Nadeau, Jean #80 *

Honoured by Christian and Christine Fortin.

There is no limit to Jean Nadeau’s (born Haggarty) love for family, friends and delicious food prepared from the heart! Today, she is also affectionately called Nanny by her 20 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

Throughout her life Jean continually demonstrates the benefit of deep faith, true persistence and the value of hard work. In 1927, during the great depression, her parents emigrated from Scotland to Matheson in Northern Ontario.

Unfortunately a job-related accident killed her father when she was only 6 months old. This left her mother, Catherine, to raise 4 young children on her own; which meant everybody had to pitch-in to help. By age 12 Jean was already making extra money delivering newspapers.

At 18 she married her childhood sweetheart, Dave Dupont, and moved to Timmins. But only a few years later, at 22 years old, Jean became a widow due to a fatal car accident. This is when she decided to move to Kapuskasing and open her own hairdressing shop.

By the time Jean was 24 she had fallen in love and married a young entrepreneur called Richard Nadeau.  Over the next 9 years they had 6 healthy children together. They would remain happily married for the next 25 years sharing a mutually loving and strong relationship built on respect, love of the outdoors and travel.

A tragic hunting accident took Richard’s life in 1979. This caused Jean to move to Toronto where she worked at Holt Renfrew before deciding to study real estate and begin a new career at age 51. After completing the program she moved back to Kapuskasing to work at her son-in-law’s firm, for the next 10 years. Before retiring Jean also worked in her eldest son’s legal office for some time.

In 2004, Jean moved to North Bay, another new start, remaining as active as can be.  Jean has inspired many with her courage and independence when macular degeneration set in, restricting her vision.  Jean shares her laughter and kindness, enjoying long-held precious friendships and visits from family and friends.

The Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw famously wrote: “There is no love sincerer than the love of food.”  Jean, daily, finds joy and satisfaction in her preparation of homemade healthy gourmet food.  Hence, love and peace abound as each day passes.