The community of Winnipeg came together on Saturday at Windsor Park to honor the legacy of the late Evelyne Reese, a former city councilor.
Reese passed away last week at the age of 91. She served five terms as a councilor, first elected in 1974 and representing multiple wards in St. Boniface before retiring 22 years later.
During her career path, she also ran for provincial office twice.
Family and friends who attended the memorial described her as sharp, enthusiastic, and selfless.
“She never did it for money or prestige, she did it for the good of her fellow man, and her citizens of Winnipeg. Especially the citizens of St. Boniface Windsor Park.” said her friend Roz Krahn.
Krahn says Reese lived a long, fulfilled, and happy life “I can’t be sad because when you get old, you suffer. Evelyn was suffering. And I’m glad her suffering has ended and she is at peace.”
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Her son, Barry shared the same sentiment about his mother. “We are sad, obviously, but she lived a full life. She was 91, and she appreciated her life to the end.”
Adding that he was in awe of his mother because she exuded passion and fearlessness and always did what she set out to do.
“She was a force, and she was one of the first female city councilors for Saint Boniface,” he said. “It wasn’t just politics. It was her life. Her family, being a teacher, being a restaurant owner, enjoying her life, traveling, and so on. Especially in her later life, she was inspiring to not only me but many, many other people.”