Sask. author pays tribute to teacher who helped shape her future

“I told the sisters at school what had happened. One of them actually told me, ‘Well, you can’t go back there, so you’re going to come back and stay with us until we figure out something’.”

For the next six weeks, she lived with the sister teachers, and what began as a temporary solution soon became something much deeper. With each passing day, a bond formed between Fraser and one teacher in particular.

“She became a good role model for me. She took an interest in me; she cared for me.”

Fraser referred to this lady as ‘Sister John’, her homeroom and French teacher. This act of compassion grew into a connection that would last decades. John became someone Fraser admired and turned to for guidance through many chapters of her life.

But in 2010, the two lost contact. Fraser went on to become a registered counsellor, working with newcomers as they adjusted to a new country and was content with where life had taken her.

Years later, an unexpected conversation brought that connection back.

“One day, I was chatting with my students. One of them told me that she was working for the sisters, and she was a care aide. I said, ‘Well, you must know this one sister that I know’, and she says, ‘Yes, I do’.”

Fraser spent months deciding whether to reach out. Eventually, she paid Sister John a visit.

“She was really happy to see me,” Fraser said. “We shared some pretty intimate moments, some of our experiences together. I started caring for her. The bond was there. It never left, believe it or not, it never left.”

Four months before her passing in 2024, Fraser made a promise to Sister John to write their story, one rooted in mentorship, compassion, and a lifelong connection.

She kept that promise.

Last month, Fraser’s book The Morning I Walked Her Home was published, with all proceeds directed to Sister John’s home parish, St. Leon’s Catholic Church in Jackfish, Sask.

‘The Morning I Walked Her Home’ written by Shelley Fraser. (Image Credit: Shelley Fraser)

“I just want to give back for what she did for me. It’s a part of her, her community. Without her guidance, her support, and her care, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” said the author.

Her efforts to honor that legacy did not stop with the book. She also purchased a memorial bench in Sister John’s name, creating a lasting place of reflection.

“This summer, her sister family is coming out, and they’re going to have the bench blessed there as well. I think that’s why I’m doing this, to help them as a part of my appreciation,” she said.

For those connected to the church, the gesture carries deep meaning.

“It is refreshing to see such a positive outcome connected to the history here,” said Gisele L’heureux, treasurer of St. Leon’s Catholic Church. “Her determination to ensure Sister John’s legacy is not forgotten, first with the memorial bench and now with her book, speaks to the depth of their relationship. It saddens me that others were not as fortunate.”

Proceeds from the book will help keep the church running, supporting ongoing maintenance and contributing to the cost of a new furnace.

Fraser’s book is available locally through the Jackfish church, as well as online, allowing others to share in a story that began decades ago with a simple act of kindness.

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Alyssa.rudolph@pattisonmedia.com

by Alyssa Rudolph

Sask. author pays tribute to teacher who helped shape her future

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