Sr. Claire Lafrance

June 20, 1915 – March 2, 2006

After a lengthy illness, Sister Claire Lafrance (Sister Marie-Lucia) died in the St. Boniface General Hospital on Thursday evening, March 2, 2006. Claire was the eldest of the four daughters of Lucia (Tellier) and Adélard Lafrance.

She was born in St. Pierre Jolys, MB on June 20, 1915. Claire had the unique joy of beginning her primary studies at home under the direction of her dear Mother who had been a school teacher and for this Claire was so grateful. She went to St. Pierre’s rural school before attending Ste. Agathe Convent for High School which she completed at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in St. Boniface. After attending Brandon Normal School, Claire taught for five years before entering the novitiate of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary in July 1941.

Upon her return to Manitoba in 1943 Sister Marie-Lucia taught in various schools under the direction of the Holy Names in Manitoba and in Kenora and Keewatin in Ontario. Sister took great care in preparing her classes and proved to be an excellent educator. In addition to her regular teaching, Sister Claire devoted much of her time to arts and crafts and was generous in helping her students in these areas.

Upon her retirement from teaching, Sister’s priority was her spiritual life. She spent most of her time helping others, be they her sister companions or elderly persons and hospital patients whom she visited throughout the course of her last 12 years of active life. When Sister Claire moved to the supervised wing of Résidence Despins and became more frail, she had to be sent to St. Boniface Hospital where she passed away last Thursday. She leaves to mourn her passing, the members of her religious Order and her two sisters, Fernande Tkachyk and Elaine Gay.