With the arrival of autumn and after spending an extraordinary summer in Charlo, Josette will have taken her last breath. Little did she know that when she returned to Moncton on September 15th, a brief illness would within days bring her back to Archibald Street (now Université) where she grew up.
Josette was the tenth of the 13 children of the late Edgar T. LeBlanc and the late Anna Landry. She was born on December 30, 1931, and left us on September 24, 2024, surrounded by her family.
70 years ago, she began her life with Joseph (Joe) Levesque in Dalhousie. Joe left us 30 years ago without ever leaving Josette's heart and ours. From this union were born six children.
Josette is survived by many people, especially her immediate family members: Monique of Charlo/Moncton and her Savoie twins, Pierre Marc of Montréal and Alexandre (Christine Bergeron and their sons Samuel and Olivier) of Campbellton; Dianne and her spouse Jean-Claude Roy of Dieppe and their children, Louis-Philippe (Mitch Desjardins) of Quebec City, the late Isabelle, Jean-Bernard (Amy and their two sons Thomas and Philippe) of Grand-Barachois and their daughter Élisabeth-Anne (Luke Chapman) of Ottawa; Lyse of Lac-Beauport and her three children Blanchet-Levesque, Félix (Jennylee Wong and their son Édouard) of Quebec City, Charles and Édith, of Lac-Beauport; Marc of Charlo and his partner Jacqueline Arseneau and his four boys, three of whom are in Charlo: Jean-Michel (Vicki Philippe), Mathieu (Nathalie Roy) and Philippe (Véronique Landry and their little Noah) as well as Laurent (Sylvie de Moissac, their daughter Évelyne Josette and their son Adrien) of Ottawa; Gisèle and her spouse Gilles Poirier of Grand-Barachois and their son François; and Natalie and her spouse Roger Caissie of Shediac and their two children Frédéric and Catherine.
Siblings, Sister Germaine (N.D.S.C.) of Moncton, Jeannine (Don O'Hearn) of Halifax, Huberte (late Victorin Boissonnault) of Pointe-des-Belliveau and Jules (Marguerite Belliveau) of Moncton will continue here below. She joins the other members of her family who have already left us, namely Zilla (Charlebois), Jacqueline (Sullivan), Raymond, Jean-Paul, René, Euclida (Bourque), Gérard and Guy.
Josette was the aunt of 50 LeBlanc nephews and nieces, and to just as many on the Levesque side.
After graduating with a bachelor's degree in music in 1952, this path allowed her to teach piano to others, but above all, to be a chorister, accompanist and director of many choirs. A pioneer in music education in Dalhousie schools, she made many young and not so young sing. It is a memory she wants to be cherished. She was active in several organizations and groups during her life that promoted childhood wellness, the role of women and culture.
Funeral mass will be held at Saint-Jean-Baptiste Roman Catholic Church, 340 Church Lane, Dalhousie, on Monday September 30, 2024, at 11 am. The family will receive relatives and friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Maher’s Funeral Home, 421 Victoria Street, Dalhousie on Sunday 29, 2024. Your expressions of condolences can take the form of a contribution to a charity that is close to your heart or to the Sister Jeannette Leclair Foundation Inc. (www.canadahelps.org).
Funeral arrangements are in the professional care of Frenette Funeral and Cremation Centre, Moncton (506-858-1900) and Maher Funeral Home, Dalhousie (506-684-2390).
Words of comfort and donations may be made at www.frenettefuneralhome.com or www.dignitymemorial.com
