S. Yvette Dufraîche

List of Deceased Sisters

Date of Death 28/03/2017

Sister Yvette Dufraîche

Born: 15 January 1931

Professed: 9 March 1958

Called to eternal life: 28 March 2017

Sister Yvette was born in Paris of the 15 January 1931. She had a sister who died a few years ago. That left her with only a nephew in France. He came twice to visit his aunt in New Caledonia. As soon as he learnt of Yvette’s death he sent a message and thanked us for the affection with which we surrounded his aunt up to the last moment of her life.

Having entered the Missionary Sisters of the Society of Mary, Yvette made profession at Ste Foy-les-Lyon on the 9th March 1955. After that she did her nursing studies in Lyon and obtained her diploma as a state registered nurse. On 22^nd February 1958, she set out for her first mission in New Caledonia. Following a time of experience at the Magnin Clinic, she was sent to the Iles des Pins and then to St Joseph on the island of Ouvea, so that she could put her gifts at the service of the sick.

In 1969 Sister Yvette returned to France in order to do further studies and there she obtained a Diploma of Director of Nursing Schools. She was therefore sent to Port Vila in 1973 to take charge of the School of Nursing. A strong, energetic, well organized woman, she would give the best of herself there. Under her care, so many ni-Vanuatu nurses were formed!

She returned to France in1983 for a time of home leave, but also to take up a nursing position at St Victoret in the Var region. At the request of the Archbishop of Noumea, she began studies in 1989 at the Institute of Family Sciences in Lyon. Upon completion of these studies, she was happy to return to New Caledonia and take responsibility for Family Pastoral Care in the diocese. She devoted all her energy, as well as all her human qualities, at the service of couples preparing for marriage and of families. At the same time, she was concerned about young people, such as her work with the APAA (Association for people struggling with alcohol abuse) as also the CDJD (Diocesan Committee for Justice and Peace). Sister Yvette was also a member for many years of the committee that organized and ran the Notre Dame of Tene program and pilgrimage, as well as being on the Diocesan Ethics’ Committee. Her dynamism was boundless, she stopped at nothing, and got up and kept going in the face of difficulties. Even after two serious motor accidents in 1994 and 1999, she continued driving… It was not her time to yet!

However ill health and advancing years got the better of Sister Yvette. Since 2014 she had struggled to maintain her health and live. On 27^th October 2016 she fractured her hip and was hospitalised. She never recovered from this. Her final weeks were painful ones. Conscious until her final breath, she struggled while placing herself in the hands of Him whom she had loved and served throughout more than 62 years as a Missionary Sister of the Society of Mary.

Yvette, thank you for all you have been for your sisters and for your many friends. You left us when you were called by the Lord to receive your eternal reward - a beautiful reward at the end of such a full life, totally given to God for the Kingdom in the spirit of Mary.

Sr M. Ida Briffod smsm