Sister Mary Alice Danaher (Sister St. John of the Blessed Sacrement) C.N.D. passed away suddenly at Villa Consolata, Howe Island, Ontario on August 13, 2005. She was the daughter of the late John Danaher and the late Kathleen Hinphy. She was predeseased by her brothers Brian and Jack, and her sister Ann. She leaves to mourn her loving sisters, Catherine Kelly (Tim) of Montreal, and Helen Bremner of St. Thomas, Ontario, and her dear brother, Kevin of St. Elie D’Orford, Quebec; many cherished nieces, nephews and cousins and a special extended family member, Yvon Provencher. She will be fondly remembered by her former friends and colleagues of Canim Lake, B.C. and sorely missed by the sisters of the Congregation of N. D. and by her companions at Villa Marguerite. Sister Mary Alice began her teaching career at St. Anthony’s in Montreal, she then moved to Richmond, QC where she taught from 1961 to 1970. She then set out for Canim Lake, B.C. at the request of the local priest to teach in the local school. She returned to Richmond, QC in 1972 to teach, and at that time she founded and supervised a foster home for youth. In 1978 she returned to the West where she worked with the Band to establish its own elementary and secondary school. In 1985, she was named an Honourary Elder and Band Member of the Canim Lake Band — an honour she dearly cherished. Her next endeavor found her collaborating with Gonzaga University to design a Baccalaureate program to prepare Indian teachers to teach the Indian children. During the spring of 1993 she proudly witnessed 21 of the initial 26 students accept their Gonzaga University degrees. After having earned her Doctorate from Gonzaga University, she later received honourary doctorates from the University College of the Cariboo and from the University of North British Columbia. Her Alma Mater conferred on her the Distringuished Alumni Merit Award, and in 2004, its highest honour, The DeSmet Medal. In 2003 she was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada.
The Wake will be held at the Alfred Dallaire Funeral Parlour at 14370 Pierrefonds Blvd., Pierrefonds, on August 17, 2005 from 2:00 p.m to 4:00 p.m. and from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with a Vigil Service starting at 8:00 p.m. The Eucharistic Celebration will take place at St. Suzanne’s Church, 9501 Gouin Blvd. West, Pierrefonds at 10:00 a.m. on August 18, 2005. Her cousin, Reverend Alan McLellan, C.M. of Panama will be the celebrant. Thence to Cote des Neiges Cemetery, Montreal for burial. Canim Lake Band will be holding a Memorial Service in the Community Center at 1:00 p.m. on August 26, 2005.