Was born to John and Lucie Duguay in Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario on August 30, 1935.
Raised in a big, boisterous, close-knit, French-speaking family, she was just two weeks shy of her 18th birthday when she married the love of her life, Danny Filippino, in Marathon, ON in 1953.
The two of them were inseparable, from life in chilly Marathon, through a mid-1960s move to Kamloops, to their 1991 retirement to Vancouver Island, where they devoted countless hours volunteering for the Cottage Thrift Shop at St. Joseph's Hospital. When Danny died in 2012, it left a hole she never filled.
Hermine was grateful, though, to embrace a whole new group of friends at the Comox Valley Seniors Village, particularly on those days when they shared her love of making music -- something she had enjoyed earlier when playing in parades and seniors’ homes with the Heart Strings.
Her loss will be felt deeply by many, for her greatest happiness was in making others happy. Only her two daughters were lucky enough to have her for their mother, but plenty of others cast her in that role and will grieve her passing.
She was an enthusiastic gardener, knitter, cook, farmer, ukulele player, pianist, guitarist, accordionist and drummer. You didn’t want to play cards with her unless you liked losing. She wouldn’t believe you if you said you weren’t hungry. When she loved you, it was with all her heart.
She is survived by daughters Tina (Sally Gellard) Filippino and Lucille (Jack) Knox, grandchildren Bailee, Jacob and Norah Erickson and Molly Billows, great-granddaughter Sage Drury, sister Laurette Tremblay and brother Pierre Duguay. She was predeceased by her sister Lina and brother John.
The family is grateful for the loving care she received from staff at Comox Valley Seniors Village; the way they treated her made her feel at home.
A Memorial Service will be held Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015 at 1pm at Comox Valley Funeral Home, Cremation & Reception Centre, 1101 Ryan Road, Courtenay.
For those wishing, donations to the St. Joseph's Hospital Auxiliary, 2137 Comox Avenue, Comox, B.C. V9M 1P2 would be appreciated.