It was fun to get to know her and a privilege to work with her.
Marlene Gaudry was one of those personalities with an infectious smile and an ability to get things done by causing as few ripples as possible. But, if ripples needed to appear on what would otherwise be calm waters, she could make that happen too 鈥� often followed by that infectious smile and possibly a lot of laughter.
In other words, Marlene knew what she was doing, and if she didn鈥檛, she learned how.
鈥淪he was the one who most often stepped up,鈥� said former Mercury owner/publisher Peter Ng in describing his 25-year association with her.
鈥淪he was one of those employees who had an innate sense of combining people skills with technical understanding of printing and publishing. She transitioned from 小蓝视频 general manager of the Mercury to overseeing Estevan Web Printing and was instrumental in guiding the company to the point where they are now, printing the western edition of the Globe and Mail and many Saskatchewan community newspapers.鈥�
Ng said he will always remember 鈥淢arlene鈥檚 wicked sense of humour and positive attitude and her family pride. We all will miss her so much.鈥�
First diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer in the spring of 2013, she fought the good fight with her well-refined sense of humour and courage, before finally succumbing to it at the age of 49.
A graduate of Miller High School in Regina and the SIAST graphic arts production program, Marlene and her husband Duane, whom she married in 1986, arrived in Estevan in 1988 where she worked briefly for Estevan Quick Print before joining the Mercury and quickly establishing herself as a person willing to accept responsibility, becoming head of the graphics/production department and later 小蓝视频 named general manager before moving along to the newly emerging Estevan Web Printing that expanded rapidly under her leadership. The plant now publishes over 43 Saskatchewan and Manitoba-based newspapers plus the G&M.
Marlene and Duane welcomed their daughter Zoe Nicole into their lives in November of 1992 and she later immersed herself into Zoe鈥檚 activities, including an ambitious Brownie and Girl Guide program, where again, she showed a willingness to accept leadership roles when asked. Her sewing and scrap booking along with baking and publishing skills were often on display, whether it be with crazy family newsletters, Girl Guide projects or costumes for high school musical productions and company social gatherings.
After enduring three major surgeries and 11 rounds of chemo over the past two years, she still found the time and energy to lend a little last leadership quality to Estevan's Relay for Life as their honourary survivor. She also participated in the Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk of Hope, entering her Crazy Cat Lady team into the event, raising nearly $10,000 for research.
Marlene was predeceased by her father Alois Eiswirth and father-in-law Myland Gaudry and aunt Roberta Grimson. Besides Duane and Zoe, she is also survived by her mother Joan (Grimson) Eiswirth, mother-in-law Roberta Gaudry, siblings Bernie (Diana) Eiswirth, Christine (Brad) Mowat, Barbara (Bob) Kary as well as numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews and many friends and co-workers.
Funeral services were conducted on Monday at the Days Inn Plaza with Doug Third officiating.
Other co-workers and former co-workers shared fond memories of Marlene, including the 惭别谤肠耻谤测鈥檚 sales manager Cindy Beaulieu who noted that Gaudry was full of determination.
聽鈥淎nyone who worked with Marlene will tell you no project was too big or too small. She tackled them with commitment and determination. I enjoyed working with her for over 20 years. I knew on my first day of work, I was with a person I could work with. She was pregnant at the time, and I knew right away when she made a joke about her condition, we could be friends, quite easily. And, of course, with long days and years of working together, colleagues like her become more than just friends, they become family and our Mercury family, those who had the pleasure to work with her, will always remember her amazing gifts of leadership and let鈥檚 not forget her amazing pecan pies and cheese cakes we made her bring to the staff barbecues,鈥� Beaulieu said.
She added her former co-worker was always full of fun and optimism, even in the midst of fighting cancer. 鈥淵es, she inspired many of us, we are better for having known her.鈥�
James Lainton, who assumed many of Marlene鈥檚 duties at Estevan Web Printing after she was forced to take a leave of absence due to her impending medical challenges, described her as probably 鈥溞±妒悠� the best boss I鈥檝e ever had. It was the human element in her that she brought to her position that impressed me most.鈥�
Lainton noted how Marlene treated employees like family and that her management directions always focused on the we, as family, factor and that she had a knack for bringing others into the fold, not necessarily through reprimands, but rather through an outlook of embracing the 鈥榝or the greater good鈥� philosophy of working together.
鈥淪he looked for anything that could be done from her vantage point, always bringing the team up to speed with the goals and jobs we would have to undertake to get there. It was never about her and then us. It was always 鈥榳e,鈥欌�� said Lainton.
He added Marlene had a talent for spotting potential in others and was willing to push them gently into accepting new challenges.
鈥淔amily was first for her, too. No matter whose family it was. Work was second. Vacations and family events that required our attention were important for her. They were not to be put off, or left unattended. They were just plain booked,鈥� he said, and you attended or traveled to whatever vacation spot that was planned or family occasion that required your attendance. She never asked anyone to reconsider family or vacation time.
鈥淪he was so dedicated to the job though,鈥� said Corey Dornian, Estevan Web Printing鈥檚 press foreman. 鈥淪he treated us as sons and daughters. We had our ups and downs, but you know, they were good ups and downs,鈥� he said with a chuckle. 鈥淢arlene was so very personable, we loved and adored her. Some of us worked with her for several years and even as we grew, she was always insisting at running this place as a mom and pop type of operation and it鈥檚 been successful. She was top notch in my books. It鈥檚 a real loss for the company,鈥� Dornian said.
He recounted how he has been involved with the company as it grew from a three-person, small press operation to the 10-tower digital imaging production plant that employs over 60 people now, and Marlene had been the steadying influence throughout that growth, gently keeping all eyes and minds focused on the tasks at hand in an ever-changing work environment.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Hall Funeral Services with Doug Third officiating.
Since Marlene was a well-known lover of cats and dogs, donations in her memory may be directed to the Estevan Humane Society and/or the Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk of Hope, 205-145 Front Street E., Toronto M5A 1E3 www.ovariancancerwalkofhope.ca聽
