Flora Tanguay

My Life Story Flora passed away at home, March 22, 2015 after a long battle with cancer. Flora was born in Lowell, Mass. on August 15, 1933 to the late Alfred and Flore Lacourse. She grew up in Lowell, the 11th of 16 children, (8 brothers and 7 sisters). Flora graduated from Ste. Jeanne d'Arc School and attended Lowell High School. After her schooling she worked at Lowell Textile Mills as a seamstress making various pieces of clothing for pennies per piece. She loved dancing at the Commodore, especially ball room dancing, where she met the love of her life, Henri Tanguay. They were married August 11, 1956. Henri was a US Marine and was deployed to Korea soon after they married. Flora lived in an apartment in Lowell and continued to work. She saved her money to surprise her new husband upon his return with a new 1957 Chevy BelAir hard top. When Henri returned from Korea he was stationed at Camp Le Jeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina, where they made a home for themselves awaiting children of their own. In 1959, they moved to Henri's hometown of Nashua, N.H. living in a two story tenement above his parents. It was there that they had 4 children, Rachel, Jeanne, Janice and Susan. Flora was active in the auxiliary of Veterans of Foreign Wars and played bingo at Holy Infant Jesus Catholic Church. Flora stayed home and cared for her family until her husband died in 1969. To make ends meet she knitted sweaters and blankets her sister-in-law could sell in her knitting shop. When the shop closed, she returned to work to support her girls. She worked at a clothing factory and again got paid pennies for each piece of clothing she produced. In 1971, enough money was saved for a down payment on her first home in Lowell Mass. She found factory work making Arrow Shirts and then making custom draperies. She really loved the custom drapery factory because she had her first taste of hourly pay verses piece work. Her brother from California came to visit and told her that her girls could go to college for free there. So, in 1975, she decided to give them the opportunities she never had. She sold her house, and blindly moved to California. She found a townhouse in San Lorenzo where they lived for 6 months, then bought a home in Hayward. Flora was determined to succeed, so she filled out many applications for seamstress work until she received a call from United Airlines. In 1976 she was hired in the food service division of United Airlines. She was thrilled to find out it was hourly pay and had paid vacation which she had never experienced before. Her first vacation with her 4 girls was to Hawaii. Once the children were grown she asked her oldest Rachel and her family to move in together for a few years so Rachel could save to buy a home. In 1984, they moved in together in Hayward. In 1989, they decided that the partnership of Flora, Rachel and her husband, Bill worked so they purchased a home together in Tracy, California. Rachel worked for United Airlines also and they commuted the 140 mile round trip to San Francisco together. After retiring in 1994, Flora loved being the neighborhood babysitter. She also kept knitting and enjoyed gardening. In 1997, Rachel accepted a transfer to Boise Airport with United Airlines. This is where Flora decided to work at K-Mart so she could have some spending money to travel and see her girls. Meridian Idaho was where they decided to build their home. Flora loved the yard and enjoyed the area but mostly she loved her children and was very proud of each of them. She enjoyed going on road trips with Jeanne and her family, cruises around the world with Janice, and the road trips with Susan and her family. Her life was dedicated to her 4 girls. She did all she could to raise them and was very proud of how each one became successful in their own right. She loved her grandchildren and made time to be at recitals, games, graduations and birthday parties. To see her children become grandparents was even a bigger thrill and she loved playing with her great-grandchildren the best. She always said if you keep children near you, the interaction with them kept you young. That was true with her, she was a young spirited person. In hopes to keep up with the young ones she got a gym membership at 75 years old and worked out the best she could until 2012 when she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Flora attended Holy Apostles Catholic Church in Meridian where she loved being a Eucharistic minister and family night activities. She loved BINGO night especially around Thanksgiving when she won Turkeys for everyone to enjoy around the table. Flora is survived by her four daughters: Rachel Davis of Idaho, Jeanne (Brad) Bailey and Janice Conrad of California, Susan Grimes of North Carolina; her seven grandchildren: Robert Conrad of Colorado, Crystal Davis of Idaho, Andre Conrad of California, Monique (David) Stark of Washington, Mark Grimes of North Carolina, Amanda Bailey of California, Claudette (Paul) Lenart of Texas, and her 4 great-grand children; Cameryn Davis of Idaho, Peyton Hill of Washington, Ezra Conrad of California and Jayden Stark of Washington. She is also survived by one brother, Donald Lacourse of Franklin Ma., and 2 sisters: Claudette (Paul) Vincent of Dunstable Ma., and Pauline Freschette of Conway N.H. Preceded in death by her parents, Alfred and Flore Lacourse: Brothers; Maurice, Victor, Omar, George, Roger, Julien and Paul: Sisters, Jeanne d'Arc Lusk, Cecile Lacourse, Alice Parent, Theresa Lacourse, and Claire Dufresne. Also son-in-laws; Steve Grimes and Bill Davis. In lieu of flowers donations, in Flora's name, may be made to St. Luke’s MSTI Meridian, 520 South Eagle Road, Meridian, Idaho 83642. A Rosary service will be held at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, April 7, 2015 at Holy Apostles Catholic Church, 6300 N. Meridian Rd. A Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, April 8, 2015 also at Holy Apostles Catholic Church. Remembrances may be left for the family at www.AccentFuneral.com. Services are under the direction of Accent Funeral Home, Meridian.