Ruby Courey (née Shoofey)
Ruby Barbara Courey (nee Shoofey) passed away peacefully on November 12, 2014, at age 96, in Montreal, after a life staunchly and lovingly devoted to her family – her late husband Eddy Courey and her grateful children Sylvia Courey Barakett (the late Léon Barakett), Andrew Courey (Diane Ste-Marie) Grace Courey Massé (Roger), Pamela Courey Hendy (Donald) and Gayle Courey Beauchemin (Jules). Beloved grand-mother Sitto to Pierre, Marc, André, Réné and Venise Barakett, Sébastien and Melanie Courey (Louis-Phillipe), Stephanie (Johnny Sabelli) and Marc Dunn (Rosa de Ponce), Matthew and the late Michael Hendy, Melodie Courey Beauchemin and great grand-children Charles, Julia and Zachary Barakett, Jeremy and Oliver Sabelli, Katia and Nikolas Parent. Ruby is also survived by sisters Viola and Iliana and many nieces and nephews.
She was the rock of her family, a constant, central presence. Her unwavering strength and steadfastness through adversity is the stuff of legends. That spirit is her greatest legacy, forever her family’s guiding light.
Born in Montreal to Ferris Shoofey and Amelia Yared, Ruby became the toast of the Lebanese-Canadian community in Trois-Rivières where she lived with her husband for many years. After moving to Montreal in 1957, her resolute strength kept her family together through difficult times. She became a successful real estate agent in the Town of Mount Royal, esteemed for her tenacious service to others. She was an honoured member of her church where she served for many years as member and President of The Antiochian Women of Saint-George. She had a profound love of her Church and unshakeable Faith.
For all her well-grounded practicality, Ruby was also a poet of noble thought, penning many a poem published in the then Montreal Star and The Gazette newspapers. She received personal commendation from Queen Elizabeth for a poem written for the Queen’s Coronation. At age 87, Ruby was called upon to read one of her poems, an homage to soldiers’ sacrifice amidst the horrors of war, at a Canadian Armed Forces Remembrance Day Ceremony in Belgium.
Visitation at Urgel Bourgie Funeral Home, 1255 ave. Beaumont, Ville Mont-Royal, Qc., H3P 3H9, Sunday November 16, 2 -5 pm and 7-9 pm. Funeral service will be held Monday, November 17, 11 am at Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Church, 555 Jean Talon East, Montreal, Qc., H3R 1T8 preceded by 10 am visitation.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Church.
She was the rock of her family, a constant, central presence. Her unwavering strength and steadfastness through adversity is the stuff of legends. That spirit is her greatest legacy, forever her family’s guiding light.
Born in Montreal to Ferris Shoofey and Amelia Yared, Ruby became the toast of the Lebanese-Canadian community in Trois-Rivières where she lived with her husband for many years. After moving to Montreal in 1957, her resolute strength kept her family together through difficult times. She became a successful real estate agent in the Town of Mount Royal, esteemed for her tenacious service to others. She was an honoured member of her church where she served for many years as member and President of The Antiochian Women of Saint-George. She had a profound love of her Church and unshakeable Faith.
For all her well-grounded practicality, Ruby was also a poet of noble thought, penning many a poem published in the then Montreal Star and The Gazette newspapers. She received personal commendation from Queen Elizabeth for a poem written for the Queen’s Coronation. At age 87, Ruby was called upon to read one of her poems, an homage to soldiers’ sacrifice amidst the horrors of war, at a Canadian Armed Forces Remembrance Day Ceremony in Belgium.
Visitation at Urgel Bourgie Funeral Home, 1255 ave. Beaumont, Ville Mont-Royal, Qc., H3P 3H9, Sunday November 16, 2 -5 pm and 7-9 pm. Funeral service will be held Monday, November 17, 11 am at Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Church, 555 Jean Talon East, Montreal, Qc., H3R 1T8 preceded by 10 am visitation.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Church.