Helen Winifred Hudson Marshall was one of 13 siblings, born Nov. 13, 1926, in Chicoutimi, to Thomas Hudson (née Alexander Arthur Mornington Noble) and Mary Catherine McAllister.

She told beautiful stories of growing up in the Saguenay: going to fish with her dad, picking mulberries in the bushes he planted near their home and spending summers at the cottage at Lake Claire. She had fond memories of learning to play the piano, taught by the nuns at the convent.

As a young woman, after finishing high school, she went to work at the Royal Bank. Always a sharp mind, she was known as the teller who had memorized the bank account numbers
for all her customers! It was while working at the bank that she went out on a blind date, and 14 months later, on January 2, 1951, Helen Hudson and Peter Marshall were married in Chicoutimi at the Sacré-Coeur Church.

Being a mother to six children did not stop her from sharing her time and energy volunteering with organizations such as the Red Cross and the St. Vincent de Paul. Mom always made her home a welcome haven for family, friends and friends of friends. Some days, especially near Christmas, it was like Grand Central Station with aunts, uncles, cousins and friends dropping by.

Mom never stopped reading, whether it was books, magazines or newspapers. She could knit the most beautiful sweaters and socks with her eyes closed! She loved the colour white, loved to open her windows wide to let in the fresh air, was never seen without her Kleenex, and was happy to wake to her coffee and French newspaper. Though she cooked and baked great meals, her favourite foods were toast, jam and chocolate, with the occasional hot dogs and Friday night pizza. Always interested in new things, in recent years she kept in touch with family and friends via Facebook and FaceTime.

There is so much for which to say thank you. Thank you for teaching us to care about others, thank you for teaching us about the importance of family. Thank you for reminding us to nurture our friendships. Thank you for supporting us through our good days and not so good days. Thank you for showing us that a passion for life does not diminish with age.

Mom is survived by her loving sisters and brother Ann (Wilf Butler), Claire (Brian Kelly), Kathleen (Robert Gravel), Theresa (Larry Meeks) and Desmond (Shirley Rochon). She is predeceased by her brothers Donald, Peter (Fleurette Lamarre), Alex (Delcina Roy) and Thomas (Thérèse Simard), and sisters Duthie (Lance Hudgin), Mary, O’Rissa (Steve Worden) and Charlotte. Mom will be missed by her grandchildren Nicolas Proulx; Jeffrey, Jonathan and Kelly-Anne Garron; Heather and Caroline Marshall and Emmeline Marshall-Hill; Elizabeth and Tim Hill; and Joshua Auger as well as her great-grandchildren Ella, Ollie, Katarina, Max, Arlo and Lily and her godchildren Betsy Gravel and Lynn Morpak. Above all, Mom loved her family and her husband of close to 71 years, Peter. Dad will miss Mom’s enduring love and caring and companionship.

With all our love and forever in our thoughts – Peter, Jo-Anne, Marilyn (Timothy Hill), Christine, Nanette, Lester, and Dan Bouchard, who she considered a son, and for the eldest, our brother Allan, who left us too soon. If desired, in lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Mom may be made to the Jeffery Hale Wellness Centre at canadahelps.org/en/charities/jeffery-hale-community-partners or the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity at cathedral.ca/make-a-donation. In support of the family, please share a memory of Helen by visiting graveletfils.com.