Julia passed away with her daughter, Lise, by her side after a brief fight with cancer in Wakefield, QC Saturday July 8.
Julia was born to Enid Miller (Wadsworth) and John Baker in beautiful Gaspe QC where she spent her formative years never far from the family hotels the Ash Inn and Baker Hotel. As the eldest child of a young mother with several children, the defining quality of a caregiver was instilled on her early in life. She developed a love of the piano at a young age and would oftentimes play for hotel patrons and school dances. She moved to Vancouver, BC with her family before returning alone to Gaspe where she married a pilot (Jean-Guy Arsenault) and had three children.
After moving to Quebec City in the early 1970's, with her husband stationed away for weeks at a time and with her parents and siblings on the west coast, she proved her resourcefulness and resilience. Regardless of distance, she always prioritized maintaining strong ties with family and friends through the years. She was warm and generous, and her house was always a welcoming gathering place for visitors and for her kids' friends.
When her marriage ended, she relocated to Montreal where she earned a certificate as a nurse's aid and became manager of a senior's residence (Borden Place) for 20 years, where she succeeded in creating a true sense of home. She remained in Montreal until 2019 when she moved to Aylmer, QC and resided at L'Initial, where she resumed playing piano for fellow residents several times a week.
Julia has been cremated and her remains will be interred in a private ceremony at Beechwood Cemetery. She will be deeply missed by her children Len (Amelia), David (Lucy) and Lise (Michel), her grandson Nathan and her siblings Lani (Baker Mitchell), Jay, Cory, Chris and Tim, her extended family and many friends.
The family would like to thank the staff at L'Initial for their years of service and friendship. The family would also like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the exceptional physicians, nurses, personal support workers and volunteers at La Maison des Collines palliative care centre in Wakefield, QC.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to La Maison Des Collines.
An informal gathering will be held from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM on July 29 at Beechwood Cemetery and Funeral Services, 280 Beechwood Avenue.
Livre de visiteurs
Judy Cleland (Crombie)
Jacques veilleux
I am very sory to hear that Julia has passed away. AS far as i can remember some 50 years ago, she has been a warm and generous person always welcoming my son Jacques-André a friend of Dave, Len and Lise many times she keept him for diner or lunch in the home on Légaré strret in Québec city behind Place Laurier.To each family member may GOD grant you peace.
My mother, who had dementia, was a resident of Borden Place and she was very happy there. Julia was great, so friendly and compassionate. She did her best to motivate the residents. Many residents were older than my mother and were in wheelchairs but when Julia played the piano, surprisingly my mother got up to dance around and it was great watching the interaction with everyone. We lived near Julia and often bumped into her at the local grocery store. My family are so thankful for Julia for keeping my mother happy and so safe and sound. It takes a special person to do what she did for so long. Our condolences to her family....