Obituary of Jeanette Gouthro, Gardiner Mines

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Mary Jeanette Gouthro, our dear mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt and friend who passed away as she wished, peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family on Saturday April 20^th, 2024.

Born in Dominion on August 27^th, 1930 she was the daughter of the late Daniel and Mae (McMurray) McNeil.

Jeanette worked for Shores grocery store in Dominion in her younger years then went on to work at the Gardiner Retreat Center and continued to work there after it became the Breamore Home.

 Jeanette was very strong in her Catholic faith and spent many decades teaching religion classes. Most of the children who grew up in Gardiner will remember Jeanette as their grade 2 religion teacher. It was a role she thoroughly enjoyed and was very dedicated to. She was president of St. James Parish alter society and sang in the church choir for many years. She sold Greymoor mass cards for many years and the money raised was sent back to Greymoor in New York to help support those who were ill or suffering. Jeanettes love for her faith and religion kept her strong and comforted her all her life. The community also had great trust in Jeanette and her connection to God. They would often call and ask for her prayers.

Jeanette had an open-door policy where anybody who needed a place to stay was welcome. It was known as the old homestead for everybody. She loved having people come home from away and giving them a place to stay. She loved her boat rides with her husband “Wick” out on Lingan Bay, all the clam boils, the calling of the geese and the beautiful sunsets.

Her homemade bread was known around town as being the best and people who did work for her often wanted to be paid with bread instead of money.

As Jeanette got older and her illness progressed, she took great comfort in her rosary and daily mass. There is no doubt that she was promptly escorted through the pearly gates.

Jeanette will be sadly missed by her children, Aloysuis (Kathy), Patrick, John (Debbie), Mae, Kathy (Andrea) and her grandchildren whom she dearly loved, Christopher, Joey, Patrick, Renee, Lisa, John, Robert, Dan, Joseph, Jillian, Shannon and Leigh and eighteen great grandchildren. 

Surviving also are her sisters, Francie, and AnnMarie, brothers, Tony, Terry, Louie, and Bob. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins and two special nephews, Dale and Eugene. She is also survived by her best friends, Violet, Evelyn and Mamie.

Besides her parents Jeanette is predeceased by her husband, Henry Aloysius “Wick”, grandmother, Jane McMurray, step mother Doris and aunts, Peg, Jean and Catherine, sisters, Marie, Theresa, Maureen, brothers, John “Curly”, Joseph, Danny, Roddy, Billy, and Georgie and granddaughter, Theresa Rose. Also predeceased by daughter-in-law, Danette and son-in-law, Ricky and her sister-in-law, Mary and good friends, Trickie, Katie and Rita.

The family wishes to thank Cape Breton County Homemakers who cared for Jeanette like family for 28 years. We also wish to thank our special angels from palliative care Brett Gillis, Linda Murphy, Jill Murphy and Dr George Burns, VON and family doctor Dr Kylene MacKillop.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of V.J. McGillivray Funeral Home, 16 Reserve Street, Glace Bay. Visitation hours are from 4pm-8pm on Thursday April 25th. Funeral mass will be celebrated at Immaculate Conception Church in Bridgeport at 11am Friday April 26^th with Fr. Dan Boudreau presiding. Interment to follow at St. James Cemetery followed by a reception at Dominion Firehall.

Memorial donations in memory of Jeanette may be made to St. James cemetery fund. On line condolences to the family can be expressed at: www.vjmcgillivray.ca

“ And please remember as Jeanette would fondly say, be careful on the highway”.