Obituary of Desneiges Rita Kirby
It is with broken hearts that we announce the peaceful passing of our mother, Desneiges Kirby, on Friday June 20th, 2025, at the age of 94, surrounded by her loved ones and the staff at the Foyer Richelieu.
She leaves behind her 5 loving children; Suzanne (Don), Michael (Carol), Diane, Monica (Mark) and Daniel (Julie), whom she loved deeply. As well as her 17 grandchildren, her 7 great grandchildren and her 5th generation great-great-grandchild.
She is predeceased by her parents Omer and Alice Coutu, her beloved husband Ronald Kirby (2002), her sister Jacqueline (2024) and her 4 brothers: Gerard, Roland, Victor and Bernard.
Much could be said about mom, but I will share the tribute that her grandson wrote in her honour that says it all: She was the strongest Grandma I have ever met – I’m pretty sure her superpowers came from eating raw onions like an apple. She made the best homemade French fries, amazingly heavy quilts and could sew anything you wanted, from matching sailor outfits for her grandkids, to not so stylish jean shorts, to snow suits, to a custom denim marble bag, to a Ninja Turtles Halloween costume that was so good I got disqualified from the school competition because they thought it was store bought (I still say we got ripped off grandma). She’s even sewed all those patches on my Guns N’ Roses jean jacket back in the day. She also wasn’t afraid to pick up some tools and try to build or repair anything. She even cut my hair, up until I decided not to cut it for a decade or so. Lastly, let’s not forget the endless crochet slippers and socks – you had no reason to have cold feet if you knew my grandma. She could do it all, a real-life Wonder Women. Say hi to grandpa for me and let him know his Detroit Tigers are in first place overall! R.I.P “Meme with the Black Hair”
Words cannot express the gratitude we feel for the Foyer Richelieu for the great love and care mom received while she was there. It will never be forgotten that you stood by her holding her hand as she was passing.
The family invites friends and relatives to come and honour Desneiges’s life at the WELLAND FUNERAL HOME, CREMATION AND RECEPTION CENTRE, 827 East Main St., Welland, on Thursday, June 26, 2025, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. A funeral mass will be held on Friday, June 27, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Église Sacré-Coeur. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations made to Foyer Richelieu would be greatly appreciated by the family.
