Dear Bea and family; my heartfelt condolences to you all, your Mom (Grandmother) was an amazing woman, and I counted myself blessed that she was also my friend. What a beautiful picture(s) of her and tribute. I started working at the Holy Cross in June 1972 as the Birth Registrar & Unit Clerk. Miss Just was introduced to me as the Head Nurse and she gave me the quick tour of the unit and my office. In those days staff were always addressed only by their last name - took me a bit of getting used to. Over the years I came to admire and respect her very much, being Head Nurse is not an easy job for sure. In 1975 there was a huge snow storm, blizzard, Marc & I had an apartment about 8 blocks away on 4th Street. Lucie would not allow me to go home on my own, I was very pregnant, the storm was so bad, she had me call Marc to come early from his work to walk with me - which was a good thing. The next morning as I walked into the H+H the hallways by Emerg. were crowded with gurneys that the staff had to sleep on as not many were able to make it home after their day shift.
Sometimes we would go for lunch together (Lucie, Sharon and I) to 4th Street Rose....a good meal, served quickly, as we only had about 40 minutes to spare. Each of my three children were born at the Holy, a wonderful experience to deliver your baby and have workmates and friends care for you. Lucie always made time to come and visit, we had some good conversations and she gave good advice. Being in charge of a very busy 60 bed unit has its challenges and it was not always easy but Lucie was always fair. She stood up for her nurses as I once witnessed a very angry obstetrician who stormed up from the OR , blaming an RN for something he didn't like in preparing the patient for the OR - Lucie stood firmly in front of him taking all the yelling and accusations while strongly stating that her nursing staff was NOT in the wrong. Maternity was divided into two separate post partum units when we moved to Rockyview, Unit 61 & 64 - I was assigned to 61 which was not the unit that Lucie was in charge of, but we were friends so that was OK. When she retired I often saw her in other areas of the hospital when she volunteered for Pastoral Care. I remember her 80th birthday at the FCJ Centre - a fabulous afternoon of catching up with Lucie and friends and then again so very grateful to help celebrate her 90th.
She always had a great rapport with so many of the physicians, she also had great respect for them. Being a nurse was not a job - it was a calling. Her most favorite topic of conversation was you Bea, and what a wonderful close friendship the two of you shared and then the granddaughters - she was so happy and so proud of each of you.
I am so very sorry I am not able to drive to Calgary for her Mass on Tuesday but she will be in my prayers and in my heart. Oh yes, one more story - when I had Christopher she asked me if it would be OK if she prayed for him to become a priest - I said that would be fine - well he is now in his later 40's, not a priest, but such a good man and I appreciated all her prayers over the years. Bea, your Mom was a wonderful woman, she will forever be in my heart.
Blessings
Simone
