Eugène Aurèle
Charette (1901-1968)
Eugène Aurèle Charette was the third, and
last born son to Napoléon Charette and Marie-Louise Boulay on June 12, 1901(certificate of baptism),
in Sudbury (map),
Ontario.  He
married his school teaching bride, Bernadette Boivin on November 5, 1923, in Windsor,
Essex County, Ontario (certificate of mariage).
 Bernadette
Boivin was from St. Sixte (map),
Québec. Eugène was employed as an iron worker and helped build large buildings in
Windsor and Detroit. Their first child, Jean Donald, was born in Windsor, at the
"Hotel-Dieu of St. Joseph" hospital on July 25, 1924 (birth record). Their
daughter, Lillian Marie Rose was born in Detroit on September 20, 1927. In the late
1920s, Eugène moved his wife and two children to the Battle Creek (map) area to continue
working in the building trades. In Battle Creek, Eugène helped construct the Ann J.
Kellogg school, which Jean later attended. He also helped construct the Security
National Bank building, which became the Heritage Towers and Central Towers buildings, and
now houses the Nationwide Insurance Company. When Jean became school age, Bernadette
wanted to settle down in Battle Creek,
so Eugène went to work for Kellogg's, the cereal manufacturer, as a maintenance man for
the grain elevators.  After 14
years of working around the grain dust of the elevators, Eugène developed emphysema and
quit Kellogg's to work in the family business, the "French Curtain Laundry".
Over the years, Eugène and Bernadette had bought a summer cottage that they later
converted into a year-round home in East Tawas, Michigan, on Tawas Point. Tawas Bay on one
side and Lake Huron on the other, this pristine wooded, water wonderland, gave Eugène,
who was an avid hunter and fisherman, a perfect spot for recreation and enjoyment.
Eugène and Bernadette, along with their children and grandchildren, loved vacationing on
Tawas Point. Having Eugène's half-sister, Eva, her husband, Adam Kutcher, and their
children living next door was always special for everyone. Eugène became ill and
could no longer enjoy his second home. He passed away in Battle Creek on January 23,
1968 (Battle Creek, newspaper
article).
Bernadette Boivin (1901-1991)
 Bernadette Boivin was born
March 14, 1901(certificate
of baptism), at St. Sixte (map), Québec. She is
the daughter and the ninth of ten children born to Felix Boivin and Louisa Regimbald (biographies).  Like
her older sisters Senora, Eva, and Theodora, she chose the teaching profession. She,
like her sisters, received their education and their teaching degrees at "Ecole
Normale" of the Soeurs Grises, located in Hull, Québec. Soon after completing
her studies, she left her parents home in St. Sixte, Quebec and moved west to Sudbury,
Ontario, to begin her teaching career. She taught her future husband's half-brother,
Leo Taillefer in school there. She last taught school in Windsor, Ontario, marrying
Eugène Aurèle Charette on November 5, 1923. In this era, it was frowned upon for a
married woman to continue teaching. Eugène and Bernadette began their family in
Windsor, Ontario, having their first child, Jean Donald, at the Hotel-Dieu of St. Joseph's
hospital in Windsor, Ontario, on July 25, 1924.
In a few years time, they moved from
Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, Michigan, USA, and had their second child, born on American
soil, Lillian Marie Rose, on September 20, 1927, in Detroit. In 1931, Eugène and
Bernadette moved their family west of Detroit,  and settled in Battle Creek, Michigan. They first lived
on Champion Street, where Bernadette started her business in 1931, the "French
Curtain Laundry." They moved again and were living at 117 South Kendall Street
in 1936. After a few years they moved just once more, to 383 Capital S.W. Avenue.
In the rear of their home they converted a four car garage into their business the
"French Curtain Laundry." Eugène and his stepfather, Alexandre Taillefer, a
stone mason by trade, constructed the beautiful stone retaining wall along the front of
their Capital S.W. home. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, their two grown and now
married children lived in the two story flat house next door to their home and business.
There they started raising their families, and daughter Lillian and
daughter-in-law, Rita, were employed by Bernadette and worked nights at the Curtain
Laundry for several years while their families were young. Bernadette and Eugène
owned and operated their curtain laundry business for more then 40 years.
A few years after her husband had passed
away, she closed her business in the early 1970s. Bernadette moved to the Springview
Towers Senior Citizens apartments in Battle Creek. Bernadette Boivin/Charette died
at the age of 90 years old, October 1, 1991, (funeral card) at the Leila Health site after being stricken at
home. She was a loving grandmother to 10 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
She is buried in the Memorial Park Cemetery, Battle Creek, Michigan (Battle Creek, newspaper article). |
