MARCH 29, 1962 – OCTOBER 30, 2020
My name is Sue Sutcliffe and I am honoured to pay tribute to Louise Thibert — a woman I’ve called friend since the summer of ‘78.
But we were far more than that. Louise and I were Sisters by choice, and we were blessed with 42 years of friendship!
We shared everything except husbands, and my heart aches for Brenda, Raye, Barb, Chris and your families. You are always in my prayers.
Louise and I went to school & worked together and I would not be where I am today if it were not for Louise. We got married, lived together and navigated ‘couple-friends’. We got divorced, were single moms and fell in love again.
We also built a 200 pound dog house, my first company, and TALKED about everything — especially you!
Most of our conversations centering around family and our five amazing children:
Jennifer — You remind me of your Momma when she was younger. You have her spirit and humongous heart. You are creative and smart, and she was proud of you and of the great job you and Paul were doing with her grandbabies.
Jon — You get your love of the law from your Mom who always had your back and was proud to help you become a lawyer. She was even more proud of the parents you and Lee-Anne became and loved that she had time with Mia.
JC, Valerie and Tyler — Louise never missed an opportunity to raise you up when you did something well, nor did she hesitate to say it when she felt you were out of line. A lot of what’s great about you is because of her lessons as Mom #2.
Travis, Tyler, Sierra, Shelby & Jessica — I feel like I know you as Louise shared your journeys and bragged on your accomplishments. Louise loved being your Aunt!
And when our kids fell in love and found the perfect partners we celebrated.
Paul — You have a big heart like Jenn and compliment her well. Having lived with Louise for years, I didn’t need to read your heart-felt facebook post to know how you felt. Louise knew your heart, just as you always knew where you stood with Louise. She was grateful for you.
Lee-Anne — Louise knew you were the one for Jon, the moment he mentioned your name, and I was blown away at how much you and Louise had in common. To be honest, I was a wee bit jealous, then fell in love with you too!
Louise loved her grandbabies best. They were her pride and joy!
Isaak
Joseph
Maddy
Mia
She never smiled wider than when she was talking about time she spent with you and she counted you as her highest accomplishments, but she had many.
Louise is one of the best human beings I’ve ever met
and we’re all better for knowing her.
She was incredibly smart and academically gifted.
After high school she went to Retter College and could’ve been a brilliant legal assistant or lawyer, but she CHOSE to make sacrifices and be a full-time Mother.
After kids were in school full time she went back to work at Mountain, and was not long before she was promoted to supervisor.
She moved to OGS in 94, was promoted quickly, and her landscape designs won awards.
She was a born leader.
She taught me to be a good mother.
She helped Jon and Lee-Ann and me grow our businesses
She kept in touch as the oldest cousin, and planned a reunion to bring the family together.
She honoured her parents and sent them to Florida — not a small feat as a single Mom!
Louise loved to talk and was a great listener too. She made everyone feel special and had tons of facebook friends
Louise was generous, thoughtful and kind. She never forgot a birthday and Christmas was definitely her favourite time of the year. One day as a single mom I came home to a deck full of groceries… but that’s a long story
Louise loved games and music — especially Rod Stewart — and was creative in so many ways; singing, writing, painting Winnie the Pooh murals, cooking, baking, flowers and landscaping.
Louise gave 100% to everyone and everything she did and the results live on in people — especially her family and I couldn’t be prouder to be her friend.
Louise was authentic, unapologetic and adventurous. She knew who she was and what she wanted, and loved to travel and plan fun with her family — New York, CN Tower, Hot Air Ballooning, Disney and Niagara Falls.
She truly was an awesome human being and will be remembered by all who knew her for:
Her big blue eyes
Her contagious laughter
How she always had time for you (even when she didn’t)
When I was asked to do this eulogy, I didn’t know what I would say — at first anyways — but a song came to mind immediately because the lyrics are words she lived by. She wanted her kids to live by them, and pass them along to their children, and I had intended to play it for you, but that song played at the beginning of this service because jen and jon — and anyone who lived near Louise — knew how Louise felt (and all the words) by heart…
FOREVER YOUNG
May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.
May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the light surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.
May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
And may your song always be sung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.
~Bob Dylan
Grief is not a sign of weakness,
nor a lack of faith.
Grief is the price of love.
I miss Louise so much and this song just keeps coming to my head…
That’s when they said I lost my only friend
Well they said she died easy of a broke heart disease
As I listened through the cemetery trees
I seen the sun comin’ up at the funeral at dawn
With the long broken arm of human law
Now it always seemed such a waste
She always had a pretty face
I wondered why she hung around this place
Hey-ey-ey
Come on try a little
Nothing is forever
Got to be something better than in the middle
Me and Cinderella
We put it all together
We can drive it home
With one headlight
She said it’s cold
It feels like independence day
And I can’t break away from this parade
But there’s got be an opening
Somewhere here in front of me
Through this maze of ugliness and greed
And I’ve seen the sign up ahead at the county line bridge
Sayin’ all is good and nothingness is dead
We run until she’s out of breath
She ran until there’s nothing left
She hit the end, just her window ledge
Hey-ey-ey
Come on try a little
Nothing is forever
Got to be something better than in the middle
But me and Cinderella
We put it all together
We can drive it home
With one headlight
Well this place is old
It feels just like a beat up truck
I turn the engine but the engine doesn’t turn
Well it smells of cheap wine and cigarettes
This place is always such a mess
Sometimes I think I’d like to watch it burn
I’m so alone
Feel just like somebody else
Man, I ain’t changed, but I know I ain’t the same
But somewhere here in between the city walls of dying dreams
I think her death, it must be killing me
Hey, hey, hey-ey-ey
Come on try a little
Nothing is forever
There’s got to be something better than in the middle
Me and Cinderella
We put it all together
We can drive it home
With one headlight
WORK WITH SUE