It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Gisèle Cordélia Merlet (née Fournier) at the Palliative Care Unit in the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital on June 14, 2016.
Left behind to mourn her passing are her husband, Jean; her four children, Francine (Larry) John, Ginette (Charles) Denischuck, Sylvie (Michel) Denischuck, and André (Nadine) Merlet; seven grand-children; nine great grand-children; and many good friends who she loved immensely.
Gisèle was a life-long learner. She enjoyed traveling, reading, writing, and taking classes at VIU.
She was also an avid outdoor enthusiast, spending time canoeing and camping or walking long-distance trips locally and in Europe.
Gisèle and Jean moved to Parksville in 1973 to open and successfully manage their restaurant, Ma Maison, for fifteen years. After retiring from the restaurant business, they ventured into the import business and owned World Folk Imports. Gisèle travelled extensively, meeting many people doing what she loved in her beloved South American countries. She then became a senior student at VIU and graduated in 2005 with a Liberal Studies degree.
In 2015, Gisèle published a collection of fifteen stories called As I Rise. Some of her stories were also published in Portal magazine, and she received the Bill Juby Award in 2013.
Your life was a blessing, your memory a treasure, you are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure.
-Unknown
Mass will be held at the Nanaimo Ecumenical Center, 6234 Spartan Road, Nanaimo on Saturday, June 25 at 11:00 am.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Canadian Cancer Society in memory of Gisèle.