Lucille O’Neill (née Cayen)

Lucille O'Neill died peacefully on Saturday October 27, 2018 at Au Château, in Sturgeon Falls. She is survived by her daughter Lila (Guy Giroux), her two granddaughters Renée (Nilton Sousa) and Brigitte (Kevin Roy), and one sister, Lila (Cayen) Eden. She was predeceased by her husband of 42 years Henry O’Neill, by her first born Denis, her parents Edouard and Léa (Labelle) Cayen, and 5 brothers and 5 sisters.

During the second world war, Lucille worked in war 3 different war plants: Sarnia On (synthetic rubber); Valleyfield, Qué (nitroglycerine) and Nobel, On (bullets). The war ended June 1945.

She returned to Sturgeon Falls and worked for the Greyhound Bus company until in 1950 she married Henry O’Neill adoptive son of Roderick Steep and Molly Ellen Foran, better known in the community as Rod and Molly.

Lucille volunteered for many organizations. She received an honorary membership from the Ladies Auxiliary at Au Château and a 20-year certificate from the Daughters of Isabella #694. She helped with the incorporation of the Joyeux Copains and was secretary for the Golden Age Club. She wrote short stories and poems, and even composed songs. She loved to write and submitted many stories to the local papers which were always published for Readers to enjoy.

Her main passion though was music; she could play most instruments but piano was her favourite, having taught herself at a very young age. With her husband Henry, they shared their musical talents with many people over the years. They could be heard playing music at weddings, at the Royal Canadian Legion, the Au Château, Home for the Aged, West Nipissing General Hospital. They even enlisted 5 and 6 year old children to enjoy music by teaching them square dancing and were featured in the Press as the “Youngest Dancers in Northern Ontario”.

She leaves us with fond memories and will be lovingly remembered by so many of us. Donations can be made to Au Château where excellent care was given to her in her last years of life.

Funeral services will be at the Theoret Bourgeois Funeral Home, in Sturgeon Falls on November 2 with Visitation from 2:00 to 4:00 pm and 7:00 to 9:00 pm. On Saturday Nov 3rd, from 11:30 to 12:30 followed by a funeral service and reception.