French Canadian Interview Project

Cecile LaMarre Enright was born March 20, 1925 in Bourbonnais, Illinois to Amedee and Bernadette (Messier) LaMarre. Cecile's great grandparents came from France to Montreal, Canada. Her ancestors came to Canada back in the 1600's. Cecile had a brother and a sister and she was the youngest of three children. Her sister Florence was four years older than her and her brother Bernard was six years older. Her schooling was done at Notre Dame Convent in Bourbonnais. Cecile was there for twelve years of schooling from grammar school to high school. She graduated from the all-girl school in 1942 with a class of only twelve girls.

During the World War II days, Cecile used to go down to Rantoul on Friday nights and go dancing. A busload of people went every weekend and it is one of her fondest memories. In 1943, Cecile moved up to Chicago and found her career with the airlines. She was pretty familiar with the city because she had been up there to visit her sister on many occasions. In 1953, Cecile married Edmund Enright and in 1954 the couple moved to California where Cecile would live for the next thirty years.  Edmund died in 1975.

Cecile has always been a firm believer of the Roman Catholic Church. She attends church at Maternity Blessed Virgin Mary and religion has played an important role in her life. Cecile's ancestors were from France and she is not a stranger to France herself. Between 1973 and 1991, she was an interpreter in France and she promoted the French language as well. Cecile said that she has been there at least thirty times.

While working for American Airlines, Cecile organized celebrity tennis matches in Monaco.  She met Prince Albert, Prince Rainier, and Grace Kelly.  Cecile also worked as a personal secretary to the singer Ed Ames.  Over the years she has visited the White House twice, but strange enough she says she never got to meet the president out of two visits. Cecile enjoys traveling, gardening, genealogy, and staying involved with the community. Cecile moved back to Bourbonnais in 1990 and currently lives there today. She is amazed at how much the town has changed over the years.

For more information about Cecile LeMarre Enright, see the April 5, 1993 issue of Kankakee's The Daily Journal article entitled "This Small Town Girl has come Home to History."