PARISEAU, Brenda May -
June 9, 1966 – July 24, 2024
Brenda Pariseau, aged 58, died suddenly at her group home on July 24, 2024, after spending a good day doing some of her favorite things, going on an outing for bowling and lunch followed by a visit with friends over coffee and donuts and the no hands Tik Tok challenge.
Brenda was born on June 9, 1966, and was an Anishinaabe Kwe from the Algonquin first nation of Kebaowek.
Predeceased by her parents, Mary (McKenzie) and Edgar Pariseau and her brother, Leo.
Survived by her sisters, Carolyn (Wayne), Sharon, and Terry (Russell) and brothers, Victor, Conrad (Jennifer), and Neil (Amanda) and many cousins, nieces and nephews. Brenda had physical and intellectual challenges throughout her life which she met with tenacity and laughter.
She lived in Oshawa for the last 23 years and was supported by Community Living Oshawa Clarington (CLOC) where she resided in one of their group homes and enjoyed attending their day program, playing on their baseball league, going on outings with staff, and spending time with friends, particularly her special friend, Geoff.
Brenda will be missed and remembered by her CLOC family for her sense of humour, feisty attitude and direct form of communication.
A celebration of Brenda's life will be organized at CLOC for a later date. Brenda did not know how to tell time or understand a calendar, but she lived for annual holidays with Christmas and her birthday being her most loved of the year.
Brenda also enjoyed a good Tim Hortons coffee with a boston cream donut, eating pizza or a poutine, with one of her favourite restaurants among many, being Red Lobster. She was a lover of all things Disney with Mickey Mouse being her idol and who she had an opportunity to meet when she went on a life-long dream trip to Disney World in in 2019. She also loved collecting stuffed animals and anything that involved space and aliens, with her favourite movie being E.T. the Extra-terrestrial, as well as scary movies with her favourite, being The Ring.
Brenda enjoyed doing arts and crafts, rug hooking, building puzzles and playing video games, especially the Super Mario brothers.
Although Brenda enjoyed living in Oshawa and being close to her sister Terry and her family, her heart remained in her home community of Kipawa, Quebec where she enjoyed spending time with family and friends, going for walks, biking, swimming, and sledding as well as being a long-time member of the APHTK - Handicap Association of Temiscaming and Kipawa before she moved to Oshawa. Brenda maintained her connection to her Indigenous roots by attending Pow Wows from where she amassed a collection of dream catchers.
A Sacred Fire was held in Brenda’s honour in her home community of Kipawa, Quebec for the past four days where family and friends gathered to comfort each other, share stories and memories, and to send Brenda off on her journey back to the spirit world and the Creator.
Brenda will be sorely missed by all of her family, friends and Terry’s dog, Jackson. The family would like to thank CLOC for all of the support and care that they provided to Brenda for over 20 years, particularly those staff and managers that she formed close bonds with, and all of the medical staff that cared for her over the years with kindness and compassion, especially during her more recent health struggles.
Visitation will be held at OSHAWA FUNERAL HOME 847 King Street, West on Tuesday August 6, 2024, from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
Brenda’s funeral service will be held at a later date at OUR LADY OF THE LAKE MISSION CATHOLIC CHURCH in Kipawa followed by a burial at the Jawbone’s Bay cemetery to be with her parents.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Community Living Oshawa Clarington.
Online condolences and tributes may be placed at www.oshawafuneralhome.com .
