PATRICIA DOREEN ARNAL

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PATRICIA DOREEN ARNAL

(née GILLIS)

March 16, 1940 - September 11, 2025

Pat (née Gillis) Arnal passed away after many years of suffering from dementia, with her son, Philip by her side.

Pat grew up in Elie, Manitoba leaving at the age of 15 to begin working in Winnipeg where she boarded with her cousin, Janet VanElslander until her marriage to René November 7, 1957, and moved onto their farm in Fannystelle. During their farming years they welcomed their three children into the family, Philip in 1963, Roxanne in 1969 and Kevin in 1975. Due to the upper arm complications from René’s snowmobile accident in 1975, they sold the farm and moved into the home they built in Elie in 1979. Pat continued to manage the home and enjoyed her large vegetable garden and flower beds. Always passionate about politics, Pat worked at many elections as a poll clerk or deputy returning officer, and was a proud census commissionaire for Statistics Canada. Once Kevin started high school, she took on employment as a paraprofessional with the White Horse Plain School Division where the Christmas concerts were always a highlight of her year. By 2006 they had moved to Winnipeg where they lived out their years.

Pat was predeceased by her husband, René, in 2014. She is survived by her children and grandchildren, Philip and Kim (née Martynyk) Arnal (Sydney Arnal, Jordan Arnal), Roxanne Arnal and Ken Hrubeniuk (Taylor Hrubeniuk, Ethan Hrubeniuk), and Kevin Arnal and Christine Bering (Chase Arnal). Pat also leaves to mourn her sister, Gloria (Curt) Olson, numerous nieces and nephews, especially Karen (née Desilets) Cyrenne, who remained her lifelong friend throughout their adult lives.

Pat is predeceased by her brothers, Rene Gillis, Maurice Gillis, sisters Mary Desilets, Julienne Gillis, and Joyce Rivard, and parents, Adolf and Gabrielle (Mestdagh) Gillis. She is also predeceased by René’s siblings Gertrude Obee, Denise Marinoff, Hélène Piché, Béatrice Piché, Clara Black, Lilianne Beaudry, Florence Tilt, Alfred Arnal, Léo Arnal, Irène Kuhl, Rita Albert, Louis Arnal, Vincent Arnal, Lorraine Tinckam, Jules Arnal and Richard Arnal.

Pat will be fondly remembered for “Aunty Pat’s Buns” and the monster cookies she baked for her grand nieces and nephews who lived close by.

The family would like to express our greatest gratitude to charge nurse, Darcie, and the rest of the 5th floor care team at Golden West Centennial Lodge. We would also like to thank Paula (Olson) Ballegeer for providing foot care.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Canada.

A Catholic funeral mass will be celebrated with Father Paul Tinguely at St. Charles Roman Catholic Parish, 320 St. Charles Street, Winnipeg on Friday, September 19, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. We will gather following mass at Breezy Bend Country Club, 7620 Roblin Boulevard, Headingley to celebrate Pat’s life. A private interment will take place at Lasting Tribute Chapel, Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens on Saturday with Father Eric Giddins.

Chapel Lawn Funeral Home

204-885-9715

Tribute Link: www.chapellawn.ca

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Sep 16, 2025