Deanna Marie Gautreau

September 5, 1940 - January 3, 2026

With profound love and deep gratitude for a life well lived, the children of Deanna Marie Gautreau announce her passing on January 3, 2026. 

Born in South Nelson, Miramichi, to Agatha (Sweeney) and Burton Blackmore, Deanna was the last surviving member of her immediate family. While we mourn her departure, we find peace knowing she is reunited with her beloved husband Ralph, her infant daughter Bonnie, siblings Junior, Marjorie, Florence, Mary, Joyce, Theresa, Gordie, and the many in-laws and friends who went before her.

Mom had an exceptional spirit, and in her 85 years she built a legacy of traditions and laughter.

Mom’s greatest joy was her family. She was the devoted heart of her four children: Kathy (George Cowan) of Bathurst, NB, Tony (DeeDee Eldridge) of Saint John, NB, Pamela (Bob Huggard) of Bedford, NS, and Colleen (Paul Barry) of Rothesay, NB. Her nine grandchildren (Matthew Cowan (Niki Blissett), Justin Cowan (Alyssa Russell), Nick Cowan, Luke Gautreau, Erica Gautreau, Kayla Huggard, Ben Huggard, Sam Barry, Simon Barry) and nine great-grandchildren (the “littles”) were her absolute delight; she had the magical ability to make every one of her grandchildren feel like they were her “favourite” (and each of them truly was!) - and the littles loved their time spent with Cho-cho. Mom is also survived by brother-in-law Alex Lumsden, sisters-in-law Dorothy Gautreau, Eva Poirier and Elsie Young, and many nieces and nephews.

While her earlier years as a young mother were dedicated to her children, she went on to work at Canadian Tire, where she managed the warehouse until her retirement. Her life since then - with a stream of grandchildren and great-grandchildren - provided endless occasions of celebrations, laughter and pride.

Mom created beautiful traditions around birthdays and holidays. She had a fantastic memory and could be extremely competitive, especially over a game of scrabble. She was even competitive with herself; at one point, she was timing herself doing crossword puzzles, always aiming for a personal best. She was a voracious reader and was delighted to discover the Libby app with its endless supply of books. 

We will be forever grateful for the childhood Mom and Dad gave for us and the life lessons they taught us through their 65 years of marriage; their influence will be felt for generations to come.

Most of all, we are thankful for Mom’s fierce determination. Her strength allowed her to overcome many health obstacles over the years, giving us more precious time to share in the traditions we so dearly cherished. 

A celebration of life will be held on May 2, 2026 at 2 pm at Fundy Funeral Home, 230 Westmorland Road, Saint John.

If desired, in honour of her memory, donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, the Canadian Cancer Society, or a charity of your choice.