Longstanding ties to Moncton’s Roman Catholic community and decades of local work and family life mark the passing of Eileen Ann (Keenan) Fournier, who died peacefully on Aug. 12, 2026 at Albert House, surrounded by family after a courageous battle with cancer.
Local roots and a life centred on family and parish
Born on Feb. 20, 1938 in Howard, along the Miramichi River, Fournier moved to Moncton after completing her schooling in Blackville to seek employment. Over the years she became well known locally as a devoted wife, mother and active parishioner.
Her obituary notes a long association with St. Augustine’s Roman Catholic Church in Moncton. When she and her husband spent time at their cottage in Walton’s Beach, she also attended St. Clement’s Roman Catholic Parish in Port Elgin. Through these connections, she was part of congregations that play a visible role in the region’s social and spiritual life.
Career and community contribution
Fournier later entered the retail workforce and retired after 25 years at Zellers. Her career there placed her among thousands of New Brunswickers whose working lives were woven into the province’s retail and service sectors over recent decades. While the obituary emphasises her role at home in earlier years — raising children and tending to family life — the years spent in paid employment added a public dimension to her daily life in Moncton.
Family, food and cherished traditions
Family was central to Fournier’s daily life. The obituary lists her husband of 66 years, Jean-Guy Fournier, and their four children — Darlene, Tony, Paul and Phil — along with nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. It highlights how many of her happiest moments were in the kitchen: making molasses cookies, baking bread and rolls, and preparing a much-loved spaghetti sauce for family gatherings and turkey suppers.
“Her family and friends were her greatest joy,” the obituary says.
Those everyday gestures — shared meals, holiday gatherings and cottage weekends at Walton’s Beach — are a familiar measure of community life in the Moncton area, where multigenerational families often remain close across years and seasons.
Survivors and predeceased relatives
The obituary names many relatives who predeceased her, including parents Willie and Lillian Keenan and several siblings and in-laws. Those left to cherish her memory include her husband, children and a number of siblings and in-laws who remain part of the extended family network.
| Relationship | Named individuals / count |
|---|---|
| Spouse | Jean-Guy Fournier |
| Children | Darlene, Tony, Paul, Phil Fournier |
| Grandchildren | Tasha, Jessica, Jonathan, Josh, Jeremy, Jordan, Marc, Celia, Charlie (9) |
| Great-grandchildren | Seth, Grayson, Alexis, Parker, Jayce, Callum, Hunter, Kurt (8) |
- Born: Feb. 20, 1938, Howard, N.B.
- Died: Aug. 12, 2026, Albert House
- Work: 25 years with Zellers; earlier devoted years to homemaking and family care
Arrangements and funeral details were provided through Fergusons Funeral Home. The obituary serves as a reminder of the many quieter lives that contribute to Moncton’s civic, religious and family life — people whose commitments to parish, workplace and home knit neighbourhoods together across generations.
Members of the community who remember Fournier for her parish involvement, her work at Zellers or for family gatherings at Walton’s Beach may wish to consult funeral-home notices for service times and information on how to share condolences with the family.
