Denyse Lemieux
As the only girl in a family with four brothers and living in a community with more boys than girls, it was only natural that Denise Brazeau Lemieux was involved in many sporting activities when young.
Denise was born May 13, 1942 to Odilon Brazeau and his wife, Blanche Menard, of Glen Roberston. They farmed in the Dalhousie area and Denise attended the local school and then Glengarry District High School in Alexandria. In high school, Denise took part in all athletic activities from basketball, track and field to skating. She played on the girls’ basketball team in 1957, 1958 and 1959 and was always one of the top scorers in each game.
After leaving high school Denise took part in many different summer and winter sports. In 1979 during the Alexandria Winter Carnival she competed in the Richelieu Carnival Marathon ski race finishing second, only one second behind the winner.
Denise also took up curling and was third with the team that won the Brownsburg Mixed Bonspiel in Lachute in 1972-73. Had she continued with this sport, an informant stated, “She would have become proficient as she showed a natural ability.”
In addition, she was an active bowler participating in the 1962-63 Mixed Bowling League continuing to the 1965-55 season. Although Denise was active in and enjoyed all sports, it was golf which became her favourite game.
In the summer of 1963 she decided to tee off on the golf course and by the season’s end she was a participant in the semi-final round for the Ladies’ Club Championships, coming second in a close game. This was only the beginning for Denise as the following year she captured the Alexandria Ladies’ Club Championship. She also earned the ladies’ ringer honours.
Subsequent years saw her win the Ladies Club Championship in 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970 and 1971 giving her a total of seven championships in eight years. Competing in the O’Keefe Tournament she captured top honours three consecutive years from 1965-1967. She also was the winner of the Molson Tournament in both 1966 and 1967.
The President’s Trophy, now called the Glengarry Open, was awarded to Denise three consecutive years, from 1965 to 1967 and again in 1970. Work commitments kept her from playing golf as often as she would have liked so she withdrew from competitive play in the early ‘70s.
Denise served as Vice-President of the Alexandria Ladies golf executive for the 1965 season and the following year she acted as Club Captain. Denise was also active in the Twi-Lite League and was a winner in a tournament sponsored by Roy’s Lancaster Park Annual in 1990 and 1991.
Denise has been a valued employee of Roy’s Pontiac, Buick Cadillac in Green Valley for the past 28 years serving as the Customer Service Co-Ordinator. She is married to Robert Lemieux and they reside in Green Valley. Now she golfs for fun and relaxation.
