ETIENNE (STEVE) BALEZ

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

ETIENNE (STEVE) BALEZ Peacefully at his residence on Tuesday April 24, 2001, Mr. Etienne Balez, of St. Claude, Man., passed away at the age of 85 years. He leaves to mourn his loving wife Adele (nee Vaillant) three sons, Rene (Mary) Balez, Albert (Paulette) Balez and Gilles Balez; two daughters, Diane Balez (Leigh Sherry) and Annette McFarlane; one stepdaughter Annette De Neuve and her daughters, Rachelle (Randy Drechsler) and Brenda; eight grandchildren, Marc Balez (Joanne Ling), Dara Balez (fiancee Chris Okell), Monica Balez, Kevin Kyle, Brian Kyle, Melanie Kyle (Craig Bjarnason), Brigitte McFarlane and Angela McFarlane; seven great-grandchildren, Felisha, Page, Blade, Solo, Natasha, Brandon and Ajha. He also leaves one sister Mathilde Lesage and numerous nieces and nephews, relatives and friends. He was predeceased by his first wife Yvonne Balez (in 1975), his father and mother; brothers, Marcel, George, Francois; sisters, Maria, Adrienne, Rose, Anna, Louise. He was born April 29, 1915, and raised on a farm in the Roseisle district. He attended Kenneth School (his father was one of the founders of the school). He married Yvonne Hebrard in 1940, and raised five children while farming in St. Claude. He remarried in 1976 to Adele Desaulniers. They moved to the town of St. Claude in 1985. His favourite pastimes were playing the fiddle at local functions and at home, visiting family and friends, playing cards, travelling and camping, gardening, farming, sharing amusing stories, curling, broomball, and preserving the family heritage. He was a school trustee and an active member of the St. Claude Agricultural Society for many years. Prayers will be held at Adams Funeral Home on Thursday April 26 at 7:00 p.m. Funeral mass will be celebrated in the St. Claude Roman Catholic Church on Friday April 27 at 2:00 p.m. with Father Rodrigue Bouchard officiating. Interment to follow in the Notre Dame Parish Cemetery at 5:00 p.m. Adams Funeral Home in care of arrangements, Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes, Manitoba 1-204-248-2201 or 1-888-400-2326.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 26, 2001