Doria (Doe) Leon Marcel Gauthier

Obituary

Passed on January 20, 2021

October 13, 1938 – January 20, 2021 With heavy hearts we share the sad news of the peaceful passing of Doe; beloved husband of 62 years, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He passed away at home with his wife Fran by his side. For the past several years Doe had a battle with cancer. He stayed strong and always kept his sense of humour.

He was predeceased by his parents Emil and Agnes (Belisle), brothers Maurice and Felix, mother-in-law Antoinette Roy, sisters-in-law Mary and Brenda, a grandson David and a great-grandson Maximillion.

Doria and Fran had six children. June Charison (Curtis), Daniel Gauthier (Deb), Michel Gauthier, Monique Ruchkall (Richard), Elise Hawryluk (Darcy) and Paul Gauthier (Trena). Doe had eleven grandchildren. Cameron (Whytnie), Jodie (Nicole), Shane (Precious Joy), Celia (Jan), Hope, Corey, Kyle, Megan (Colin), Amanda (Terry) and Janae. Doe had fourteen great-grandchildren. Chloe, Ryan, Brady, Hadley, Mayla, Levi, Jaxon, Peyton, Jazzlyn, Jagger, Nate, Nixon and Zayden. Included in his family circle are ex daughters-in-law Connie and Tara. Doe dearly loved and was so proud of all of his family.

Doe was born to Emil and Agnes and was the third born of four boys; Maurice, Ralph and Felix. He had a few years of primary school but quit to take care of Maurice his older, blind brother while his parents worked. At a young age he sought out employment. Doe worked at various jobs; he worked at the bakery Robinson Shortbread, as a delivery driver, a gravel truck driver, worked at Independent Fish, Simpson Sears as a roofer, a sanitary engineer, he worked for the city of St. Boniface in the water department checking water levels during flood season and worked at Quality Construction. He was a jack of all trades. He moved with his family to Gunton, Manitoba in 1970 and soon after took a job with Charisons Turkey Hatchery and later at Maksymyk Homes. Then he became a self employed general contractor. Doe learned his trade of carpentry from his father and a lot of it was self taught. He worked hard his entire life until the age of 80. One day he had difficulty putting a set of stairs together and he knew it was time to put down the hammer and hang up the tool belt. He loved working and enjoyed his many jobs and the interaction with his many, many customers; some of whom became very good friends.

He married the love of his life Fran Roy in April of 1958. They resided in St. Boniface, St. Vital and Gunton, Manitoba and in 1987 they moved to Alberta and lived in Egremont, Acme and then on to Bashaw. In Bashaw Doe and Fran owned and operated a motel for five years. Then from Bashaw they moved to Glade, British Columbia where Doe absolutely thrived living right next to the Kootenay river and he loved the waterfalls in the bush right in his back yard so to speak. In the fall of 2019 his ill health brought him back to his Manitoba beginnings where he lived in Lac Du Bonnet until the present time. Doe was proud of his Metis heritage and those roots really shone through with his love of nature and the wilderness. He hunted, fished, trapped, and loved berry picking. His other loves were his family and friends, dogs, his favourite bird the goose and favourite animal the moose, motorcycling (in his younger years), old time country and fiddling music; his favourite fiddler being Cliff Maytwayashing, dancing and jigging, he loved to party, gardening (for the cucumbers and beans), hockey (his Montreal Canadians and then the Winnipeg Jets), black forest cake, Chinese food and his beer. There was nothing he enjoyed more than cutting wood for his wood stove and being on his riding lawn mower cutting grass. He was such a friendly guy who took up a conversation with anyone, anywhere and walked away having made a new friend. He especially liked his coffee clutches where he could shoot the breeze with the guys. He played the lotto tickets and always had one either in his pocket or in his truck. Doe had quite a refined palate; he ate with his eyes and his comment without even tasting was always nope don’t like that. Doe had a stubborn streak and oh man he had his opinions. If someone or something ruffled his feathers it was a constant source of angst for him and all those who heard about it over and over again. He certainly was one of a kind. Doe said he wanted to return in his next life as a goose.

“Let the wide open skies be your domain and you be the lead bird in your echelon. We’ll give a quick wave and call out your name, so long for now. We all love you Doe.” We miss you deeply and will forever treasure your love and memory in our hearts.

METIS FUNERAL PRAYER “Do not look at my grave and weep; I am not there. I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glints on the snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain. I am the gentle spring rain. I am not there, I did not die. When you awaken in the morning hush. I am the swift, uplifting rush of quiet birds in circled flight. I am the soft stars that shine over your head at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry. I am not there, I did not die.” May we all find the power in this prayer and look to the future for reunion and a great hunt.

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