December 17, 1901 - February 15, 1942
Leonne Beauchemin was born on December 17, 1901 in Dudley, Massachusetts, USA, daughter of Alfred and Delia (nee Bordua) Bernier (died May 18, 1904) of Quebec City. She was 8 years old when the family moved to Quebec. She had one brother, Frank Bernier, and three sisters: Mrs. Joseph Faille, Mrs. G. Chabot, and Mrs. E. Leclerc. The family was Catholic.
She married Moise Beauchemin, an electrical engineer at the Government shipyards in Sorel, Quebec, October 2, 1923, with a marriage contract drawn up on September 20, 1923. It appears as though Moise Beauchemin was the grandson of his namesake. The family was prominent in Sorel, in steel and foundry work. Moise resided at Montreal, Quebec. Leonne and her husband did not have any children.
On the CWAC enrollment form, Leonne noted her father as next of kin, not her husband. She was bilingual (French and English). Educational qualifications: Graduation or Matriculation: "Self-taught." She was noted to have had 18 years experience working with automobiles. She felt qualified as a driver or mechanic. It was noted she had dentures: 'good plates.' She had an appendectomy in 1918. She stood 5' 4 1/2" tall, weighing 116 pounds. She had been doing housework prior to enlistment.
On her enlistment form, she indicated she was willing to serve anywhere in Canada, as well as overseas.
She was attached to 1 Platoon "H" Coy, CWAC and attached for restricted duties to RCOC, November 1941. She earned $0.90/day and then $0.95/day.
She was admitted to hospital on January 18, 1942 and remained there for 29 days until her death on February 15, 1942 of peritonitis, a bacterial infection (via blood or rupture of an abdominal organ) of the peritoneum, a silk-like membrane that lines the inner abdominal wall and covers the organs within the abdomen.
In her will created at l'Hopital St Sacrement, Quebec City, dated January 28, 1942, she stated, "I give my soul to God and beg him to have mercy on me." She wanted Lilian Salicis, sister of George Salicis, to have a silver toilet service (possibly comb, brush and mirror), as well as all of her jewellry, with the exception of two rings: one with a red stone and another with a yellow stone to her niece Suzanne Chabot. She continued: "I give and bequeath to my sister Blanche, all my personal linen, coats, witout any exception or reserve as well as a couch, two chairs, a rug and all my household linens belonging to me." She gave her brother $100. She gave furniture, except that noted above, to her friend Cecile LaPierre. She gave to her friend, Laurine (nee Fiset) Beaumont and her husband, Henri, her camp at Miquick, in Portneuf, Quebec. Laurine, at Leonne's death, was to take possession of her property and sell them without having to consult anyone for prices nor condition, was to pay Leonne's debts, and give Helen Salicis a sum of $15/month until an unknown sum had been paid. If Helen died before Leonne, then that money would be paid to educate and instruct Leonne's niece, Suzanne. If Laurine was unable to do these things for Leonne, Laurine's husband was to take her place. Through the translation, it appears that Leonne wanted any of her estate that went to women to remain as part of their possession and kept separate from control of their husbands and would not be seizable for the debts of their husbands.
Lilian May Salicis pursued graduate studies in education at Bishop's University in June 1932. She married Bruce Lancey and they lived in Westmont, Montreal, Quebec, by October 1963, then Hudson, Quebec. Lilian earned an award for teaching.
In her list of personal effects, Leonne had a raccoon fur coat, other clothes, candy, an Italian balm, toiletries, two cigarette lighters, a wrist watch, and a pair of glasses. She was buried in a black dress at Belmont Cemetery, Quebec City, Quebec, in the Bernier family plot.
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