Therese Mahussier

Mom passed peacefully from this life in the early morning hours of February 12, 2024 at the age of 96.

Born to Hedwig (Eisenkramer) and William Hayes, Mom was raised on the family farm near Sunnybrow (west of Bjorkdale), along with siblings Bill, Yvonne and Peggy. Early connections with the close knit Sunnybrow community resulted in lifelong friendships which she cherished to the end.

Mom was raised with a deep appreciation for education. She began her schooling in the one room school at Sunnybrow, completed her Grade 12 in Tisdale, and then followed through with teacher school in Saskatoon before beginning her teaching career at another one room school at Hara. In those early years, she taught at Pre. Ste. Marie (Barrierville), Bjorkdale Hamlet and Sunnybrow before taking a hiatus to raise her young family.

Mom returned to her childhood Sunnybrow farm shortly after her marriage to Antoine (Tony) Mahussier in October of 1949, and it was on that farm that she and Tony spent most of their lives and raised their family. Some of our earliest memories are of Mom working in the garden, with the livestock or taking meals to the field. Money was tight, but Mom was always able to put a tasty meal on the table, working with whatever she could grow or raise. We regularly came home from school to an array of freshly baked cookies, cinnamon buns or doughnuts. She was a talented seamstress, and our clothes were lovingly made on her old Singer sewing machine.

After her youngest child started school, Mom returned to her professional passion of teaching – first at Prairie River, then at Crooked River, where she remained for several years until that school closed. Mom completed her lengthy teaching career at Tisdale Elementary. Despite working full time and raising a large family, Mom found time to return to University in the evenings and on weekends, obtaining her Bachelor of Education in 1980. Mom was passionate about learning and instilled a quest for knowledge not only in her students, but also her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her students were so very important to her, and it was always a proud moment throughout her retirement and golden years whenever one of those students recognized or spoke highly of her.

Mom had an artistic flair. She excelled at painting (acrylics, oils, water colours), pottery, stained glass art, and any other creative medium that she tried her hand at. Her home was filled with pieces that she created when she wasn’t knitting or crocheting something special for those she loved. She found peace in nature and had a special penchant for hummingbirds – one that these special birds seemed to reciprocate.

Mom enjoyed seeing the world, traveling to England, Germany, and Korea, along with many places in the United States and Canada – from east coast to west coast – as well as to many, many Saskatchewan communities.

In 1999, Mom and Dad sold the family farm and moved to a new home they built in Bjorkdale in 1999. While Mom had always been very community-minded, retirement allowed her to become even more so. She made every effort to attend and support any community function and was actively involved in many groups, such as the retired teachers, Bjorkdale Community Choir and the church community. In honour of her father’s service to our country, she was an active member of the Royal Canadian Legion. She dedicated many hours to the Lions Club, rising to the level of District Governor. She rarely missed a Wednesday lunch with friends at the Valley Inn. In late 2021 her health declined, and she entered Newmarket Place in Tisdale where she spent her final years.

Mom will be greeted in heaven by her husband Tony; son Lenard; parents (Hedwig & William Hayes); parents-in-law (Florida and Henri Mahussier); siblings Bill Hayes, Yvonne Pavlis; and siblings-in-law June Hayes, Dominic Pavlis, Joe Looby, Marie & Paul Coquet, Rita & Fred Carfantan, Florence & Don Coquet, Aurore & Lionel Hamonic, Louis & Louise Mahussier, Dale Clifford, Pat Hagel, Albert Mahussier, Harry Pitzel and Joe Leader.

She leaves generations of family to celebrate her legacy – TERRY Newman – Deb Newman; ALLAN Mahussier – Renee Mahussier, Glenis (Keith) Krowchenko – Tyson, Hudson, Chelsea, and Antoine Mahussier; CHRISTINE (Richard) Turcotte – Gerald (Genevieve) Turcotte – Ashley, Hailey, Jaiden, Joel (Nicole) Turcotte – Paxton, Adeline, Gabriel Turcotte, Colette (Patrick) Curtis – Patrick, Maxime, Sebastien, Melanie, Michelle (Tyler) McLeod – Eve, Chloe, Piper; MADELEINE (Dale) Valentine – Kacey Valentine (Luke McCrimmon); KATHY Mahussier (Lloyd Folk) - Nathan Poppl – Rhyan, Dahlen (AshLeigh) Poppl – Hailee, Reagan (Jesika) Poppl – Kane, Nash, Landon Poppl – Brett; DENIS (Gillian) Mahussier – Jada, Sam. She is also remembered by her sister Peggy Looby, brother-in-law Keith Mahussier, sisters-in-law Ivon Hagel, Henriette Pitzel, Betty Mahussier, Marjorie (Vardy) Williams as well as numerous nieces and nephews and many cohorts of students.

Donations in memory of Therese may be made to the Bjorkdale Community Hall (care of Village of Bjorkdale, Box 27, Bjorkdale, SK. S0E 0E0) or the Lions Foundation of Canada Guide Dogs (https://www.dogguides.com/donate/online-donations/)

Funeral Mass of Celebration and Thanksgiving will be held at the Bjorkdale Community Hall on Saturday, May 4 at 1 PM.