Roger Bouvier

Obituary

Passed on

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Roger Bouvier of Winnipeg (formally of Teulon, MB) on February 20, 2026, at the age of 88 yrs old.

Dad was predeceased by his Parents: Uldéric and Rose Bouvier of Fisher Branch, his older brother Tony; sister-in-law, Vicky, and nephew, Mark.

Roger was husband to Edith Bouvier for sixty-five years; father to Rene (Tammy); Brigitte (Gary) and Maurice (Darla). He was the grandfather to eleven grandchildren: Jordan (Tracy), Matthew, Dustin (Deanna), Gabby (Ivo), Madeleine (Garett), Emily (Keith), Rachel (Austin), Moe-pa to Tommy and Bennett; Grandpa to Randy (Shae) and Racheal (Jonah); Dad had five great-grandchildren: Thea, Arya, Jacob, Elsie, Eloise, and one on the way.  

Dad is survived by his two sisters: Monique Walker (Terry) Comox, BC and Dianne Marcotte (Guy) of Winnipeg and their families.

In August 2024, our parents moved into an assisted living community in Winnipeg after fifty-four years on that same homestead, a mile from Teulon. During that move, we listened to our parents reminisce about their early years on the farm in Fisher Branch and the early memories in Teulon as we were growing up.   

In November of 2025, Mom and Dad celebrated their 65^th Wedding Anniversary. Dad met mom in Gravelbourg, Sask. Because of a crop failure in 1959, Dad decided to follow his friend Johnny Labbé to Edmonton to work in construction for a short period of time. On their way there they stopped in Gravelbourg to visit Johnny’s uncle and aunty. They went roller skating with friends and dad was smitten with her. He came up from behind her taking her hand in his. They were married in Calgary, Alberta one year later in 1960. They later moved to dad’s family’s farm in Fisher Branch in1960 and is where their children were born.

Dad loved farming, but when Dad’s parents wanted to retire, they sold the family farm and purchased a general store in Teulon (1965) with their two sons Tony and Roger.  Dad’s two sisters Monique and Diane had already left the farm to serve in the armed forces as nurses.

Dad was the smiling face behind the meat counter and he made many friends. After Dad’s brother Tony, who was an exceptional manager, suddenly passed away (1967), Dad’s time was taken up with more responsibilities. Our family had many fond memories of spending time and helping him wrap meat afterhours, and we earned a little extra pocket money sweeping floors.

In 1972, Dad’s adventurous spirit led him to get his private pilot’s license (he flew for fifty years.) Not long after Dad switched to flying floatplanes when he and his hunting and fishing buddies, Vic, Alex, Brian and Herbie, built Matawa Lodge in 1980-81, a shared cabin along the Bloodvein River.

In 1979, dad converted the old Solo Store into Bouvier’s Clothing and Footwear Centre (managed by our mom) while he partnered with Merlyn Biloki to open a new grocery store in Teulon (Family Fare, Food Fare, and Bigway).  The business was sold in 2010.

Exceptional Customer Service

One of the stories Mom and Dad told us while we were preparing them for their move, was about their time in the clothing store business:   

A man, from a distant town, had come to shop at the clothing store to purchase a pair of dress shoes for a wedding he was to attend that same day. The gentleman was fitted with a pair and went on his way, a happy customer.

But when the man got home and opened the shoebox, he discovered there was only one shoe inside! The man promptly phoned the store, and my dad assured him that he would deliver the shoe to him personally and would leave straight away.   

My parents were exceptional businesspeople and would treat their customers with the utmost respect and professionalism. When Dad offered to meet the man at a prearranged drop-off site, over thirty miles away, the customer agreed.  

Twenty minutes later, as the crow flies, our dad (literally) dropped the other shoe from his Piper PA 12 Super Cruiser airplane! Though he had tried his best to make the prearranged target-zone, the shoe ended up landing in a nearby ditch.  And as mom said, “None the worse for wear!” 

As Dad circled back over the drop zone, he waved his Piper’s wings, goodbye. And that happy customer had quite a story to tell at the wedding reception that evening, about that little, red-freckled flying Frenchman!

Hobbies and Pastimes

In our parent’s earlier years in Teulon, they enjoyed curling on teams with good friend Jack Warkentin and family, as well as mix doubles with Ed and Adeline Helwer. Dad was involved with the Teulon Kinsmen Club, and after his retirement, he volunteered at the Teulon Tractor Pull as a BBQ master of chicken legs for the Lion’s club event.   

Dad’s favorite hobbies were gardening, hunting and fly-in fishing with friends and family. This cabin is filled with special memories of the special people in his life. Many of the stories are recorded in the cabin logbooks or are preserved as treasures passed down to the next generations, like the Infamous Bull Moose Saga given to him at his 50^th Birthday party.

When the grandchildren finally came along, Dad brought each of his grandchildren, many times, to this little piece of heaven on the great Canadian Shield.  Many caught Master Anglers while fishing with Grandpa. It was then that we got to see our dad in a new way: through the eyes of his grandchildren and how he interacted with each of them at home or at the cabin.  Dad left many recordings and pictures that we have cherished.  

As we all sat around Dad’s bed near the end, including the grandchildren, we reminisced with tears about those special fishing trips: shore lunches, cribbage, hiking, canoeing, exploring, swimming off the dock, or just peacefully taking in the scenery while floating down the river in fishing boats and marvelling as dad pointed to the eagle nests and beaver dams, and the swift flowing rapids and waterfalls.     

In their winter retirement years, Mom and Dad became snowbirds and settled in a fifty-five plus community in Cathedral City, California. This new adventure lasted twenty years. It was there where we all got to enjoy trips to visit them in a warmer climate and experience Disneyland and Sea World with Dad with our young families.  

Though Dad’s hobbies were hunting and fishing back home, in California he played in shuffleboard tournaments winning many trophies. He eventually became one of the caretakers of the lanes in the last few years they spent there.    

Dad’s knife skills dazzled us, and he made all kinds of moose sausage and smoked mooneye fish over the years. The last few years, Dad instructed and watched the next two generations take up the art of making sausage. The annual sausage making party started in his home butcher shop and when they moved, it was hosted by Moe and Darla.

A few weeks before dad died, many in the family got to enjoy a special day of ice fishing together. Dad caught the first one! 

In accordance with Dad’s wishes, there will not be a funeral or memorial. We ask that you share a story of Roger. In lieu of flowers, consider donating to a community-serving organization.

Thank You…

We, the family of Roger Bouvier, want to thank those caregivers who showed compassion to Dad and were part of a team who contributed to his overall wellbeing in the last two years: 

WRHA and Primary Care and Amber Meadows staff who shared how much they loved his warm, good-natured personality as he humbly accepted their help with humour, grace, and cheerfulness. Many of you expressed how very fond you were of him.

Dr.  Graham and his staff at Quarry Ridge Medical Clinic for your years of care for dad; the pharmacy teams, and the Health Science Centre (SICU), we were very moved by your compassionate care in the last few days of his life.

Farewell:

Though Dad had a quiet faith in God, he showed it boldly in his generosity toward his family and others.  Dad also showed us how to steward the river and respect those who have shared it. Dad was closest to God in nature and would say: “This is God’s country.”

Roger, Dad, Grandpa, Moepa, you will be dearly missed. We love you!

“If someone should ask for me,

Tell ‘em heaven is where I’ll be

I’ve finished all my life’s chores

And now I fish on Heaven’s shores”

 -From the poem: Gone Fishing, by David Ritter

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