PETER DARCEL

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PETER DARCEL Unexpectedly, on December 1, 2007 at the age of 70, Peter Darcel of Gimli answered God's call. He leaves his loving wife and best friend of 48 years, Helen; their three children and their families, and many friends. Peter was predeceased by his beloved son David in 1982 and his much loved son-in-law Wayne in 1998. Mourning are the immediate family including daughter Marie Fisher (Charles Boissonneault); grandson Mark and wife Renee Fisher with great-granddaughter Winnie, grandson Adam Fisher (Nikkole Beverley); son James and grandsons Joseph and Alexandre Darcel; and daughter Cynthia and granddaughter Amanda Darcel. Peter also leaves many dearly loved family and friends scattered throughout Canada and abroad. Peter was born in Lachine, Quebec on March 2, 1937, the only child of Alfred and Maria Darcel. He grew up in St. Anne de Bellevue and at the age of 12 attended boarding school at Loyola College. As a child he had an interest in aviation and flew control-line model planes at nearby MacDonald College, where he also worked part-time in their barns. He started his working career as a draftsman for Canada Cement but his focus was flying. He joined the RCAF in December 1956 where he flew many aircraft and instructed on the T-Bird. His travels took him to Saskatoon and in 1957 he met Helen while she was working as a passenger agent for Trans Canada Airlines. Peter and Helen were married in Yorkton, Saskatchewan on July 11, 1959. They then moved to Gimli with the RCAF, where their first two children were born. Peter left the RCAF in 1961 and worked for Proctor and Gamble as a sales agent until he followed his heart and joined Air Canada as a commercial pilot in 1964, flying on Viscounts, DC-9s and 727s. The family moved to the Norwood area in Winnipeg before moving back to Gimli in 1993. Peter enjoyed sharing his aviation interest and was a Commanding Officer of 177 Air Canada Royal Canadian Air Cadets Squadron for several years in the 1980s, where his children James, David, and Cynthia had received flying scholarships a few years earlier. He was a Squadron Captain at RCACS Rivers Gliding School in 1980, a fond memory for him. Peter was a passionate Franco-Manitobain and a pillar for Le Festival du Voyageur in the early 70s. An avid outdoorsman, Peter enjoyed fishing and hunting for many years, particularly at Manitoba's Duck Mountains. He was a longtime member and past president of La Verendrye Game and Fish Association, a licensed hunting guide in Manitoba, and firearm safety instructor. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and spent many years helping the Church at St. Thomas More while in Norwood and at several other parishes later on; his faith was deep and abiding. He was an active member of the Royal Canadian Legion for many years and a comrade at Gimli Branch No. 182. He assisted community groups and friends in need whenever he could. Peter was medically retired from Air Canada in 1979 and enjoyed his cattle ranch near Inwood, north of Winnipeg, which he bought in 1974. Peter and his family shared this special place with many friends and visitors from the Inwood/Teulon area and elsewhere for recreation and hunting until it was sold this summer. Peter shared love and compassion with us often, and the telephone became his aircraft in later years, which he used to visit us anytime, anywhere. Prayers and viewing will be at Gilbart Funeral Home in Gimli on Friday, December 7 at 7:00 p.m. and Father Art Seaman will preside at the funeral at St. Michael's Church in Gimli on Saturday, December 8 at 2:00 p.m. with a burial following at the Gimli Community Cemetery, and reception afterward at the Gimli Legion. In lieu of flowers, please donate to a charity of your choice. To Fly Long have I wanted to fly in the sky To sprout wings and to fly like a bird in the sky To get a birds-eye-view Far up high in the sky, To soar around the world, To land atop my house To fly over swamps, rivers and bogs To fly across oceans, seas and lakes To soar high above building tops And come back home again To fly above cities, villages and towns, To be the first human to fly Up in the sky, To fly higher than airplanes But since None of this will ever happen I am really quite happy To be only me. - To his Gampoo by grandson Joseph Darcel (2003) Gilbart Funeral Home, Gimli in care of arrangements.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 05, 2007