Marie-Ange Senneville Filizola, known by everyone as Marie, joined the Blessed Mother and her Son in Heaven Sunday, November 4 2018 at 2am.

Marie was born on April 14, 1935 in the tiny village of La Visitation in the provence of Quebec, Canada. Born to Eugenie Courchesne and Adelard Senneville, Marie was one of 12 children, 7 boys and 5 girls. The family was raised on a farm, a main product being the maple syrup that needed to be tended in the sugar shack on long cold nights. One of Marie’s best memories growing up were the pies her mother would make, one pie for each child. Marie always chose sugar pie, which remained a favorite her whole life.

As a young woman, Marie moved to Miami, Florida in search of adventure. She certainly found it when she was ordered by police to leave the beach for wearing a bikini back when that was considered scandalous. Working as a cocktail waitress at a popular Miami club, she met her husband Steven Filizola.

Steve was from Brooklyn, NY and traveled to Miami in search of a girl. He had attended his friends Sal and Elaine’s first anniversary party, where everyone encouraged him to get himself a wife of his own. When he jokingly asked the couple where he could find one, they told him Florida, the place they had gone on their honeymoon. As luck would have it, he found Marie, and asked her to marry him and come back with him to Brooklyn. So Marie left the sunny beaches of Miami, and, more modestly dressed, married Steve and moved to Brooklyn, NY in 1965.

Marie and Steve had two children, Monique and Matthew. While living in Brooklyn, Marie was very active in the elementary school, serving on the PTA and various other committees. The family would often vacation at the Sugar Maples in the Catskill Mountains, a resort similar to the one in the movie Dirty Dancing, where Marie and Steve met their life long friends, Don and Terry, with whom they enjoyed playing shuffleboard and other games.

In 1977 the family moved to Chester, NY where Marie remained active in her children’s school, eventually getting a job in the school cafeteria. She worked there for almost 20 years, where several generations of children came to love seeing ‘Mrs. Fili’ in the lunchroom every day. The teachers appreciated going to the cafeteria and being greeted by Marie’s laughter and willingness to make them whatever they wanted for lunch. Marie also volunteered as a cub scout leader for several years. She made many friends in Chester, several that she kept in touch with through the years.

When Steve retired from Western Union, Marie retired as well and in 1999 the couple moved to Pinehurst, NC to the retirement community Pinehurst Trace. The move allowed them to be closer to their children and grandchildren living in Raleigh. Marie loved those grandchildren! She came to the house to stay and help out at each of their births, and could not stop talking about them to anyone who would listen. Marie and Steve were very active in the social life at the Trace, attending and helping plan various events. Marie was a founding member of the Red Hat ladies group at the Trace, often going out to lunch with her friends. She would be at the clubhouse almost every day, playing Mahjong, Canasta, Euchre, Hand and Foot, and Bingo. A true Senneville, Marie did not only play for fun, she played to win, and often did win, much to everyone’s consternation.

Marie would frequently travel to Canada to visit her brothers, sisters and other family. She and her sisters spent many hours playing cards, Rummikube, and other games, each of them trying to win and some of them occasionally cheating.

In 2002 Marie developed small cell lung cancer, a disease with a poor prognosis. Against all odds, Marie was in remission from lung cancer for many years. During her recovery, many people began sending her angels, which formed a beloved collection displayed throughout her house.

However, the cancer treaments eventually took a toll on her body, and she was no longer able to adequately clear fluid from her chest. Marie was hospitalized in July 2018 with respiratory failure. While in the hospital, her husband Steve had a stroke and is now in long term care. After being released from the hospital, Marie lived for 2 months with Monique and her family in Raleigh.

During that time, Marie got to spend quality time with her daughter Monique and husband Phil, and their children Jacob, Emily, Rachel and Carolyn. Marie also frequently saw her son Matt, also in Raleigh, and his wife Candice and daughters Madeleine and Kaitlyn. Marie also received a visit from her one remaining sister, Bertrande, who traveled from Canada to be with her. Those two months were wonderful for the whole family, we will always treasure that time together.

Sadly, the Mahjong game on earth will have to go on without its greatest player. Marie was easy to know and to love. She will be missed by all the Red Hat ladies, and everyone else in the Pinehurst Trace Community as well as friends back in NY. Marie will also be missed by her remaining siblings Bertrande, Norman, Olier, and Guy.

Most of all, she will be missed by her husband Steve, Monique and Phil and their children, and Matt and Candice and their daughters. We don’t know how we will go on without you, but rejoice that you are at peace and free from the pain you suffered from for many years. May you find rest and peace in your Mother’s arms and finally see the angels you grew to love. We know that somewhere in heaven there is a game going on, where you are already the winner!

The funeral will be Saturday Nov. 10 at 1:00 pm at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Raleigh.