Cécile Dionne passes away at age of 91

One of the famed Dionne Quints has passed away.

“Cécile has passed away at 91 years of age,” says Ed Valenti, Chair of the Dionne Quints Heritage Board. “We’re sorry to hear that. Obviously, she’s had a very difficult life along with all the Quints and Dionne family.”

Described by the inventor of Corn Flakes as the 8th wonder of the world, the Dionne Quintuplets were born on May 28, 1934.

Cécile’s death leaves Annette as the sole surviving Dionne quintuplet.

Emilie passed away in 1954, Marie died in 1970, and Yvonne passed away in 2001.

Valenti says with the passage of time and everyone getting older, education around the Dionne Quints story is becoming more important.

“I think it’s a good historical analysis that when looking back at those years that governments should not be raising children,” he says. “I think that’s the big story that comes out it.”

March 1935 saw the Ontario Government declare the Dionne Quints special wards of the crown, in what it said was an effort to keep the babies at home and not exhibited in Chicago.

But their lives would end up on display.

Millions would come to the North Bay area and Quintland.

In 1998, the Ontario government apologized to the three remaining Dionne sisters and awarded compensation for being exploited as children.

Richard Coffin has been a reporter and news anchor on the radio in North Bay for over 25 years.  From premiers to people in the neighbourhood, he enjoys connecting with newsmakers and writing stories that matter to area listeners on a variety of topics including healthcare, education, politics, sports and more.