IRENE GENEVIEVE LESNICK

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IRENE GENEVIEVE LESNICK (nee MURPHY) January 25, 1920 - October 5, 2016 Irene Lesnick, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, "slipped the surly bonds of Earth" in the afternoon of Wednesday, October 5 at West Park Manor Care Home in Charleswood. Family members were grateful to be with Irene in her final days. Born in Dauphin, Manitoba, on January 25, 1920, Irene was raised in a true prairie farming community. Her parents, Anna Paiement and Patrick Murphy (both deceased), fostered in her a love of the land and its beauty through each of the seasons. Irene loved working the farm with her father and caring for her beloved horses, which included breaking colts. During the Depression her parents returned with her and her younger brother Lawrence (deceased) to the Ottawa Valley to work the family farm. A beautiful, historic house in Farran's Point became the family home and gathering point for treasured family visits. Irene's first place of employment was as postmistress in Farran's Point. Irene moved to Montreal in 1940, where she thrived in the era of big band music, loved to go dancing and made many lasting friendships. During the Second World War, Irene worked at Fairchild Aircraft in Longueuil, Quebec, where she met her future husband Edmund (Mundy or E.J.) Lesnick, who predeceased her in 1986. Irene and E.J. (CWO, retired) married in 1945 and raised their family on various RCAF bases throughout Ontario and Manitoba (Trenton, Aylmer, Centralia, Clinton, Gimli and Rivers) eventually settling in Winnipeg. Irene devoted much of her life to raising five children and she felt fortunate to see her family grow to include 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. She will be lovingly remembered by: Stan and Bev Lesnick (Trevor, Tracy, Tara, and Tony); Lynn and Bill Smith (Kaleigh and Brennagh); Judy and Ken (deceased) Hutchison (Krista and Lee); Patricia and Dan Schwartz (Corey and Kate); and Karen Lesnick and Tom Sewart (Matt and Cal). Also left to mourn Irene's passing are the Attersleys, the Murphys, and the Lesnicks and their extended families. Irene loved to travel, particularly by cruise ship to many exotic parts of the world after her retirement from customer service with Eaton's and Sears. Her love of games like rummoli, euchre, canasta, bridge, and cribbage has been passed on to her children and will provide a cherished source of memories. Irene had a long, healthy and remarkable life that was dimmed by the onset of Alzheimers in her last half decade. Irene's elegance, resilience, and Irish temperament will be fondly remembered. The family would like to thank all the staff at West Park Manor for their excellent loving care of Irene over the past several years and their compassion in her final days as she "put out her hand, and touched the face of God". Flowers gratefully declined. Donations in memory of Irene may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba. The family will gather at a later date to celebrate Irene's life. Quotes are from the poem High Flight by J.G. Magee.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 15, 2016