ROUSSEAUX - Grace McGrorty Mclntyre Rousseaux was born in Glasgow, Scotland on January 18, 1925. She was the third of 5 children born to John & Mary Mclntyre. Grace was a rambunctious & energetic child, spending endless hours playing with the neighborhood kids on the streets outside their family flat. By the time Grace reached her teens war had broken out in Europe & bombing over Glasgow became frequent. Many nights were interrupted by the air raid sirens call to bomb shelters. At 16 she was finished school and worked for a couple of years in a shoe store and driving a double decker bus & then entered University to become a Registered Nurse. After several years of working as a nurse & midwife in Glasgow, Grace decided to move to Canada. She also enjoyed some traveling over this time, visiting Paris and New York. Grace came to Canada in 1953 and worked for a time at Montreal General Hospital. She enjoyed her time there, even taking a crack at skiing the Apalachian Mountains. In early 1956 she took a position at Vanguard Union Hospital. I'm sure she had no words to describe how she felt, city girl that she was, as she arrived by train to a small, old wooden train station & platform in Swift Current in a winter where the snow was deeper than it had been in years. She must have thought she had stepped back in time. Pat McCaron & his wife offered her a ride to Vanguard, no doubt she was expecting to board a bus or something & was probably very surprised to discover transportation in the country was not the same as the city. In an effort to signal their arrival to Vanguard Pat asked Grace if she saw that elevator over there. She thought the man had lost his mind - how could a department store elevator be in the middle of the prairies!! Very quickly after her arrival to Vanguard Grace met Albert and in Nov. 1956 they were married. Married life was a difficult adjustment for Grace for the first few years, living on a farm in a converted 3 room school house with no plumbing or running water. Over the years of working at the Vanguard Hospital, where she got the nickname Mac, getting her drivers license & running 3 kids all about, many cherished and long friendships were made. But she had her light side too. When she thought something was funny she laughed right from her toes. Her head would tilt back, that Scottish laugh would fill the room, and she would slap anything and anybody within her range. We loved that Scottish laugh! Grace & Albert moved to Swift Current in 1983. For several years she enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and teaching a sewing class for kids. In 2006 Grace and Albert celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Eventually Grace's many ailments took their tole on her mobility & health. Thru Alberts dedicated care she was able to remain at home and enjoy the occasional camping trip & visits to family & friends. She was also very dedicated to her faith & her Lord, spending several hours every day in prayer, reading and saying the Rosary. She also did her share of work for Pro Life which she was very passionate about. The last several months took their tole on Grace and after a week in Moose Jaw Hospital she gladly went to our Lord on January 20th, 2 days after her 85th birthday. Grace was predeceased by her parents, Mary & John (Alec) Mclntyre; brother Peter Mclntyre and his wife Betty along with 2 of their children, Maureen & John; Sisters Margaret Mclntyre and Maureen McCormick.
Grace is survived by her loving husband Albert Rousseaux, daughters Annmarie Middleton (Ron) of Three Hills, Alberta; Irene Skulmoski (Ken) of Medicine Hat, Alberta and son Gerrard (Nadine) of Regina, Sask.; 7 grandchildren Arthur, Robin, Kaitlyn, Jolene, Jocelyn, Parker & Clint; brother Jack Mclntyre (Monique) of Toronto, Ontario; brother in law John McCormick of England; and numerous nieces & nephews both in Canada & in Great Britain. The Prayer Service was held Friday, January 22, 2010 at 7:30 pm from Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church with Father Raymond Carigan officiating. Funeral Service took place Saturday, January 23, 2010 at 11:00 am from Christ The Redeemer Catholic Church, Swift Current Sk with Father Sathiada Antony officiating. The Ushers were Marcel Rousseaux and Jeff Hornung. The pallbearers were John Maruska, Robin Monk, Gerrard Rousseaux, Parker Rousseaux, Arthur Middleton and Don Hornung. The Interment Service took place Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 2:00 pm in the Vanguard Cemetery with Father Raymond Carignan officiating. In her memory friends may make a memorial donation to the Charity of the Donor's Choice. Warren's Funeral Home in care of arrangements. For further information please call 773-8831 or visit our website at www.warrensfuneralhome.com and express your sympathy to the family in our book of condolence.