FREDERICTON - On February 2, 2011, Sylvie Hébert, surrounded by her family, passed away at the Dr Everett Chalmers Hospital, in Fredericton, at the age of 51, after a courageous battle with cancer. Born on December 15, 1959, she is the daughter of Sophie Hébert and the late Alphonse Hébert, of Shippagan, N.B. After completing her secondary education in Shippagan, she obtained a BA in social service at the Université de Moncton and a Masters at Dalhousie University, in Halifax. She began her career as social worker at the Bathurst Hospital and then moved to the Victoria General Hospital in Halifax, before returning to New Brunswick,where she worked at the Dr Chalmers Hospital, and at the Stan Cassidy Rehabilitation Centre in Fredericton. On April 14, 2008 she joined the Office of the Ombudsman/Child and Youth Advocate, as an Investigator/Social worker, a job she cherished until her health started to deteriorate in early 2010. Aside from her mother, she he is survived by her husband, Fernand Thibodeau and a daughter, Sophie-Hélène, both of Fredericton; one brother, Rémi (Anne Haché) Hébert, Shippagan; three sisters: Huguette (Guy) Richard, Québec City, Carole Hébert, Caraquet, Rachel Hébert (Donald Hachey) Dieppe, and one ex-brother-in-law (Carole), Réjean LeBouthillier, Saint-Simon. She is also survived by one goddaughter, Amélie LeBouthillier, and several nieces and nephews. She also leaves six brothers-in-law: Yves (Gaétane) Thibodeau, Rimouski, Eudore and Delphis Thibodeau, Montréal, Lévis (Huguette) Thibodeau, Caraquet, Antonio (Charlene) Thibodeau, and Eymard (friend Octavie) Thibodeau, both of Tracadie-Sheila; five sisters-in-law: Laetitia (Elzéar) McGraw, Tracadie-Sheila, Alvina (Claude) Brideau, Saint-Léonard, P.Q., Léola (Mario) Fournier, Saint-Bruno P.Q., Jeanne-Mance (Paul-Émile) Thériault, Fredericton and Gabrielle (Jean-Bernard) Lafontaine, Moncton. Two brothers-in-law, Rhéal (Pauline) Thibodeau, Miramichi and Martial (Cécile) Thibodeau, Moncton, and two sisters-in-law, Lydie-Anne (Eymard) Thibodeau Tracadie-Sheila, and Pierrette (Delphis) Minot, Montreal, have preceded her.
The family will receive condolences at the Bulger Funeral Home in Shippagan, N.B., on Sunday February 6, from 2 pm to 4 pm, and from 7 pm to 9 pm, and on Monday February 7, from 12 pm to 1:45 pm. The funeral will be held at the Saint-Jerome's Church, in Shippagan, at 2 pm on February 7, 2011. The burial will take place in the spring at the Sheila cemetery, in Tracadie-Sheila. A donation to the campaign for L'Arbre de l'espoir (Moncton) would be appreciated.