Yvette M. Ziraldo

Our beloved Mother, Yvette (Rainville) Ziraldo was born on February 5, 1926 in Willowbunch, Saskatchewan, Canada and departed us on January 24, 2019. She was a daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, and friend. An extraordinary being that lived a most wonderful life.

Her parents were Ernest & Mary Rainville and Yvette was the eldest of ten children. Her upbringing was spartan but full of love.

In 1941 the family relocated from the farm in Big River, Saskatchewan, to the big city of Windsor, Ontario Canada. She would later tell us, "It was exciting because on the main street they used to have a big screen telling people about the soldiers in the war. I was curious because we didn't have a radio or a TV before so I was glued to watching the newsreels."

Years later, Yvette met the love of her life, Renato Ziraldo. He came into the diner where she was waitressing, & he became a regular customer just so he could talk to her. She always said he was so handsome that she thought he must be a doctor. They would sit on the porch of her parent's house and talk for hours & dance the night away at a friend's apartment to the same song over and over again as they fell in love.

They had a wonderful marriage filled with lots of love and laughter, until Renato passed in 1992. Following his passing, Yvette moved to Fresno, CA, where she loved to spend time outside working in her yard and gardening. She is survived by her daughter Marie (Jeffrey) Ross, daughter Kathy (Nick) Russo, son Rick (Sandy) Ziraldo, daughter Yvette (Glenn) Oyabe, nine grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren and sisters Simone Zavitz, Bea Rainville, Doris Denes, Cecile Helm, Pauline Thomas and brother Paul Rainville.

Brothers Leo Rainville, Dennis Rainville, sister Florence Rainville and son Randy Ziraldo preceded her in death.

She was a competitive game player. She was curious about many things and would laugh at all of our stupid antics and jokes, what a wonderful sense of humor she had. She relished the family water fights and whipped cream fights. She generously dedicated herself to the raising of our family, and we all know how blessed we are to have had her as our Mother. She was authentic and true. We are so grateful for her love and for the memories she gave us.

Yvette's family will receive friends 9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Friday, February 1, 2019 at Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care. A Mass of Christian Burial will be Celebrated by Fr. John D. Fleckenstein 11:00 a.m. Friday, February 1, 2019 at St. Philip Roman Catholic Church, 92 Capital Avenue N.E., Battle Creek, MI 49017. Committal and entombment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Memorial contributions in memory opf Yvette may be made to Shriner's Hospital for Children, 2211 North Oak Park Avenue, Chicago, IL 60707-3392. Personal messages for the family or remembrances of Yvette may be placed here at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.