Aurore Marie (St. Germain) Bedard

Aurore Bedard, 99, formerly of Argyle, Minnesota, passed away at Valley Eldercare in Grand Forks, North Dakota, on August 19, 2019.

Aurore Marie St. Germain was born July 17, 1920, to Esdras and Florida (Hebert) St. Germain, into a family of three brothers and five sisters. She attended rural grade school and began high school at St. Joseph’s Academy in Crookston, MN. In 1938 she married Philip Alfred Bedard, making their home between Stephen and ultimately Argyle, with four sons and a daughter.

Aurore was a skilled seamstress, and a creative cook. She served as school cook to St. Rose of Lima’s School for nineteen years, as camp cook a number of summers at Lake Trails Base Camp on Lake of the Woods, as a caregiver to infants and young children in the MN Migrant Program for several summers, and last as an employee for the Argyle locker plant. Aurore was outgoing and community-oriented at many levels. She was a “storm mother” for farm students who needed a place to overnight when the buses couldn’t run. She enjoyed bowling and service to the Women’s Order of Foresters and St. Anne’s as a lifelong devout member of St. Rose of Lima Parish. Later she enjoyed volunteer service to Argyle Senior events as well as interactions with school-aged students who served the community.

Aurore entered assisted living in Grand Forks after the age of ninety- in the early years, she played pinochle almost daily, and was often found in the chapel if they needed to locate her. In these last years, staff who assisted in her care often remarked as to what a pleasant person she was under all circumstances. Her positive take on the world was one she cultivated into her last days.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Philip; an infant son; and son, Leo; brothers, John, Rolland, and Aime; sisters, Delores, Ida, Edwidge, and Lucille.

Left to honor her memory are her sister, Theresa (Winton) Knutson; children, Emil “Buck” (Linda) Bedard, Dale (Betty) Bedard, and Alice (Rick) Bedard-Voorhees; daughter-in-law, Gloria Bedard; grandchildren, Randy, Renae, Michael, Jason, Jordan, Camille, Brady, Molly, Danielle and Bennet; eleven great-grandchildren; and many members of her extended family.
 

MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL: Saturday, October 19, 2019, at 10:30 AM, in St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Argyle, MN.
VISITATION: One hour prior to Mass.
INTERMENT: St. Rose Catholic Cemetery, Argyle.
(Note: The cremated remains of her son, Leo, will be interred on the same day, shortly after Aurore's graveside service.)