RICHARD E. CUVELIER (CUVE)

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

RICHARD E. CUVELIER (CUVE) September 8, 1948 - October 15, 2009 Rick's life journey ended far too early on Thursday morning when he lost his eight-month struggle with melanoma. His wife Jan, son Geoff, daughter Susan, and daughter-in-law Sue were by his side, as they had been throughout his illness. Rick was the fourth child of Ed and Alice Cuvelier of the Killarney/Dunrea area. Farm life in the 1950s on the prairies were great years as he and Dorothy (Dot), Marge, Don, and Luanne learned the value of honest hard work, chased the escaping sheep back into the pasture, milked cows, raised prize-winning Landrace pigs, and built their own toys from blocks of wood and tin cans. He regaled us all with amusing stories of going to the drive-in, smoking ragweed, last-minute drives to Ontario, catching gophers, and five-cent ice cream cones after church. He loved his years at the one-room Rowland School and at Deloraine, Boissevain, and Killarney High Schools. Though he moved to Winnipeg in 1966 to attend the University of Manitoba, he always remained a country boy at heart. While in Tache Hall, he made many lifelong friends, the most important of whom was his beloved Jan, whom he married in 1971. After graduating with his B.Sc. and a degree in education, Rick spent a year teaching and then began a long career in the financial services industry. He served with distinction in sales and management roles at London Life, Crown Life, Transamerica Life, and NN Financial and ran his own company, Cuvelier Insurance Services Ltd. He was a teacher, mentor, and friend to many colleagues in his role as an educator in the LUATC and CLU programs and as CLU Chapter President. His honesty, intelligence, and integrity were respected within the industry and by his clients. Rick fulfilled his lifelong dream of returning to the land when he and Jan bought a farm property in Highland Glen. Few things brought him more joy than planting and maintaining hundreds of trees, building the Bunkie with brother-in-law Vince, or tilling the soil with his 1948 Fergusson tractor Fergie . Retirement also gave Rick the time to build a home near Lockport, to golf, to play bridge with longtime friends, to stay up late talking with loved ones, and to watch the myriad of birds that visited his bird feeders. He was overjoyed to have his children return from the west to study and practice Medicine in Manitoba - and to play just a few games of Settlers . He was blessed to be Grampa to two beautiful redheads, Natalie and Emily, and he took great delight in making them laugh. He was a devoted son to his mother Alice, now in Selkirk, who will greatly miss his company. In addition to his immediate family, Rick will be sadly missed by his sister Marge (Gerry Ennis), brother Don (Jean), sister Dot (Vince Paul), sister Luanne (Ed Hunter), his extended family, and his loving friends. He was predeceased by his father Edmon in 1994. The family would like to extend sincere thanks to the staff of CancerCare Manitoba and the Selkirk and District General Hospital who took great care of Rick during his illness and at the time of his death. Particular thanks to Dr. D. Wirtzfeld, Dr. R. Wong, Dr. A. Leylek, Dr. P. Daenick, Dr. R. Lindenschmidt, and the nursing staff in Selkirk. A funeral mass will be held at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Cook's Creek on Thursday, October 22 at 2:00 p.m. Those who wish may make a donation in Rick's memory to the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation. Email condolences may be sent to the family in care of Gilbart Funeral Home in Selkirk at gfh@mts.net. Gilbart Funeral Home, Selkirk in care of arrangements.

Make a donation to

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 17, 2009