NICHOLAS EDGARD ALBERT MARC LE GRAS

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NICHOLAS EDGARD ALBERT MARC LE GRAS DE SAINT GERMAIN With heavy hearts we are sad to announce the sudden passing of a loving, caring husband, father, grand and great-grandfather, brother and friend on March 11, 2013 at the age of 84 years. He leaves to mourn his wife Rita (nee Deslauiers); his four children Ed (Nadine), Nick Jr. (Rachel), Elaine (Rick) Schmidt and Marie Louise, nine grandchildren Kim (Graham), Jeannine (Kyle), Michiel, Jennifer (Neil), Carol, Chantal, Samuel, Matthew, and Arielle; 3 ½ great-grandchildren, Meadow, Paige and Melody; two brothers Fernand (Colette) and Andre (Ilse); sister Rolande, sister-in-law Therese (Albert) and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He was predeceased by siblings Emile, Henri, Louis, Armand, Rose, Elizabeth, Albert, Henriette; his parents Phillip Emile and Marie Louise Le Gras (nee Philippot) and daughter-in-law Janet Jeannine (nee Kerr). Nick was born September 19, 1928 in St. Claude, MB. He started school at the age of seven and stopped at the age of 14 to help out on the family farm, helping his mother bake bread to tending animals and working the fields with his team of horses, which he lost in the barn fire in 1952 along with his car. He worked for the railroad for three years between the sections of St. Claude, Starbuck and Headingley. He would make deliveries then go visit his sweetheart Rita in the milk truck. After they were married Nick worked at the MacClaren Hotel for 15 months, 20 years for the CPR (Canadian Pacific Railway Transport) and 13 years part-time at AVO Sales repairing small motors. In 1976 he started his small gas engine shop. In 1978 he bought a gravel tandem truck and worked 15 years during the summer for the Department of Highways taking him to every corner of Manitoba. He would be gone driving during the week and on weekends worked in his shop fixing engines. During the winter he worked on engines and made lawn furniture, chairs, tables and wishing wells. In 1993 Nick retired to work in his shop and in 2011 he retired from the shop. Besides having his family around, his favourite thing was to cut grass. No one could cut it the way he liked it. He was looking forward to this summer and now it won't be the same without him. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, March 16, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Francois Xavier Roman Catholic Church, 1053 Hwy. 26, St. Francois Xavier, MB. A private family interment will follow at a later date. Donation in Nick's memory may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or CancerCare Manitoba. For those who wish to sign the online Guest Book please visit our website. Chapel Lawn www.chapellawn.ca 885-9715

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 15, 2013