Lorraine Teresa (Chapeskie) Briggs

Lorraine Teresa Briggs (nee Chapeskie) passed away peacefully on July 31, 2022 at the age of 92. She was the loving wife of Ron Briggs, who predeceased her in 1975. She was the loving mother of Carla, deceased, (Grant), Chris (Erin), Lori (Steven), Rebecca, John (Susan) and Alison. Loving grandmother to Matthew, Sophie, Ben, Ryan, Kaleigh, Sean, Shannon, Daniel, Thomas, Joseph, Michael, Joshua, Nicholas, Gabriel, Olivia, Casey, Harvey and Robin. Great-Grandmother to Isaac, Ada, Asher, Charlotte, Eloise, Josephine, and Alma.

Mom was born in Barry's Bay and like many rural families of her generation she grew up in an energetic household with 7 siblings. With the guidance of her father (Henry J. Chapeskie) and her mother (Rose C. Chapeskie (nee Burchat)), she pursued a degree in Pharmacy from the University of Toronto. In January of 1954, she opened Lorraine's Pharmacy, the first pharmacy in Barry's Bay. It was certainly unique, a woman starting and running a business in small town Ontario in the 1950s. Her husband Ron, also a pharmacist, joined her in those early years, and worked with her until his death in 1975. His passing left mom with the store to run and 6 children to raise. Undaunted, she rose to the task, supported by the foundation of her Catholic faith. Each day that she could, she attended St. Hedwigs, where she found solace and joy in the Word of God and as a participant in the mass as either a lector or in the choir.

With the maturation of her children, time permitted other interests outside of work and family. For a short while she enjoyed golf and loved telling us about her hole-in-one on the Bancroft course! She volunteered as president of the local branch of the Canadian Cancer Society for 20 years, fostered several children in developing nations and was an active member in the Sacred Heart League. To unwind she began to spend more and more time out in her gardens, planting, weeding, or burning leaves in the fall.

Upon retirement, she picked up a brush and returned to painting, which she hadn't done since her youth. She still used her pharmacy training by participating in medical mission relief trips to Honduras and Peru with her brother, Dr. Andrew Chapeskie, and her sister Bernadine Sandhu, a nurse. As much as anything, in those golden years, she loved reading and quiet time in her sunroom overlooking Kamaniskeg Lake with either a glass of red wine or a bowl of ice cream at the ready. Through it all she cherished the opportunity to attend church daily.

Eventually time eroded her independence and she moved into Water Tower Lodge. Initial reluctance was replaced by acceptance thanks to the kindness of staff and new found friends (some of whom could walk with her to St. Lawrence O'Toole, for mass). Physical events forced accommodation at St. Francis Memorial Hospital and finally The Valley Manor. At both places the extreme kindness and support of the staff brought out the best in mom's personality and she was truly content and at peace.

Mom's life was a life of service, whether working as a pharmacist, a parent, in the community or within her faith. Her’s was a life well lived. Mom, it is your time to rest.