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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
BOURASSA, Raymond Maurice Joseph - Our dad, Ray, passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 15, 2024, seven days shy of his 93rd birthday. Raymond will be lovingly remembered by daughter, Sue (Carl) Coté, grandsons, Darcy (Ashley) Coté and Dean Coté; daughter, Pauline Scott, granddaughter, Gillian Scott and grandson, Justin Scott; daughter, Caroline (Kelvin) Neufeld, granddaughters, Stephanie (Darian) Zacharias, Jennifer (Zachary) Friesen and grandson, Michael Caryk; as well as many in-laws, nieces and nephews and many great friends. He was predeceased by his wife, Lois (Geiger), parents, Emile and Lea Bourassa (Labbee), father-in-law and mother-in-law, John and Edna Geiger, as well as all of his siblings and many brothers and sisters in-law.
Dad was born on July 22, 1931, in the small town of Radville, SK, to Emile and Lea Bourassa. He was the third youngest of 12 children. He spoke fondly of growing up in a big family next to his father’s business, E Bourassa and Sons. Dad left home in his late teens and had a variety of jobs throughout Western Canada before he joined the Royal Canadian Navy. He was on a supply ship in the Korean War and finished his five-year military service in the port at Churchill, MB.
After the Navy, Dad again bounced around between jobs and locations until he finally landed in Thompson, MB, working for Inco (now called Vale Canada Limited) , first in the warehouse and then in purchasing. It was in Thompson that Dad met Mom when they were on a bowling team together. Mom and Dad married in late 1964 and by 1970 they had welcomed their three daughters. Together they built a home in Thompson which included curling, Knights of Columbus, many other service clubs, camping, and the church. Dad’s faith and involvement in the Catholic church never wavered throughout his life.
Mom and Dad’s biggest adventure as a young family was when they leased land at Setting Lake, Road #3. Dad designed and built a family cabin there that all of us enjoyed and still have fond memories of.
When Dad turned 55, he retired from Inco and the family moved to Brandon, MB. Here, Dad continued to work, first in real estate, then odd positions, ultimately ending up as a civilian worker at Shilo military base close to Brandon. Dad retired for good at 65 years old in 1996. He and Mom started to enjoy traveling and even re-started camping. Together, the light of their later years was their seven grandchildren.
In his late 60s, Dad designed a house that he and Mom then built in Brandon. Sadly, this dream house didn’t last long, as shortly after its completion Mom lost her battle with cancer in 2002.
Dad rebuilt his life and started to travel again, became involved in Seniors for Seniors in Brandon, and curling. Curling was a lifelong love of Dad’s only stopping in his mid-80s.
Dad had a long, healthy and independent life. It was only in the last five years that health issues related to age began to creep in. In late September of 2023, Dad moved into the Memory Care cottages at Bergen Gardens in Winnipeg. He will be remembered as a calm and gentle man who had eternal optimism for the future and a deep faith.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. Augustine’s Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, with Fr. John Okosun as celebrant. Words of Remembrance were by Catherine Walker, a close family friend. A private family interment followed at Madford Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations are made to Diabetes Canada or the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba. (The Brandon Sun 03 Aug 2024)
Photo from the Crowsnest magazine Jul 1954
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