Nova Therrien

Nova Therrien

Nova Therrien, 88, of Sault Ste. Marie, formerly of Mackinac Island, was the matriarch of the Wolford and Smith families and was an excellent cook and baker, and also a midwife, who worked on Mackinac Island for most of her life. Mrs. Therrien died Tuesday, September 13, 2005, at War Memorial Hospital in Sault Ste. Marie.

She was born November 1, 1916, in Mackinaw City to Floyd and Mary (nee Perrault) Wolford. She lived on Mackinac Island until 1989, when she moved to Sault Ste. Marie for health reasons.

Over the years, Mrs. Therrien worked as a bookkeeper for Therrien Dray Lines, as a cook, baker, and “absentee mother” for youth working for the Benser and Nephew group, worked for the MRA, and baked for Little Bob’s on Mackinac. Mrs. Therrien won many ribbons at the Stalwart Fair for her baking. She enjoyed baking treats and giving them away. Mrs. Therrien was also a midwife on Mackinac Island, working with Stella King and Dr. McDonald to provide the only health care on the Island at that time.

Mrs. Therrien was active in Ste. Anne’s Catholic Church and was recently a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church at Sault Ste. Marie. She was an elder of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. She enjoyed animals, particularly dogs and birds, and enjoyed playing bingo and casino games. She loved flowers and for many years made balsam pillows for the Mackinac Island Christmas bazaar.

Friends said Mrs. Therrien was a very strong lady, who let people know her opinions in a loving way.

She is survived by her sons and their families, Matthew and Dieanna Therrien, of Sault Ste. Marie, and Shane, of St. Ignace; two brothers and their families, Raymond and Geri Smith of Garden City and Don “Duckey” and Jeanne Smith of Sault Ste. Marie; two sisters and their families, Donna and Larry Weston of Stalwart and Onalee and Bruce Cable of Wyandotte; a brother-in-law, Clair Edwards, of Brimley; four grandchildren, Jamie, Amber, Shenee, and Pamela; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews, including Jodi Gough, Bobbie Lee, Megan Smith, Janise Fallstich, and Sally Porter.

Mrs. Therrien was preceded in death by her mother and stepfather, Mary and Ozro Smith, her husband, Herbert “Sonny” Therrien, who died in 1978, two sisters, June Brown, who died in 1990, and Sally Edwards, who died in 2005, and a brother, Homer Wolford, who died in an automobile accident in Detroit.

Friends called at Dodson Funeral Home in St. Ignace Friday, September 16, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with parish prayers at 7 p.m. with Deacon Donald Olmstead. Mass of Christian Burial was at Ste. Anne’s Church on Mackinac Island with Father Dick Murphy and Brother Jim Boynton officiating. Members of her family served as pallbearers. Burial was at Ste. Anne’s Cemetery beside her husband.

Memorials may be directed to the Lioness Club on Mackinac Island, where Mrs. Therrien was a member.