CHARLES HOWARD COURCHENE

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CHARLES HOWARD COURCHENE Waapshki Animkii Inini (White Thunder Man) Charles Howard Courchene, aged 73 years, died peacefully at Pine Falls Hospital on Thursday, December 29, 2011. He was predeceased by his father, John C. Courchene (1981), his mother, Josephine Courchene (2003), a brother Fern, baby sister Clara and brother-in-law Marcel Fontaine. He is survived by two sons Milton (Lisa), and Joe and one daughter Lorraine (Chris); their mother Anita Bellegarde and (Anita's son Danny); adopted niece/daughter Andrea; sister Ruth (Bob) Norton; brothers Franklyn (Valerie) and Paul Roberts; grandchildren Cameron, Jessica, Kristen, Chantelle, Joe Jr., Kyle, Jordan, and especially Johnathan Reece JR (great-grandson) who held a special place in his heart, plus many nieces and nephews. Charles was born February 25, 1938 at Fort Alexander, Manitoba and attended the Fort Alexander Indian Residential School and St. Mary's Indian Residential School in Kenora. He was active in sports and played Junior Hockey in Winnipeg. He worked for many years at the Pine Falls Paper Mill and for the Manitoba Department of Highways. In retirement, he loved to spend time with his family and was often seen at the hockey arena cheering on his grandsons and offering advice on how to score that goal. Even as his health failed him, he insisted on helping with his grandsons. Traditional Wake Friday, December 30, 2011 at St. Alexander RC Church, Sagkeeng First Nation, with funeral to follow at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 31, 2011. Thank you to all the relatives and friends who visited him in the hospital and a special thank you to the doctors and nurses at Pine Falls Hospital who were so kind and helpful. A tribute DVD in memory of Charles will be produced by Spirit Road Funeral Services Inc, condolences may be sent to the family c/o Spirit Road Funeral Services Inc. PO Box 200, Fort Alexander, MB, R0E 0P0, 204-340-6490, or friends may leave a message of sympathy by email at spiritroadfs@shaw.ca.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 31, 2011