Obituary of Helen Elizabeth Rousseau

Helen (Murray) Rousseau, 88, passed into the ages on Monday, April 22, 2019 joining her entire family in the presence of her Lord, Jesus Christ, and his mother Mary at her home and that of her son and best friend, Paul Rousseau, and her dog Ellie in Grand Isle, VT. 

Helen was born June 26, 1930 in Burlington, VT, the daughter of the late Edward O. and Cora (Remillard) Murray.  After graduating from L’Ecole Nazareth in 1944, where she was recognized for her wonderful singing voice as an Alto, she graduated in 1948 from Cathedral High School in Burlington and went on to graduate from the Fanny Allen School of Nursing in Colchester, obtaining her license as a Registered Nurse in 1953.  She worked at the Bishop DeGosbriand Hospital in Burlington in the 1950’s and 1960’s in the labor and delivery room, which she often joked must be “contagious” as she had 7 children.  She will always be remembered for her wonderful sense of humor.  She finished her working career at the Fanny Allen Hospital in Colchester working in the Emergency Department retiring in 1985.  She was proud to be the only Murray NOT to have worked for the telephone company.

Helen met her husband, John A. Rousseau of Grand Isle, in 1953 after the death of her mother and they were married on May 1, 1954 at St. Joseph’s Church, now the Cathedral, in Burlington, VT.  They were married for 45 years when John passed away in 1999 at the age of 68.  Helen spent the next 20 years, until her death, with her son Paul, who was her devoted personal care giver, at their home in Grand Isle. 

Helen always spoke about growing up during the depression being 1 of 9 children especially after their father passed away in 1937 when she was 7 years old with one younger sibling.  Her father worked for the railroad but passed away 1 year before the railroad retirement act came into existence that would have paid her benefits thus leaving her a widowed mother to raise 9 children with no visible means of support during the Great Depression but they survived relying on each other and hard work.  As she would often say, they were happy and her mother had to be a saint.  While her father was alive, she met him at the train station to walk him home.  On more than one occasion, she would come home with a new pair of shoes fueling her lifelong quest to find the perfect pair of shoes!

Helen was the last of her family and close friends with everyone, including her husband, passing before her.  Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her siblings and their spouses: Thelma (Harry) Stone, Marie (Charles) Ravlin, Edward (Paulita) Murray, Lyman (June) Murray, Clara (Norman) Bosley, Robert (Mary) Murray, Theresa (Edward) Irish, and Joan (Bernard) Hunt.  Her best friends from high school also predeceased her: Betty Lou (Felio) Richard, Lois (Drouin) Beaupre, and Dorothy (Sheehan) Gaboriault.

Besides her son Paul Rousseau, she leaves behind her children, spouses, and grandchildren:  Corinne (the late Paul) Loughlin, Emily Loughlin (Bill Poderzay), Colin Loughlin, Liam Loughlin (Mary Collett), and Cathleen Loughlin (Louis Gleizes); John M. (Jeanne) Rousseau, Sean Plant, Meghan Plant, and John A. Rousseau II; Marie (Gordon) Meyer, Craig (Maurisa) Meyer, Brian Meyer (Nico Rongos), Justin (Melissa) Meyer, Katie (Jason) Britt, Rebecca (Michael) Beach, and Sarah Meyer (Nate Heald); Thomas Rousseau and Jessica Rousseau (Ryan Scarpino); Joan Rousseau (Donald Messmer Jr.), Christopher (Ashleigh) Lucca and Nicholas (Allison) Lucca; Robert (Catherine) Rousseau, Renee Rousseau, Robert Rousseau, and Jonathan Rousseau.  Great grandchildren:  Lily Loughlin, Stephanie Meyer, David Meyer, Leah Britt, Callie Britt, Maddison Beach, Otto Beach, and Grace Beach.  In addition she leaves several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by two nephews: Robert Murray Jr. and Patrick Bosley.

Special thanks to Joan Rousseau for her loving attentive care to Mom during her final few days of life.

Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, April 25, 2019 at the Minor Funeral Home, Route 7, Milton, VT from 5 pm to 8 pm.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, April 26, 2019 at St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Allen Street, Burlington, VT at 10:00 am.  Burial will follow immediately in the Mount Calvary Cemetery Annex on Pomeroy Street, Burlington, VT.

If you wish to send flowers, please use local florists.  Local florists are people too that need our support!

“May the Angels lead you into paradise, may the martyrs come to welcome you and take you to the holy city, the new and eternal Jerusalem.  May the choir of angels welcome you where Lazarus is poor no longer.  May you have eternal rest.”

Love you forever, sweet Helen.