2013 -- H 6106

=======

LC02581

=======

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

____________

H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

EXPRESSING SINCERE CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF

HELEN CLAIRE DESMARAIS

     Introduced By: Representatives Costa, and Craven

     Date Introduced: May 09, 2013

     Referred To: House read and passed

1-1

     WHEREAS, It is with great sadness that this House has learned of the passing of Helen

1-2

Claire Desmarais, beloved wife for more than fifty years of the late Army Colonel Arthur Joseph

1-3

Desmarais and the devoted mother of five children, Karen Connery and her husband, David,

1-4

Debra Nielsen and her husband, Rolf, Michael Desmarais and his wife, Diane, Coreen Gardiner

1-5

and her husband, Fenwick, and Colette Massa and her husband, Chris; and

1-6

     WHEREAS, Born and raised in Fall River, Mrs. Desmarais was the daughter of the late

1-7

Nora and Alfred McNally and the sister of Constance Burton, Alfred McNally, Jr., and the late

1-8

Dorothea Mello.  As a young girl, she began cultivating culinary skills that would later delight her

1-9

family and friends, and also loved the ocean and spending her summers in Newport and, later, in

1-10

Westport Harbor; and

1-11

     WHEREAS, Mrs. Desmarais attended St. Patrick's parish school and was a graduate of

1-12

the Dominican Academy.  Upon graduation, she worked in the Payroll Department for the Fall

1-13

River Knitting Mill and later, during World War II, she was employed at the United States Post

1-14

Office and the Firestone Company inspecting gas masks; and

1-15

     WHEREAS, Not only did Mrs. Desmarais help the war effort on the home front, she also

1-16

lent her caring to our soldiers overseas, writing notes and slipping them into the masks before

1-17

they were shipped overseas; and

1-18

     WHEREAS, Mrs. Desmarais was a dedicated military wife.  She was an active member

1-19

of the Officers' Wives' Club in the United States Army and always made a loving home for her

2-1

family even though military life necessitated moving to new homes more than twenty times.  She

2-2

and her family lived in many places and countries around the world, including Germany and the

2-3

Philippines, and eventually settled down in North Kingstown; and

2-4

     WHEREAS, While living in the Philippines, Mrs. Desmarais volunteered at the

2-5

orphanage in Quezon City and assisted the First Lady's effort to prepare food after the  typhoon in

2-6

1972.  While living in Germany, she was called upon, in the middle of the night, to help process

2-7

American refugees back to the United States upon Russia's invasion of Czechoslovakia; and

2-8

     WHEREAS, Caring and gentle, Mrs. Desmarais was blessed with the love of her husband

2-9

and children and was often sought out for her wisdom.  She adored and doted on her beautiful

2-10

grandchildren, Shannon, Caitlin, Fenwick, Kevan, Mykahla, and William and often accompanied

2-11

them to Fenway Park for a Red Sox game; and   

2-12

     WHEREAS, In the community, Mrs. Desmarais was a devoted communicant of St.

2-13

Francis De Sales Church where she sang in the church choir for many years.  She also learned to

2-14

use computers in order to keep in touch with friends and family and to research her family tree;

2-15

and 

2-16

      WHEREAS, Mrs. Desmarais was the heart and soul of her family.  Her kindheartedness

2-17

and sincerity made all around her feel cherished and special.  She truly enriched the lives of all

2-18

who had the good fortune to have known her and she will be dearly missed; now, therefore be it

2-19

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

2-20

Providence Plantations hereby expresses our deepest sympathy on the passing of Helen Claire

2-21

Desmarais; and be it further

2-22

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

2-23

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Michael and Diane Desmarais and Family, and

2-24

Coreen and Fenwick Gardiner and Family.

=======

LC02581

=======