le deuille; throis enfants, Denis (Lucille), Jeanne Hanis (Allan) et Emile (Diane); dix petits-enfants, Louis Robert, Michelle Marchildon (Gilles), Nicole Reimer, Giselle Marasco (Bil), Suzanne (Russ Nerbas), Lisette Johnston (Mark), Paul Robert (Leslie), Monique Quail (Whitney), Paul Rushton (Rebecca), Barbara Miller (Paul); dix arri&egrave;re-petits-enfants, Miguel et Josu&eacute; Marchildon, Hannah et Hayden Robert, Henry Quail; Kyle, Brandon, Nicole et Lilly-Ann Rushton, Caitlyn Miller; cinq beau-arri&egrave;re-petits-enfants, Ada et Ashlyn Hopper, Ryan, Jordan et Brendan Nerbas; sa soeur, Rose Rivers; plusieurs neveux, nieces et leurs enfants; ancien-genre, Gerald Rushton; et sa meilleur amie, Annette Guertin.<br /><br />Irma was born on April 26th, 1914, in a log house with a dirt floor in Woodridge, Manitoba, of Bela and Mary Szendrei. When Bela died in 1919, Mary, who had no income, was forced to give up her daughters and placed Irma and Betsy with the Grey Nuns at the Tach&eacute; Hospice which was then an orphanage. Irma attained Grade 5 and then went to work as a domestic in various homes in St Norbert. When she attained the age of majority, 21, she was able to leave what amounted to servitude and got her first meaningful employment at the St Boniface Hospital as a nurses-aid in the nursery, caring for newborn babies, a &quot;job&quot; she really enjoyed. However, that line of work did not pay much so, when the men went to war and their jobs became accessible to women, she managed to become an elevator operator at the hospital. It was at this time that she would meet Jos, a gardener at the hospital, and the two eventually became one on October 17, 1942. <br /><br />Irma est n&eacute;e le 26 avril 1914, dans une maison de biyaux avec plancher de terre &agrave; Woodridge au Manitoba de Bela et Mary Szendrei. Quand Bela mour&ucirc;t en 1919, Mary n'avait pas les moyens et a d&ucirc; placer deux de ses enfants, Irma et Betsy chez les soeurs grises &agrave; l'orphelinat de l'hospice Tach&eacute;. Irma atteint la 5i&egrave;me ann&eacute;e &agrave; l'&eacute;cole apr&egrave;s quoi elle f&ucirc;t employ&eacute;e come domestique dans une vari&eacute;t&eacute; de maisons &agrave; St-Norbert. Quant elle eu atteint l'age de majorit&eacute;, 21 ans, elle p&ucirc;t laisser ce qui est ni-plus ni moins que la servitude et f&ucirc;t engag&eacute;e dans son premier employ de valeur comme infirmi&egrave;re dans la pouponni&egrave;re de l'h&ocirc;pital de St-Boniface o&ucirc; elle prit soin d'enfants nouveau-n&eacute;s, une &quot;job&quot; qu'elle amait vraiement. Cependant, cette sorte d'emploi n'&eacute;tait pas tr&egrave;s payante alors, quand les hommes partirent en guerre et que leurs positions devenurent accessible aux femmes, elle p&ucirc;t devenir une op&eacute;ratrice d'assenseur &agrave; l'h&ocirc;pital. C'est &agrave; ce temps l&agrave; qu'elle rencontra Jos, un jardinier de l'h&ocirc;pital, et &eacute;ventuellement, les deux ne furent qu'un le 17 octobre 1942. <br /><br />Initially, they rented a flat on Horace St but then were able to buy their first house at 84 Carriere St for $500 with $300 down from money that Irma had saved. Then along came Denis, then Jeanne, then Emile. These were happy times for Irma as she was doing what she loved best, looking after her husband and children in her own home. It was during these years that she became an accomplished cook, seemstress and general all round wife and mom. <br /><br />Initiallement, ils se mirent &agrave; loyer dans un petit apartement sur la rue Horace mais ensuite ils furent capable d'acheter leur premi&egrave;re maison &agrave; 84 rue Carri&egrave;re pour 500$, donc avec un d&eacute;p&ocirc;t de 300$ que Irma avait &eacute;pargn&eacute;. Ensuite arriv&egrave;rent Denis, puis Jeanne, puis &Eacute;mile. Ce furent des temps tr&egrave;s heureux pour Irma car elle pouvait faire ce qu'elle aimait le plus, prendre soin de son mari et ses enfants dans sa maison. Pendant ces ann&eacute;es, elle devenu une cuisini&egrave;re et couturi&egrave;re accomplie ainsi qu'une &eacute;pouse et maman par excellence. <br /><br />In January 1950, the Robert family made their first big move, to a larger $8000 house at 40 Berrydale Ave. A wood stove, icebox and no running water soon gave way to a modern range, fridge and plumbing and all was good. However, as the kids got bigger, the house got smaller so in 1960, the Robert's packed up and moved to a brand new house at 17 Covent Rd. Such luxury and for only $16,500! <br /><br />Life on Covent was to last 18 years. During that time, the kids would leave home and Irma would find herself with nothing much to do. So she embarked on a career of babysitting kids of working mothers and so was back to doing what she loved best. Then, in 1978, Jos having become chronically ill with bronchitis, the couple moved to Kelowna where they built a new house. They would live out a happy retirement here but after 15 years, it was time to come home and the pair moved to Lorette to be close to family and friends. <br /><br />Then, in 1997, Jos, having been ill for a year, passed away. Irma had lost the love of her life so a new episode began for her. At first, she stayed in her house but after a few years, it became apparent that it was too much for her. She moved to a suite at 400 DesMeurons St until, at 93, she made her final move to the Tach&eacute; Centre. Her last years were marred by blindness, deafness and dementia but she valiantly hung in there until we could all celebrate her 100th birthday and what a celebration it was! However, a few weeks later, tired and weakening fast, she left this life to be with Our Lord, Mother Mary and the angels, and Jos.<br /><br />Irma's resum&eacute; (in case St Peter asks): Loving daughter, wife, mother, grand-mother, sister, aunt and friend. Irma loved God and as a dutiful Catholic, she taught her family and those around her to do likewise. She taught her children to pray and daily recitation of the Rosary was a must. She was heavily involved with her Church and volunteered for many nitty-gritty jobs wherever she was. She sang in church and secular choirs. She loved gardening and raised the most beautiful flowers, especially gladiolas, her favourite. She made an untold number of friends as a ten-pin bowler, square dancer, in her sewing circle, the Laverendrye Club and church social organizations. She will be remembered as a gracious host of Japanese students who needed a place to stay during their sojourn in Canada. <br /><br />She knew all her neighbours by name and they could count on her for a helping hand whenever they needed it. She was patriotic to a fault and travelled Canada from coast to coast to get to know her country better. Always jovial and endowed with a great sense of humour, she amassed a collection of jokes and cartoons, her favourite being, of course, Family Circle. And, if I have to end somewhere, it's that Irma always had a soft spot for priests and nuns because of the mentorship she received as a child and young adult and because of their tireless service to God and people.<br /><br />Prayers and a celebration of Irma's life will be held on Monday, June 9th at 7:00PM at the Desjardins Funeral Chapel, 357 DesMeurons St, Winnipeg. Viewing will take place on Tuesday June 10th at 10:30AM followed by the funeral mass at 11:00AM at Notre Dame-de-Lorette Church in Lorette, Manitoba. Internemnt will immediately follow in the Notre-Dame-de-Lorette parish cemetery followed by a lunch and fellowship in the parish hall. <br /><br /><br /><br /></div>