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November 21, 1931 - July 11, 2009

A celebration to honour the life of Evelyn Lavallie was held Saturday July 18, 2009 at the Houston Christian Reform Church. Officiated by; Reverend Fay Lavallie (Retired Deacon), St. Peter's Church, Hudson's Hope, BC

Evelyn passed away peacefully Saturday July 11, 2009 at the Bulkley Valley District Hospital in Smithers BC. She was born on November 21, 1931 in Albert (Pipestone), Manitoba at the Blanchard Homestead. In 1951 she met her best friend and one true love Frederick (Fred) Lavallie. They were married on April 23, 1952, lived in Pipestone Manitoba, and started their family with Sandra, Connie, and Valerie. Work led the family west to BC in 1955, where they lived in Terrace and Kitimat, where they added two more children to their family, Aldea and Dale. By this time Evelyn was a working mother always working in kitchens such as the Kitimat Hospital and restaurants in both Kitimat and Terrace.

Evelyn and family then moved to Houston, BC in 1970 where she continued to wow people with her cooking. She started the Pleasant Valley Restaurant where she invented the Logger Burger which is still served today. She also worked at the Houston Post Office, Center Café, Silverthorne Elementary School, and catered. Evelyn was a great teacher, whether it was to cook, work, or as an ESL tutor. Evelyn was a life long learner, she was over 60 when she completed her grade 12, went on to take college courses, and was student for a pilot project for an on-line provincial computer course.

Evelyn was a dedicated TOPS member (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) and a TOPS Area Captain for the last 35 years. She was a woman that loved to cook, bake and was very talented at crocheting. She made her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sisters, sister-in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends afghans and doilies that they will cherish.

Evelyn was an incredible, compassionate, courageous woman, always putting her family and friends first. Her giving ways had no boundaries as she accepted people for who they are.

There are no words that can describe how much Evelyn will be missed by her family and friends. She was a loving wife, incredible mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, sister-in-law and true friend, was always there for all of us and ready to help those in need.

Evelyn is survived by her daughters Sandra Lavallie, Connie (Albert) Demers, Valerie (Deb Smith) Lavallie, Aldea Lavallie and son Dale (Carolyn Penner) Lavallie. Grandchildren Corey (Will Braden) Demers, Myles Demers, Natasha (Shane) Brienen, Joshua (Alison Marchant) Larson, Blair (Jessica Powell) Lavallie and Catlin (Ryan Casey)Lavallie, Great-grandchildren Gabriel, Damon, Dallas Brienen, Bailey Braden-Demers. Brothers Maurice (Shirley) Blanchard and Joe (Allison) Blanchard. Sisters Doreen (Eddie) Becker and Amy (Kjell) Schei. Daughter-in-law Sandy Bowler-Lavallie: Sisters-in-law Juliet Cromarty, Evelyne St. Goddard, Shirley (Maurice) Blanchard; Brother-in-law Marcel Lavellie, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

She was predeceased by her loving husband Fred Lavallie, mother Annie Blanchard, father Alphonse Blanchard, and brother Rollie Blanchard.

Memorial donations in Evelyn's memory can be made to: Community Cancer Care Team at the Bulkley Valley District Hospital, PO Box 370, Smithers, BC V0N 2N0 or at the Bulkley Valley Credit Union (Houston & Smithers Branches)



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