Obituary of Elsie Laduke

In Loving Memory of Elsie Jean Laduke

December 11, 1932 – February 20, 2026

I was born on December 11, 1932, to Dorothy and Everett Oakley on a farm in Kingsbury, Quebec. I was the sixth of seven children. One brother died at infancy in 1925. I lived in Montreal and Sherbrooke, Quebec, working as a youth. In January 1954, a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses called, and we began to study the Bible together. My oldest sister had already told us some of what she had learned. I was anxious to know more about Jehovah. I was baptized on May 15^th 1954 in Longueil, Quebec, although I knew very little in the few months of Bible study. I was baptized for 72 years. I moved to Mississauga to live at my brother’s house Fred Oakley in 1966. I met Lester Laduke who our family had known in Quebec as our farms were close by.

Lester and I were married on June 14^th 1969. We attended the Lakeview Congregation for years. About 1980 Lester began not feeling well. He had two serious surgeries over the years and passed away October 30^th 1987.  My mother passed away in 1988.

I started to auxiliary pioneer in 1988, then in 1989 started regular pioneering, encouraged to do so by Judy Turner, and have been pioneering now for over three decades.

My sister Marjory had also learned the truth as well as Fred. Sadly, Marjory passed away on February 18,2011 and Fred passed away on August 13^th, 2012. I miss them both very much as well as their mates Wally and Mae.

I have two brothers, Ronald and Lorne (deceased 2018) Ronald Oakley has been very kind to me over the years. I have two nieces in the truth Shirley Cole and Lyda Pelly (deceased 2025), and other nieces and nephews.

There have been hard times in my life, but many blessings and I am grateful that Jehovah has always been there for me and the fine friends such as Basil and Jodi Trotman, Harold and Donna White, and Alfie and Jizelle Francis.

I am still trying to regular pioneer, but I am now on the infirm list. I am not as active as I would like, but Jehovah still sustains me and I thank him for all my blessings.

As written by Elsie