LAURIN, Leona Marie (Santino)

28-Jan-1928 - 17-Jun-2022

Leona passed away at Hillcrest Village on Friday, June 17, 2022, at the age of 94. She is joining her husband Jean-Louis in heaven. She is survived by her children, Jacqueline, Francis, Basil, Arthur, Suzanne, Patricia, Marguerite, Anita, john-Paul, and Paul. She is predeceased by her children, Michael and Pauline, her parents Benjamin Santino and Victoria Contois-Ladouceur, and her siblings Marcel Ladouceur and Stella MacIntaggart. She had an incredible work ethic, she held three jobs, including working at Pillsbury, and she did all that while raising her family. She loved nature, animals, gardening, biking, and boating. She will be remembered fondly for being an AMAZING baker and cook. She will be immensely missed by her family. Visitation will be held at Penetanguishene Funeral Home, Saturday, June 25 from 12 p.m.-2 p.m. with a chapel service beginning at 2 p.m. Burial will take place at St. Ann’s Cemetery following the service. Arrangements entrusted to Penetanguishene Funeral Home.

LEONA LAURIN WAS A modern-day SUPERMOM. She was fearless in adversity. She believed her own truth and spoke her mind directly.

Which is a trait we all share... say what you mean. Gossiping was not a weakness she had. She was pure of heart and did her best to show up to "live this way". We grew up believing all women could chop wood like a man, snow clear deep snow till 3 am in the morning, keep that woodstove going to keep us warm and feeling "we had the best fire in this side of Robert Street.

She was a common woman without airs about her. She knew who she was in the world. Loved stray animals and fed her visiting birds most of the year. Her finest common sense thinking and "smartness" only smart people can appreciate, she was a rock when we needed one. Most of us thought we "were the favourite" the truth is Mom had no favourite. She was a master of making "each one of us " |we were the special one...Her cheerfulness in the morning "good morning" was appreciated by most. She devoted her entire life to us, her children. She was our Hero.

So, there's no place for sorrow moving forward she did not want anyone crying over her at this funeral... she preferred our visits into her kitchen with her.

A special tribute to those that cared for our mother at her home " mom was able to enjoy living in her home because of you" thank you from mom and your siblings. and to those that visited her regularly week after week, a huge thank you for giving Mom " something to look forward to in the end of her life cycle". She loved her nurses at the Hillcrest Residence. Her illnesses took her away to a place of painless peace. It was her time, for us there would of never been "the right time".