Larraine Patricia Girard

Larraine Patricia Girard, aged 69 years of Moose Jaw, SK, passed away on Saturday, May 17th, 2014.  Larraine was a remarkable woman.  The real tragedy with her too-short life is that her four grandchildren will not be able to grow up sharing Larraine’s incredible energy and devotion.  She had that in abundance.  Our mother taught for thirty years and boy did she make a lasting positive mark.  She instilled a love of learning and a sense of “being your best self” in so many students.  Larraine was very well-read.  She understood what was going on in the world around her, and what our global and local priorities should be.  Larraine was a life-long socialist, always true to her belief in looking after the less fortunate among us.  She carried the card of the NDP with pride, but didn’t hesitate to question the party when it compromised values of equality.  Cancer and chemotherapy – these she handled with incredible stoicism and perspective.  We often heard Larraine speak of those who had it worse off than she – this when we mere mortals couldn’t imagine such a thing.  She was a titan.  Perhaps not famous, but worthy of the highest of decoration and societal accolades.  Larraine lives on in her grandchildren and the many hundreds of students who were lucky enough to be embraced by her huge circle of love.  She would not want us to be sad – but rather to pour an affordable glass of wine over ice cubes and consider how lucky we are.  Larraine will be remembered whenever we turn on CBC radio, witness acts of selfless kindness, see people spending time with children, and any time someone chases down their garbage man to give them a $20 bill – just because.  She put people ahead of her own needs.  Our mother just simply got what was important in life – and shared that gift through her actions.  In lieu of any gifts to an organization, we would request that occasionally you throw a $20 bill to someone who needs it more than you.
P.S. She would have torn a strip off of us for spending the money on this obituary, and she would have corrected the grammatical mistakes we have surely made!

Arrangements are entrusted to Moose Jaw Funeral Home, 268 Mulberry Lane.  James Murdock, Funeral Director 306-693-4550