Surrounded by the love of her family, Jane Helen Leona Labott-Atatise, 80, of Gakijiwanong Anishinaabe Nation, started her journey to the spirit world on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
Leona was born to her parents Bill Labott and Dorothy Ottertail on June 11, 1943, in Gakijiwanong. When Leona and her sister Shirley were 3 and 2, they lost both of their parents. Shirley was adopted and moved to Couchiching Reserve while Leona was taken under their grandmother Nora Labott’s wing and was raised in Gakijiwanong. Having being raised to be a hard worker, learning by example from her grandmother, she worked at Campbell’s Cabins and Zup’s resorts from the age of 13 to 65. She was also a homemaker for Helen Geyshick and Annie Ottertail. She later on became a custodian for the school’s buildings, taking over for her late husband Billy.
Leona married the love of her life William “Billy” Atatise of Gakijiwanong when they were young. After losing their first daughter Lorena, they went on to raise eight beautiful children together with a lot of love until Billy’s passing at age 38. Leona then bravely went on to raise their eight children on her own with the same immense love.
She enjoyed camping, she loved fishing and netting, canoeing, picking blueberries and just being out on the lake. She loved watching Elvis documentaries and movies, and enjoying traditional wild foods. She always kept busy doing housework, she enjoyed doing her own yardwork and chopping wood. She loved the little ones that she would babysit, and was a second mom to many that she took under her wings as her own. She helped raise and babysat many of her grandchildren and would later on raise some of her great-grandchildren. She was close with all and had so much love for all of her relatives and had numerous dear friends through work and from other communities. She was always laughing and joking with everyone; she connected with others naturally and had an uplifting sense of humour. She was an avid hockey fan and would be able to keep up with the latest games and hockey players. She was very passionate about the Toronto Maple Leafs and could always be found watching the game and cheering on her favourite hockey player Auston Matthews with her children or grandchildren. She loved and had a talent for singing. She loved to karaoke and was known for her rendition of “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” by Kitty Wells. She loved animals just as much as she loved people. She grew up among the Lac La Croix ponies, and had many numerous beloved pets throughout her life.
She is now lovingly and happily reunited with her parents; her little sister Shirley; the love of her life Billy Atatise; her eldest daughter Lorena; her youngest son Preston; her first grandson Donovan; her grandmother Nora; her uncle and father figure Sam Geyshick; her in-laws; and many of her beloved friends and family that returned home before her.
She is survived by her children and their spouses that she loved very much, Vernon, Annette (Bruce), Teddy (Loretta), Curtis (Dorothy), Sandra (Travis), Patrick, and Tanya (Clinton). She is also survived by her grandchildren Miranda, Travis, Sheena, Raymond, Kenneth, Ashley, Samantha, Jessica, Mark, Meagan, Kyle, Jocelyn, Lance, Natasha, Jadon, Cassandra, Kaley, Kelsey, William, and Taison. Her legacy lives on in her great-grandchildren Brayden, Passion, Jayla, Naima, Colton, Cameron, Talon, Addy, Kelaina, Evander, Chance, Kayleelah, Kariya, Nolan, Johnny, Ayana, Kiara, Lena, Animki, Tristan, Lyannah, Ivah, Caius, Tyren, Cavynn, Sequoia, and baby Jourdain on the way. She leaves behind brothers-in-law Jimmy Atatise (Nora Atatise), Justin Boshey (Sandra Smith) and a very large extended Labbott and Atatise family that love her, her large Ottertail family; numerous cousins, nephews, nieces, grandchildren, great-grandchildren as well many dear friends that she all loved equally and unconditionally.
Her honorary pallbearers were family and friends. The traditional wake was held at the Gakijiwanong Anishinaabe Nation Gym on Monday, June 3, 2024, beginning at 3:00 p.m. The funeral was on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Elder Gilbert Smith officiated with the wake services as well as traditional send off and burial procedures. Leona was a member of the Midewin Lodge, and the appropriate protocols were followed for her wake and funeral.
Arrangements entrusted to Northridge Funeral Home Ltd. Emo, Ontario.
“Baamaa miinawaa gigawaabaminigoo.” Later again, we will see you. Gichi-gizhawenaminigoo Donkoo, Nokomis, auntie Leona, Nindoodoo’ens. We all love you very much, great-grandma, granny, auntie Leona, Mommy.
