Laurette Martineau

On October 17, 2025, we lost our beloved aunt, Laurette Martineau, at the age of 97 after a brief battle with cancer.

Laurette Martineau was born in Lafleche, Saskatchewan on November 6, 1927. She grew up on a farm near Lafleche with her parents, Marie Ann and Joseph, and 3 siblings, Beatrice, Rita, and Emile. At the age of 16, Laurette left home to complete a business course in Ponteix. Her first job was with Family Life Insurance in St. Victor, working alongside her sister Bea. Around the age of 21, she moved to Regina and lived with her sisters, Rita and Bea, and worked at the Income Tax Office for five years , now known as the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA). She later worked for a brief time with the Ford Motor Company in Regina and Winnipeg, before completing her career at Canada Mortgage and Housing as a Human Resources Manager in Regina. She often joked, “I have been retired longer than I ever worked. Isn’t that something”.

Laurette is best known for her love of travel and her adventures took her both near and far. She traveled across Canada, making it to almost all the provinces including a memorable trip to Quebec with her parents and a journey on the Rocky Mountaineer. She traveled many times to Europe, including Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom, always with her close friends. There were also frequent bus trips to the United States, often to see one of her favorite musicians, Daniel O’Donnel.

Laurette loved tropical destinations and visited Mexico and the Caribbean including Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Mayan Riviera and the Dominican Republic, often with friends and later in life, with her sisters and their families. Her favorite destination of all was Hawaii, which she visited many times. Laurette was once heard saying, “Ahhhh, the sound of the waves and the whirl of the blender…paradise”.

Laurette had a great sense of humour and was an incredibly smart and well-read woman. Those who knew her, enjoyed her wit and loved engaging in thoughtful conversations about current events, something she continued into her final days.

She cherished her siblings, nieces and nephews, spending much of her time visiting family in and around Lafleche, Thunder Bay, and Calgary. Although Laurette was the eldest of her siblings, they all predeceased her. Laurette is survived by 19 nieces and nephews, as well as countless great and great-great nieces and nephews. She will be dearly missed by all.

Relatives and friends are invited to a Funeral Mass at St. James Catholic Church (5504-20 Street S.W.) on Wednesday, October 29 at 11:00 a.m. Immediately following the closing of mass, a tribute will be shared. Friends and family are welcome to attend a luncheon in the church hall upon completion of the tribute. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of your choice. 

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Laurette Martineau, please visit our Tree Store.