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Canada Joins World War 2
Canada joined World War II on September 10, 1939. This was a week after Britain and France declared war on Germany on September 3, following Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1. Canada's declaration of war marked its independent decision to enter the conflict, highlighting its autonomy from Britain in making such significant international decisions. -
The Beginning: Marriage of Émile and Denise
Only a month after Canada joined World War 2, my great-grandparents, Émile Nadeau (b. 1908) and Denise Faucher (b. 1908) were married in St. Ephrem, Quebec, Canada -
Welcome to the world, Louise!
My grandmother was born on August 20th, 1940 in St. Ephrem, Québec, Canada, the town that my family has lived in for generations. She was the first child of parents Denise Faucher and Émile Nadeau. Émile was a dairy farmer who owned many cows, and the children were expected to help with the daily milking. My grandmother's house did not have electricity until she was 6 years old, instead relying on oil lamps, and meat was lowered into a well in order for it to be kept cold. -
Louise's Baptism
My grandmother was baptized the day after she was born in a church in St. Ephrem. This is the same church that she would complete all of her sacraments at and would be married in later in life. -
Canadian Conscription Crisis of 1944
Essentially, there were not enough Canadian soldiers to fight in the war due to a promise made by Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King that there would be no conscription for overseas service. The goal was to avoid the serious political issues that Conscription caused during World War 1. The National Resources Mobilization Act (1940) had allowed for conscription, but only for home defense. The majority of English-speaking Canada was for conscription, but Québec was not. -
Louise Attends Boarding School: 1954 to 1956
My grandmother attended boarding school, which was not common for this time period. Her goal was to become a school teacher. -
Growing up with 7 Siblings!
As the oldest of 8 kids, my grandmother played a large role in helping her mother take care of the younger kids. Altogether, the names of all her siblings from oldest to youngest are Louise (1940), Annette (1942), Lucille (1943), Marthe (1945), André (1948), Bertrand (1949), Hélène (1951), and Thérèse (1952). -
Death of Denise Faucher, Louise's Mother
My grandmother's mother passed away due to cancer when my grandmother was 14 years old. This was extremely difficult, as my grandmother was the oldest child and had to help look after her siblings while trying to get an education. It was Denise's dying wish that my grandmother finish her education at boarding school. Émile remarried to a woman that my grandmother and great aunts and uncles did not like. -
One-Room Schoolhouse! 1957-1963
Something that my grandmother is most proud of is that, at 17 years old, she began working as the sole teacher of a one-room school house (the same school that my grandfather attended in his youth). She taught all subjects for grades 1 through 7, and lived full-time in the school building while she taught. Her school had a history of failing the state exams, but her students were the first to pass in many years and she earned the respect of her superiors. -
Marriage to Pamphile Turcotte
My grandparents were married in St. Ephrem on July 3rd, 1961. This was after my grandfather spent a few years in Maine and Montréal searching for work. -
Moving to the US!
After being separated for a few years and my grandmother's work in the school, my grandparents both made the decision to leave the opportunity to work at the farm and move to the US! My grandmother was already pregnant with her first son, Claude, when they moved. They decided to settle in Hudson, NH, where they have been ever since. -
Birth of Claude, Louise's First Child
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Birth of Marcel, Louise's Second Child
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Birth of Joanne, Louise's 3rd Child
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Louise Turcotte, B.Ed
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Louise and Phil Take their First Big Trip
During the summer of 1980, Louise and Phil took their first big trip, one that would spark their love of traveling for the rest of their lives. This trip was a road trip from Montréal to Vancouver, BC, and the purpose was to find my grandfather's long-lost brother Dominic, who had been estranged for the family for many years and who they discovered was living in British Columbia. Since then, the 2 have traveled to places such as Europe, China, Egypt, Russia, the Caribbean, and South America. -
Louise Turcotte, M.Ed.
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Louise and Phil are Grandparents!
Louise and Phil became grandparents with the birth of Claude's son, Cody, in March of 1994. Since then, the two have been blessed with a total of 8 grandchildren. Claude had 2 more girls, Isabelle (2001) and Natalie (2002). My parents had myself (2004) and my sister Amanda (2006). Joanne had 3 girls: Deanna (1997), Lauren (1999), and Abi (2007). -
Louise Retires from Pelham High School
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Louise and Phil Celebrate 60 Years Together!
