NIJHUIS (Deveau), Patricia Ann

Of Orton, aged 81, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on the afternoon of Monday, July 13, 2026, after a brief but courageous battle with Cancer. She is survived by her daughter Sarah (Ramesh); son Jason (Andrea); grandchildren Isabella, Rebecca and Logan; brother Doug (Theresa) and her many nieces and nephews (Cheryl, Jamie, Jennifer, Josh, Aaislinn, Sean, Laura, Scott, Pam, Sue, Dieter and Damon); Maisy, Julian, Aaliyah and her other great nieces and nephews. Patricia was predeceased by her beloved husband, Lionel; parents, Alfred and Dorothy; and her brother, James Deveau. Pat (Patti/Patsy) was fiercely independent and often referred to herself as a pioneer. Whether it be growing her own tomatoes and herbs, or spending hours in her beautiful flower gardens, she embraced country life. Even the not-so-great parts like days-long power outages. When she was offered refuge, she would puff out her chest and exclaim “I’m okay here, I’ve got a fire going”. There wasn’t any challenge that Pat, her cat Della, and her neighbor Gladys couldn’t handle together. Pat was also very proud of her East Coast roots (Nova Scotia) and made great efforts to stay connected any way she could with the friends and extended family that mattered most to her. She was so happy that she visited home one last time a few years ago. Pat’s faith was a guiding force throughout her life. She was a devoted member of St. John Brebeuf Parish for more than 40 years, where she actively contributed to the parish community in many ways and found friendship, purpose, and spiritual comfort through her lifelong commitment to her church. Pat enjoyed her visits to Judy’s Restaurant, Eramosa Cafe and The Tin Roof Cafe where she would make the rounds and say hi to anyone she knew, and that included many of the staff who got to know her order off by heart. Above all else, her greatest love was for her family. Pat was the heart of her family’s home for 54 years, a devoted wife, homemaker and matriarch who took great pride in caring for Lionel and her family. She ran a tight ship, with freshly prepared meals, perfectly ironed shirts, and a home that reflected her love, hard work, and unwavering dedication. She treasured her weekly chats with her dear friend Patricia Woods, and nothing brought her more joy than gathering family around the table for Easter, Christmas, and other celebrations, where her homemade pies and goodie trays became cherished family traditions. Sarah and Jason are so grateful that Pat and Lionel adopted them and loved and raised them as their own. They couldn’t have asked for more supportive and loving parents. It was with this great love and support that Sarah, Jason, and the rest of the family dedicated much of their time over the last 6 months, caring for Pat and being her advocate through a very difficult illness. Pat was also a wonderful Nana to her three grandchildren. She was always so excited to hear from them, see them, and participate in their lives. Watching shows or reading books so that she could have passionate conversations about them, attending plays, concerts, sporting events and graduations, liking social media posts etc. The grandkids knew without a doubt that they were loved and heard. Sometimes, they got an earful, but it was always in a loving way to pass on years of wisdom and experience. Lastly, the family would like to thank the caring and compassionate Doctors and Staff at the Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) @ Midtown (Cancer Centre and Hospital). Our Mom loved you all and said many times that she was so happy to be where she was for her final days. Thank you, Dr. Potter, Dr. Califaretti, Dr. Glick, Dr. Leonard, Dr. Franchetto, and Dr. Schwarz. Also thank you to the nurses, especially Faz, Emily, Willow, Daniella, and Katie. Special thanks to Ghania from Palliative Care. As well as the RT’s and the rest of the staff on the 6th floor of the Oncology Unit. Please know that what you do makes a difference to the patient and the family. Arrangements entrusted to Gilbert MacIntyre & Son Family Funeral Home at 1099 Gordon Street in Guelph. Cremation has taken place. Funeral Mass arrangements are as follows. Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2026. Location: St. John Brebeuf Church, 24 Millwood Rd, Erin, ON, N0B 1T0. Times: 1:00pm – 2:00pm. Visitation 2:00pm – 3:00pm Funeral Mass.