Ivy Margaret Desjarlais (nee Clarke)
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Ivy Margaret Desjarlais (nee Clarke) on November 13, 2021, at the age of 98. Ivy was predeceased by her loving husband Emil Joseph Desjarlais in 1999. She is survived by her son Gary, his wife Frances, and by son Ron and his wife Linda Warnica. Ivy also is survived by her former daughter-in-law Donna Hanks and her husband Wayne. The surviving family also consists of four grandchildren, Michael, Litonya, Treena & Ryan, and her great grandchildren Tristan, Toni, Tyler, Jake, Olivia, Noah, Luc, and Camryn.
Ivy was born in Essex, England, to Henry John Clarke and Elizabeth Ellen Clarke (nee Wright) August 6, 1923. She was one of six children, brothers Tommy, John, and Ernie, and sisters Queenie and Doris. Sadly, Ivy was the last surviving sibling. Ivy grew up in the London area and worked in a munitions plant and for London's double decker buses during World War II. It was on the buses where she met Emil, a Canadian soldier, who was on leave in London after his tour of duty. The two got married in London in 1944.
After the war, they moved to Oak Point, Manitoba. Life in the small Métis community was difficult, and the two soon moved to Winnipeg looking for better opportunities. Emil went into roofing, and Ivy got a job with Nanking Chinese Restaurant. It was here where she learned the secret to a really good wonton soup. Their family grew by two sons during their time in Winnipeg. In the late sixties, when the boys were older, Ivy and Emil moved to Miami, Manitoba to run their latest purchase, the local hotel. It was an interesting time, as they had to renovate the hotel to allow for the newly legal female customers in the beverage room. After making their mark on the Grandview Hotel for nearly a decade, the couple briefly owned the Pilot Mound Hotel. The couple then bought the hotel in Altamont, Manitoba a couple of years later, living and working there for close to a decade. Ivy and Emil began their retirement in the nineties, moving back to Miami, Manitoba. This included some seasonal stays in Powell River, British Columbia. After Emil's passing, Ivy remained in Miami until the late 2000's when she moved into her final residence in Carman, Manitoba.
In compliance with Ivy's wishes, there will not be a formal funeral. Rather, this spring, her immediate family will have her internment beside her beloved Emil at Oak Point Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to either the Carman Palliative Care Program, Boyne Lodge, or your local Canadian Legion branch.
