Obituary of Marissa Rashelle Froese
On Friday December 22nd, 2023, my lovely wife Marissa Froese (Downey) went home to Jesus after a long hard battle with breast cancer. She was surrounded by family and friends at the Annapolis Community Health Centre in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia.
Marissa “Missy” was born on December 16th, 1983. She is now with her brother Shay (1969-1986), and will be missed by her parents Jerry and Mary (Fairbrother) Downey, siblings Leah, Angie, Sarah, Joleen, Jordan, Shaylene, Jerrod and their families. The list of people who will miss her is far too long to include.
On Saturday December 16th Marissa celebrated her 40th birthday in perfect Marissa style. She started the day with a birthday breakfast (a family tradition)….then she had me drive her over to the barn to milk her cow Mabel (the first time in a long time)….she then proceeded to go thrifting with a good friend…followed by a birthday meal with friends where she could not help but be the host, even though she didn’t make the food. :)
It was great. She was great.
She had fought cancer long and hard to spend as much time as she could loving me and our girls. The following day her health took an unexpected sharp downward turn.
She was always herself. She cared deeply about the truth. She loved real things like linen, wool, cast iron, and copper. Somehow she seemed to know the favourite food of…everyone. She had an amazing knack for making incredible friends, and keeping them. She was fiercely loyal.
Seeing her life inspired you to be better…to value real wholesome things not because it’s trendy but because it’s good…to stand up for the truth even when it’s not popular…to go to the beach with your kids even if you have to use a cane or a wheelchair…to really love your neighbour…to really love Jesus. She wasn’t perfect, but she was really trying to be like Jesus.
I love her so very much. Our girls, Aneliese (15), Cecily(14), and Kathleen(12) love her so very much. She showed us true strength so that even now that she’s gone we can carry on really living life to the fullest…supported by our family, incredible friends, and faith.
We miss her desperately. We are filled with tears, but we are also filled with memories that make us laugh.
We thank God for her and hope you will join us by doing the same.
Dan (and the girls)
*If you would like to give something in Marissa’s memory please do the following. Get to know your neighbours, find out what they really need, and give that to them. It might just be a cup of tea and a listening ear.
..........
Memorial Gathering
On February 3, there will be a memorial for Marissa hosted at Weston Christian Fellowship. It will be a time to come together to remember and celebrate Marissa’s life; from the time she was a cute little cowgirl, till she went off to college, married Dan, started a family, and journeyed to Nova Scotia to live on a farm with Dan and her three girls.
Her desire in life was to honour Jesus, and we aim to do the same as we remember her together.
February 3, 2024. 2pm Time of Sharing.
2pm to 4pm Open House.
Location: 3611 Brooklyn St, Berwick, NS, B0P 1A0