Sr. Yvette Ricard

July 20, 1924 – May 15, 2025

Sister Yvette Ricard left this earthly dwelling for the permanent home promised by Jesus’ own words: ” In my Father’s house there are many dwellings; I go to prepare a place for you.”

On May 15, 2025 at Actionmarguerite (St. Boniface) Manitoba Sister Yvette died peacefully surrounded by sisters of her community. She leaves to mourn her passing: her religious family, her brother Denis (Elsie), her sister Thérèse Lechasseur, her sister-in-law, Suzanne, Marie and Dan Federkevic’s family, many nephews and nieces and many friends. She was predeceased by her parents George and Aurore (Neault), her brothers Félix, Armand, Euclid, Joseph, Bernard, Germain, Marcel, and her sisters Emma, and Cécile.

Born in Saint-Anne-des-Chênes on July 20, 1924, Yvette was the sixth child in a family of twelve children. Yvette acknowledged that she had a happy childhood, growing up on a farm in Giroux, Manitoba. She attended school in Sainte-Anne-des-Chênes. In grade 11, she was a boarder at the Grey Nuns’ convent in the same town.

On July 24, 1943, Yvette entered the novitiate of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary at Outremont, Quebec and made her first profession of vows on August 23, 1945. She first taught at Mackayville, Québec for three years. Her return to Manitoba opened the door to different places where the Sisters of the Holy Names administered schools from primary grades to grade 12. Sister Yvette also taught in Kenora and Duluth, Minnesota.

Her studies leading to a teaching certificate were followed by a bachelor of arts, a bachelor of education, and a course in Home Economics at the University of Manitoba. She also followed sessions in adult counselling and biblical studies.

Sister Yvette was always a person of relationships. Welcoming visitors was a great joy for her, and she stayed connected with numerous friends as well as with the members of her family to the end of her life. Meeting former teaching colleagues and former students touched her heart and was most uplifting.

Sister retired in 1987, and wasted no time to volunteer her services at St. Gerard School and to take the responsibility of the kitchen at Résidence Jésus-Marie. She also volunteered at Pluri-elles and Entre-Temps.

The family and the members of her religious community thank the staff at Résidence Despins and the personnel of 3DE unit at Actionmarguerite for their care and compassion.