The family of Stella Huntley (née Gouliquer) sadly announce the passing of a loving and caring mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend on December 9, 2023. She passed peacefully with her devoted family by her side.
Stella was born in Nelles Township, Ont., January 1, 1928. She was the daughter of Joseph and Mary Ann Gouliquer (Pollard), who had nine children: two daughters and seven sons. She was married to the late Alvin Franklin Huntley in Pinewood, Ont., and had five children: three girls, Lena (Kaartinen), Barbara (Jim Beckingham), Marion (Garth) Dyck, and two boys, Michael (Valerie), and Duane, all of Atikokan, Ont.
Stella grew up on the Nelles farm along the peaceful Pine River in Nelles Township which her dad settled in 1903. She attended elementary school in Pinewood while working hard on the family farm. She left school at a young age, as she was needed at home to help with the daily chores. Milking cows, cleaning, hauling water, cooking in the farm kitchen, and doing many other jobs were necessary to help her mother care for her eight siblings. Baking bread and learning to sew were some of her favourite pastimes in her younger days. These were also necessary skills that a young woman had to learn to survive the hard times.
On June 16, 1947, Stella married Frank (Huntley) in Pinewood. They made their first home in Arbor Vitae. It was a small farm, and it was there that they had two children, Lena and Barbara. They loved their home and had a big garden. After a few years, tragedy struck. The house caught fire and burned to the ground. Stella and Frank moved in with her mother Mary Ann in her family home on the farm. The times were tough.
Frank had to cut wood in the bush to help feed the family. In 1952, they relocated to Atikokan, where Frank started at Steep Rock Iron Mine. It was here that they welcomed three more children: Marion, Michael, and Duane.
Stella always kept busy cooking, cleaning, and feeding everyone she could. Her home always smelled of fresh bread baking or her famous apple pies. She had a big heart and welcomed many of her relatives and friends into her home. She never turned anyone away. She also loved to sew and would learn many new crafts if she could. Doing puzzles, playing cards, visiting friends, and going to dances were some of her favourite activities.
Stella was a homemaker at heart. She would teach her nieces to cook and sew. She also loved to do canning and pick berries. As the children grew older, she went to work as a kitchen helper at the old Atikokan Hospital. She also worked as a homemaker for some of her friends who were working out of their homes. She babysat for many people, and she was also a great housekeeper.
Vacations for Stella were spent with family, often going down to the country in Pinewood to help during haying time or just visiting relatives. She also spent a lot of time camping with the family at Finlayson Lake, Quetico Park, and on trips down to Lake of the Woods.
Stella joined the Catholic Women’s League as a young woman in Pinewood. She continued to be an active member for seventy-seven years.
In the late seventies, after the mines closed, Stella and Frank moved out west to look for work prospects. Frank worked in the mines at Elkford, B.C., and then in Fording River, Alta. Next, they relocated to Coleman, Alta., to work there. They settled there for several years until Frank’s passing in June 1987.
Stella relocated to Atikokan, where she continued to enjoy her life in her own home and be closer to her family. It was here that she rekindled her love for gardening and her flower beds, which were so beautiful. She loved to read and watch television, and she never missed her favourite shows – the Gospel Hour, The Price Is Right, and many of her old black-and-white movies. She continued to cook and bake her favourite dishes for her family. She loved to sit in her patio with her son Duane, family, or friends, enjoy a cup of tea, and admire the nature in her backyard. She especially loved to watch the birds.
In the summer of 2022, Stella moved into the Atikokan Extended Care Wing. She continued to be active in the programs there, with her favourite being bingo. She loved to read, and she especially enjoyed her time spent visiting with all her caregivers, who took such great care of her. Stella loved life, and she loved her family immensely. She always wanted her family around her, as it brought her such great joy. She taught us all to never be afraid of hard work and to be kind. She was such a great role model and a mentor to so many people who knew her. Stella will be missed, along with her big, beautiful smile!
Her children and their families were the centre of her life. She was very proud of their accomplishments, and she loved to hear about all their milestones in life. Stella was present for many of them, and whenever they needed her for anything, she was always there. Her greatest pride and joy were her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren. Her family will always carry lovely memories with them, and her kind words of wisdom will be cherished. Especially her good advice!
Stella will be dearly missed and lovingly remembered by her seven grandchildren Laura (McLeod), Pamela (Trent Mann), Melanie (Pierre Mallinson), Marianne (Sean Berry), Allen (Dyck), Kerrilyn, and Ryan (Huntley).
She leaves to mourn her eight great-grandchildren Alannah, Jarred, Keyanna (Juhlin), Jasper, Tucker, Badger (Mann), Abigail and Jayden (Mallinson).
Also surviving are her two sisters-in-law Olive Gouliquer, Stratton, Betty Huntley, Fort Frances; one son-in-law Melvin Kaartinen, Man.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Stella was pre-deceased by her parents; her husband Frank (June 22, 1987); her daughter Lena (November 11, 2021); her son Duane (October 16, 2022); her great-granddaughter Crystal McLeod; sister Irene Landry (Hector); brothers Pete (Mary), Hector (Irene), Arthur (Madeline), Theodore “DeeDee” (Georgette), Tony (Rose), Gerald, and Lawrence ‘Bob’ (Olive).
As per her wish, cremation has taken place at Northridge Funeral Home, Emo. A Celebration of Life will take place in Atikokan in the summer of 2024. A private family interment will be held at Little Falls Cemetery in Atikokan.
In lieu of flowers and expressions of sympathy, donations to the Atikokan General Hospital Foundation, the Extended Care Wing, and the Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated.
