Cecile (Brad) Arsenault

Mrs. Cecile Arsenault, formerly of Ponoka, passed away at Wetaskiwin Long Term Care on November 11, 2019 at the age of 95 years. She was born in Marcelin, Saskatchewan on August 29, 1924 to George and Marie Brad, one of a large and fun-loving French Canadian family. Her youth was spent in the D’Amour area, west of Leask, Saskatchewan. In 1944 Cecile married Frank Arsenault of Marcelin and lived on a farm four miles north of town. They later (1957) moved into Marcelin, farming from there. In 1974 they moved to Ponoka where Cecile worked first at the Royal Hotel, then the Co-Op Cafeteria and later at Rimoka Lodge. In 2000, now widowed, Cecile sold her home and moved to Rimoka where she resided until her move to Wetaskiwin in 2012 due to health issues.

Cecile will be sadly missed by her daughters Doris (Gordon) Cheney and Julie Minni of Ponoka; her son Gerry (Dianne) Arsenault of Theodore, Saskatchewan; as well as her grandson Lyle Cheney and great-granddaughters Raven Cheney and Jade Cheney, all of Red Deer. Also surviving are Cecile’s sister Yvonne Richter; brothers Emile (Bea) Brad, Gerry Brad, and Joe (Dorothy) Brad; sisters-in-law Nellie Brad and Rita Brad; plus a great many nieces and nephews.

Cecile was predeceased by her husband Frank, infant son George, and her parents George and Marie Brad. Also predeceasing were her sisters Emily Brad (infant) and Suzanne Laprairie; brothers Julian Brad, Wilfred Brad, Peter Brad, and Ernest Brad; sisters-in-law Pauline Brad, Laura Brad, and Mary Anne Brad; as well as brothers-in-law Paul Laprairie and Albert Richter.

Being around babies and little children gave Cecile great joy and in the immediate family, she was known as Greatma. Greatma was very cheerful, fun-loving, and sociable. She could find something to talk about with just about anyone. As well as being a fastidious housekeeper, she was a wonderful cook, with baking being her specialty. Cecile enjoyed very good health until the age of 80 when she first developed heart problems. This was the start of numerous health difficulties which eventually led to her move to care in Wetaskiwin. Throughout her life, Cecile remained faithful to her Catholic upbringing and felt that reading her prayer book and saying her rosary brought her great comfort through her many trials, especially during her last years.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, December 4, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Ponoka with a Memorial Reception to follow in the lower level of the church. The Interment Service will be held at Forest Home Cemetery in Ponoka where Cecile will be interred in the family plot beside Frank.

Memorial donations will be gratefully accepted to Old MacDonald Kennels Animal Shelter (Ponoka) or the S.P.C.A. of your choice.

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