Sr. Estelle Joyal

February 9, 1930 – September 25, 2018

Sister Estelle Joyal (Sr. Marguerite-Yvonne), resident at Actionmarguerite, St. Boniface, Manitoba, was called to her God, on September 25, 2018. She leaves to mourn her death, her sisters, Véronique Stanners, Marie-Thérèse Fenez, Marguerite Dumesnil, nephews and nieces and her religious family. She was preceded in death by her parents, two siblings who died at a young age and her sisters, Léa, Gertrude, Irma, snjm and three brothers-in-law.

Estelle, daughter of Yvonne Lagacé and Donat Joyal was born in Sainte-Agathe, Manitoba on February 9, 1930. She attended school at the Sainte-Agathe Convent. She joined the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, in Outremont, Québec, on January 24, 1949 and made her perpetual profession on August 5, 1955. Upon her return to Manitoba, Estelle pursued her studies and obtained a teaching certificate, a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education at the University of Manitoba.

Estelle, as a perpetual learner did not hesitate to take courses in other fields such as music, liturgy, and theology. She spent many years teaching at different levels in several parish schools but her best performance was undoubtedly with her kindergarten students. She loved small children and knew how to respond to their curiosity and their desire to learn. Nonetheless, she taught at other levels in the parish schools of Saint-Pierre-Jolys, Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Sainte-Agathe, Sacré-Coeur, Somerset and Ecole Lavallée, Saint-Vital. Estelle was very creative and had a love and a talent for music which were an asset in a classroom, social gatherings and parish ministry. Her ability to play the organ often brought a great relief to the church choir directors. Estelle loved life, loved social gatherings and participated enthusiastically at cultural activities such as Folklorama, Festival du Voyageur and les Choralies.