JOSAPHAT LE NEAL 1913-2002

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JOSAPHAT LE NEAL 1913-2002 Peacefully, on Friday, May 31, 2002 at the Riverview Health Centre, Josaphat Le Neal passed away at the age of 89. He will be fondly remembered by his loving wife of 56 years, Annette (nee Bosc) three children, Carole (Jean-Claude Farge), Gilbert (Betty Scott) and Jocelyne (Richard Fukasawa) two grandchildren, Philippe and Robert Le Neal; one brother, Yves (Marie-Rose Deshayes), as well as numerous brothers and sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces. He was predeceased by his mother Marie-Josephe (nee Robert) in 1927; his father Joseph in 1966; his two sisters, Marie-Josephe in 1901; and Josephine (Jean-Baptiste Deroche) in 1939; and six brothers, Raymond in 1922, Alphonse in 1923, Pierre in 1936, Joseph (Joan Schroh) in 1975, Jean (Therese Pele) in 1998 and Augustin (Florence Langham) in 1999. Josaphat was born on April 14, 1913 in Ste. Amelie, MB where his parents settled in 1909, four years after having immigrated from Brittany. In 1919, the family moved to St. Claude, where they had spent four years upon arriving in Canada, then took up residence on a farm in Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes in 1922. Joe hired himself out on several local farms until the Great Depression prompted him to seek employment outside the province. Between 1935 and 1942, he successively worked as an orderly in a Sudbury hospital, a diamond driller in Kirkland Lake and the Abitibi region of Quebec, part of a crew clearing land for the construction of the TransCanada highway around Beardmore, ON, and in grain elevators in Port Arthur (Thunder Bay). He also participated in the construction of airport facilities in Weyburn and Estevan, SK. Returning to Notre-Dame in 1942, Joe again did a stint as a farm labourer. One of his employers was Remy Bosc, whose daughter Annette he married on July 30, 1946. Shortly after his return to Manitoba, he went into business with his brother-in-law Jean-Baptiste Deroche, operating a garage and running the Notre-Dame transfer. In 1949, he decided to go it alone. He established an Oliver farm machinery dealership, became a retailer of Morris cars, then built his own garage in 1953 and also became a distributor of North Star petroleum products, now marketed by Shell. In 1957, he opened a GM dealership, selling the Pontiac-Buick line of cars as well as GMC trucks. Joe sold his garage in 1974 and spent the first 16 years of his retirement in Notre-Dame, where he divided his time between fishing, gardening and catching up on the news with his friends at the Capricorne cafe. Joe suffered a stroke in 1989 and moved to St. Vital with Annette in 1990. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer in the spring of 2002. Always very active in the community, Joe served as president of the Town Board before Notre-Dame was incorporated and carried out the project of his friend and former MLA Marcel Boulic to build a senior citizens home in Notre-Dame. A born businessman, Joe also owed his success to his boundless energy, strong work ethic, sociable character, resourcefulness and sharp intelligence. With his own special brand of humour, he was very endearing, loved to tease and particularly enjoyed family gatherings. The family would like to thank those in charge of the seniors day care program at the St. Vital YM/YWCA, which Joe attended for 11 years, as well as the palliative home care workers and the staff at the Riverview Health Centre. Prayers will take place at the St. Eugene Church, 1007 St Marys Rd., on Monday, June 3 at 7:30 p.m. Funeral service will be held in the Notre-Dame Catholic Church on Tuesday, June 4 at 2:00 p.m., with Father Marcel Toupin officiating, followed by interment in the Parish Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to CancerCare Manitoba or the Manitoba Heart and Stroke Foundation. Adams Funeral Home of Notre Dame de Lourdes, Manitoba in care of arrangements. Phone 248-2201 or 1-888-400-2326.

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 03, 2002