Christianne Goudreau

My Great Aunt Rosemary passed away three days ago, and I finally feel able to write about it in a public forum. We’ll be going up to the memorial service during the Columbus Day weekend, and will be spending it with loved ones and family alike.

Auntie Rosemary was an amazing woman who was dealt a poor final year with the death of her son, and her husband who passed before her. She was witty, smart, and sarcastic – she was grumpy, but genuine, and most of all – funny. She was the one relative outside of my immediate family that I was able to identify with. Who I knew I MUST have been related to because we were so much alike. Because she wasn’t afraid to be herself, and she certainly wasn’t afraid to let you know about it. I remember going to her house and being enthralled by all of the art she had around her home, from the sculptures to the print of a bare breasted Kali Ma devouring Shiva. I had never seen anything like it before, and Auntie Rosemary inspired in me a curiosity in art – and the story behind it that grew into so much more. I aspire some day to be like her, and have only realized just how much I have always adored and admired her now that she is gone. I only wish I could live as long as she did, and leave with as much love in this world that she left with.

I was able to see her two weeks before she died. We had coffee together, talked about if my sister or I had boyfriends yet, she asked about my art, how it was going…telling me it was beautiful. And I’m so glad I was able to see her one final time, to see the Auntie Rosemary I remembered from when I was little – the vibrant, happy woman who loved to chat over tea and coffee. Thank you Auntie Rosemary, for everything.