RALPH EDWARD DECOCK

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RALPH EDWARD DECOCK On Sunday, July 31, 2016, surrounded by love, our dad journeyed on to heaven to be with our mom. Mabel passed on July 1, 2016, and dad could no longer live without his sweetheart and passed with a broken heart. Ralph was the third oldest of six siblings, born in St. Boniface on December 23, 1926, to Frank and Mary Decock From the tender young age of 16, dad worked hard and earned the respect of many of his co-workers. He worked as a top loader on the drag lines in Ontario for nine years until the spring of 1952, which helped feed his family back home in Rosewood, Mb. He was always proud that he could contribute to his family's wellbeing and instilled the trait in us that we should always help out wherever and whenever we can. On a trip home from the bush, dad went to a dance in Lorette and spotted Mabel. He borrowed a pair of shoes so he could ask her to dance and from that day on, as he told us many times, "There was no other girl for me". They were married on May 3, 1952 and celebrated 64 years of marriage, a true love story right until the end. In 1953 dad and mom bought a farm in St. Anne, where together they worked hard to make ends meet, raising cattle, harvesting crops and all the other joys that accompany farm life. In 1965 they decided a change was needed and they moved to Selkirk where dad had a couple of odd jobs before settling in to work at Abex for 22 years, which is now known as Amsco Products. Dad loved to go to the Selkirk Steeler games, the Lockport Red Devils ball games, watching his grandkids sports or performances, cross country skiing, camping, biking, wine making and country music. Dad also loved to hunt and fish and continued until his legs wouldn't allow him to hunt any longer. Dad and mom also loved to travel, with Hawaii being their favourite destination for long extended holidays every winter. Dad loved family gatherings with all the grandkids running around. He was predeceased by his loving wife Mabel, his parents Frank and Mary, his brothers Frank and Clifford and sister Lucy, along with many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. Ralph leaves to mourn his sons Ron (Ronna), and Jeff; his daughters Susan (Allan) Stutsky, and Sandra (Paul) Starodub; his precious grandchildren, Tracy, Roberta (Derek), Brad, Celeste, David (Chelsea), Samantha (Jon), Blair, Lindsay, Andrew; and great-grandchildren Calista, Quinlan, Ivy and Madison. He also leaves to mourn his sisters Rosalie Hopper, Shirley Krawchuk (Paul) and brother-in-law Andy; along with many loving nieces and nephews Dad spent the last few months at the Tudor House in Selkirk and absolutely loved the staff there, saying many times how wonderful they treated him, and for this we could not be more thankful. The Tudor was home to him and he was anxious to go back there to be the "King of the Leather Chair", but it was just not to be. Thank you to the caring staff at the Selkirk Hospital for your care and compassion shown to our dad in the final leg of his journey. God bless you all A memorial Mass will be held on Friday, August 5, 2016, at 1:00 p.m. in the Notre Dame Roman Catholic Church, Selkirk, MB. In lieu of flowers, if you so wish, a donation in Ralph's memory can be made to the Alzheimer's Association or Stars Air Ambulance. May our parents rest in each others arms Forever and ever Amen Gilbart Funeral Home, Selkirk, in care of arrangements. www.gilbatfuneralhome.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 03, 2016