On the 27th of October, 2021, Rollande Gagnon Johnston, loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, joined her late husband, her brother, and her four sisters in heaven.

Rollande Gagnon was born to Antonio Gagnon and Lucille Massicotte, on the 19th of August, 1927, in the small town of Deschambault, Quebec. As a proud Canadienne, and a tiny force of nature, she left her job as a secretary to the Parliament in Quebec, and moved to the US to make a life with her one true love, Richard Johnston, who she endearingly referred to as her “chérie.”

At the foundation of her life was her “chérie,” her 3 children, and her grandchildren: Michèle (Pepe Torras) and their children Stefane, Jean-Pierre and Anna-Lise; Paul (Linda Johnston) and their children Gabriella, Alexandra and Matthew; Marie-Luce (Billy Coles) and their children Danielle, Brendan, Niklas and Isabella.

Her greatest joys in life were raising her children and loving her husband in the same house for 62 years. As a master seamstress, always très chic, and an avid cook, Rollande graced this Earth with her many talents and enjoyed classical pastimes. In the winters you could find her skiing down the slopes of Stoneham, and in the summers she would spend countless hours reading Paris Match on the beach. Aside from skiing, Rollande loved to play tennis, golf, and go for long bike rides.

One of her most beloved passions was classical music, which you could always hear in the background of any room she was in. Playing piano herself, she passed down her appreciation and love for this fine art to her two daughters.

From the way she baked her famous tarte au sucre, to the way she dressed, Rollande took pride in all that she did. She was the epitome of grace, in all senses of the word. As a devout Catholic, Rollande instilled in her children an unwavering faith in God, without which, they would not be who they are today.

Nous garderons toujours dans nos coeurs et nos esprits sa présence.