Colette Home-Douglas, long-time resident of Ajijic and Vista del Lago, passed away early on May 28 at her home after a four-year battle with cancer. She was 73. Her husband John passed away of prostate cancer on April 21, just five weeks prior.
Colette was born in Three Rivers, Quebec in 1939. At the age of 16, having completed high school two years early and at her fathers request, she was hired to work for a Supreme Court judge. She took on that task for an eight-year period. During that time, she worked with Jean Chrétien (who later became Prime Minister of Canada) but at that time, he was an articling student.
She met Russell Potter, an avid golfer, in 1958 and they married in July 1960. Russell passed away of leukemia in January 1970, leaving Colette a widow at the age of 31.
In 1972 Colette worked as an executive secretary for the president of Editel Productions in Montreal. John Home-Douglas was brought into the company to take over the president’s position. Once in a relationship, she left Editel and worked for the law firm of Stikeman Elliott in Montreal. She completed her career as a freelance French and English translator. In 1978, John and Colette married. She had bought a home in Puerto Vallarta in 1974 and she and John started spending more and more time there. After John retired in 1982 they divided their year between Mexico and Vermont, where they built a 2,300-square-foot house.
In 1989, when Puerto Vallarta grew a little too big for their liking, John and Colette moved to Ajijic, where she loved the climate and the expat Canadians and Americans whom she met. In the early 1990s, the couple joined the Chapala Country Club and for the next two decades they spent countless hours playing their beloved course. Colette served as secretary and treasurer of the board. After selling the Vermont home in 1990, John and Colette lived full-time in Mexico. In 1999 they moved from Ajijic to Vista del Lago.
People who knew Colette were invariably impressed by her wonderful story telling, her gracious and outgoing personality and sheer determination and love of life. She was an incredible interior decorator, loved entertaining her many friends and was a master chef.
She leaves behind her sisters, Yolande and Nicole; her nephew Matthew, his wife Julie Attif and their children, Felix and Zoe; and her step children, Rod, Susan and Pierre.
A memorial service is planned for Colette and John on August 25.