Olivia Claire Benoit

Funeral service for the late Olivia Claire Benoit, 17, Pomquet, Antigonish County, was held March 11 in Ste. Croix Church, Pomquet, with Father Andrew Gillies, Father Andrew Boyd, Father P.J. Baccardax, Father Gary MacPherson and Deacon Art Riley officiating. Olivia died March 5, 2019. Readers at the funeral Mass were Effie Vincent, Élise McCallum, Gabrielle Jenkins and Mattie Martell. Altar servers were Raymond DeCoste and Clarence Deyoung. Katryn Brow, Kelsey Jeffrey, Haley Chisholm, Jocelyne LeBlanc, Marcelle MacKenzie, Simone Heudes and Madison MacDonald presented the offertory gifts. Music was provided by Ed and Donna Benoit and choir members Joan Delorey, Helen Glenn, Jennifer and Maggie MacDonald, Joannie Broussard, Joyce Van Berkel, Stephen Doiron, Lucille Benoit, Gerald, Britney and Aryn Benoit and Tom and Theresa Gottschall. Active pallbearers were Daniel Benoit, Dawcen Hynes, Colin MacDonald, Logan Chisholm, Charlie MacDonald and Aidan van den Heuvel. Honorary pallbearers were special friends and ÉAP Volleyball Team. Born July 30, 2001, in St. Martha’s Regional Hospital, she was a daughter of Lionel and Nellie (Vincent) Benoit. She was a strong young lady and, even though she dealt with health issues, she never let it define who she was. She never took life for granted and knew how precious each day was. She loved her family, friends, school and community. Her passion was horse-back riding with Daxter at Mary Lou’s and cooking. She also enjoyed babysitting all her little buddies, student council, franco fit, altar serving, singing in the choir, serving lunches in the summer at Chez Deslauriers, NSSSA and We Day involvement, working at Ponderosa Play and Learn, Sobeys, and bingo. She was accepted into the social services program at NSCC to work towards becoming a child life specialist. Besides her parents, she is survived by sister, Emily (Clay), Ottawa; brother, Taylor, Halifax; grandmother, Claire Benoit, New Hampshire; aunt, Effie Vincent; three uncles, Alfred Benoit, Eugene Benoit, Leo (Dawn) Vincent; four cousins, Daniel Benoit, Elise (Matt) McCallum, Marcel, special little cousin, Ellington; godfather, Joe Mulligan (Donna). She was predeceased by grandparents, Peter Benoit, Joseph and Lydia Vincent; aunt, Ann Marie Benoit; godmother, Vivian Mulligan. Memorial donations may be made to St. Martha’s Regional Foundation, Heart and Stroke Foundation or the IWK Heart Center. Online condolences: www.clcurry.com