Madeleine Emillienne M. Ledet

Madeleine was a beautiful brown-eyed brunette (with a reddish tint). She completed her Grade 8 while attending École Barras, which was named after her Grand-père J.-B. Barras. M'man was very intelligent and I personally believe that she could have easily gone on to university. She sometimes mentioned that she would have liked to have been a nurse. She demonstrated this natural skill whenever one of her children got sick (which wasn't the norm as she gave birth to healthy bouncing baby boys and girls), or if a relative or a neighbour needed help in times of distress.

Her style and allure made her look taller than her four foot eleven inch height since she was an adept seamstress, With needle in hand or by machine, she sewed all my clothes (as well as my sisters'), from dresses to coats and hats. From the youngest (including newborn) to the oldest children, she knitted sweaters, mitts and scarves. She was also musically talented, teaching herself the fiddle which she played at house parties during the 40s and 50s.

After Grade school and before her marriage, she worked for the parish priest, M. le curé F. Normandin as his housekeeper, commonly refered to as <ménagère>.

She married Joseph Fiola on June 27, 1939 in the Sainte-Geneviève Parish church and they went on to have eleven children. We never went hungry as our parents both worked hard to plant a luscious garden on the family farm. M'man considered her canned produce to be «jewels» in her treasure chest of life and went on to write a poem that she entitled <Mes joyaux>. Yes, writing was another one of her many talents!

Written by: Marie-Paule Lansard née Fiola Edited by: Gisèle Fiola 2013 04 30