Obituary of Simone Diane Walker

It is with great sadness that the family announces the peaceful passing of Simone Walker (nee Goguen), aged 87 and formerly of Musquash, on Monday, November 23, 2015, after a long struggle with Alzheimers at the Carleton Kirk Lodge Nursing Home, where she was a resident for the last three years. Born on April 24, 1928 in Ste. Marie, Kent County, NB, Simone was the 11th child in a family of 12. She was predeceased by her husband Max, who passed away on August 8, 2012. The last member of her immediate family, she is also predeceased by both parents, Daniel and Annie (Gaudet) Goguen; her brothers, John, Joseph, Alyre, Orice, Alfred and Pierre; and her sisters, Marguerite, Laurette, Irene, Emma and Florence. She is survived by seven children, Mark (Bev) of Sussex; Christopher of Port Hawksbury, NS; Shelley Foster (John) of Beaver Harbour; Laurie Walker (Chris Beyea) of Edmonton, Alberta; Kim Long (Weldon) of Port Hawksbury, NS; Patricia Day (David) of Saint John, NB; and Victoria Walker of Musquash, NB. She is also survived by her brother and sister in law, Lawrence and Shirley Walker, and sister in law, Annie Walker (Donald), as well as many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins. Family came first with Simone. After many years spent as an army wife and mother of seven she travelled many miles across the country and overseas. This gave Simone lots of stories to tell and experiences to share and at the age of 70 she wrote a book about her life as an army wife, called "I Count Only the Sunny Hours". Simone moved to Saint John as a child in 1930 and attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School and St. Vincent’s Girls High School. At St. Vincent’s, Sister Brendan introduced her to a life-long love of books. After high school, Simone went to the Modern Business College and later worked at Calp’s, as a private secretary until 1949. On October 31, 1949, Simone became an army wife when she married Max Walker and they moved to Dawson Creek, BC on their first posting with the Canadian Armed Forces. Simone worked at the Daily Gleaner in Fredericton, and for several firms and organizations in Saint John, including Guss, Taylor and Gregory, Family Court, and finally at the Office of the Rentalsman until her retirement. The family would also like to extend a special thanks to the folks at Carleton Kirk Lodge who came to love her too and took such good care of her for her last few years. Resting at Brenan’s Funeral Home, 111 Paradise Row, Saint John, NB (634-7424), with visitation on Friday, November 27, 2015 from 2-4 and 6-8 PM. A funeral service will be held from Brenan’s Funeral Home Chapel on Saturday, November 28, 2015 at 10:00 AM. Interment will take place in Ocean View Memorial Gardens. For those who wish, remembrances in memory of Simone may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society, or to a charity of the donor’s choice.