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GABRIEL MARCEL ANTOINE DURAND
Born: Mar 12, 1935
Date of Passing: Feb 24, 2024
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryGABRIEL MARCEL ANTOINE DURAND
Gabriel Durand passed peacefully at the Notre Dame Health Centre on February 24, 2024, surrounded by his loving family at 88 years of age.
Gabriel is survived by five children, Claude (Wendy), Angéla, Michel (Louise), Laurent (Patti) and Marc (Joanne); 11 grandchildren, Matt, Regan, Melissa (James), Marina (Russell), Eliette, Marie, Daniel, Claire, Jocelyne, Brett (Melissa) and Emma; two great-grandchildren, Sophie and Sara; older sister Lucienne Philippe; in-laws, Val Durand, Suzanne Durand and Rudy Robitaille; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 61 years Georgette (née Deurbrouck); parents, Auguste and Irène (née Fouasse); siblings, Albert, Maurice and Raymond Durand and Clémence Mao; parents-in-law, Ernest and Augustine (née Julien) Deurbrouck; in-laws, Jean Mao, Emile Philippe, Thérèse Durand and Anita Bibault.
Gabriel was born in Notre Dame de Lourdes on March 12, 1935. He was an innovative and entrepreneurial person with a strong work ethic all his life. He acquired ownership of his parents’ farm in 1955. While working the land, he also worked for various contractors, largely running heavy equipment which he was very adept at. But the call of farming was strong so he left contract work and enrolled in the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Manitoba earning his Agriculture Diploma in 1959.
It was during his first years of farming that Gabriel was smitten by a lovely lady from Rathwell, Georgette Deurbrouck. Married in 1961, they became a formidable couple and farming team. They were innovative farmers and never shied away from adopting new practices and technologies. Gabriel became a seed grower in 1957 and was still a listed pedigreed seed grower in the summer of 2023. In 1965 they embarked on one of their most ambitious projects. They purchased a grain elevator from Federal Grain in Stephenfield and had it moved to the farmyard where they converted it into a seed cleaning plant. This facility is still in operation today. They were also the first farmers in the area to grow rapeseed, the precursor to canola. Gabriel was recognized by several organizations for his contributions to agriculture.
Dancing, travelling, spending Sundays at the lake with the boat and playing cards with friends and family were some of his favourite pastimes. He was a tireless volunteer in his community, often taking key leadership roles. His strong diplomatic and organizational skills gained him the respect and friendship of so many people in his community.
Above all else, Gabriel loved his family. He was a cherished son, brother, husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather and uncle. The farm was often the gathering place for family reunions or simply a fun place to spend the weekend. There was always a warm welcome at uncle Gaby’s and auntie Georgette’s. Upon his passing, he was appropriately described by one of his nieces as "the glue of the family".
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Centre de Santé Notre Dame Health Centre or the Notre Dame Parish.
Publish Date: Mar 2, 2024
GABRIEL MARCEL ANTOINE DURAND
Gabriel Durand passed peacefully at the Notre Dame Health Centre on February 24, 2024, surrounded by his loving family at 88 years of age.
Prayers will held at Adam’s Funeral Home on Friday, March 1, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
Funeral Service will be held at the Notre Dame Roman Catholic Church on Saturday, March 2, 2024. Memorial Service beginning at 1:30. Funeral Mass at 2:00 p.m. The service will be available to view via Live Streaming.
Publish Date: Feb 27, 2024
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Feb 27, 2024, Feb 27, 2024, Mar 02, 2024